Bylaws – Region 38

Glossary
IPA-US: International Police Association, U. S. Section
NEC: National Executive Committee (IPA-US national officers)
NDC: National Delegate Council (IPA-US national officers and region delegates)

Section 1 Name
1.1 The name of the organization is Region 38 of the International Police Association, United States Section (IPA-US).

1.2 References to Statute and Standing Rule numbers are to provisions of the Bylaws of the IPA-US.

Section 2 Aims and Objectives
2.1 The purpose of Region 38 is to support and carry out the aims and objectives of the International Police Association and the IPA-US at the region level, and to assist region members in participating in IPA-related activities.

Section 3 Affiliation
3.1 Region 38 is affiliated with the International Police Association, United States Section.

Section 4 Membership
4.1 Membership in the region is limited to persons meeting the requirements and categories of membership defined in the International and IPA-US statutes and standing rules. Members of Region 38 are IPA members who are assigned to Region 38 by virtue of working or living in the region, or for other reasons, by IPA-US.

4.2 Region Honorary Members

4.2.1 Region honorary members may be appointed by Region 38 consistent with the provisions of Statute 406.00.

4.2.2 Any Region 38 member may nominate for honorary membership a person who has made a significant contribution to Region 38, the IPA, or law enforcement in Nevada. The nomination must be approved by a 2/3 vote of the Region Committee.

4.2.3 In making the appointment, the Region Committee will determine whether the honorary member should pay dues, which are paid solely to the region, and which may not be more than 50% of annual national dues.

4.2.4 The person’s honorary membership may continue for a designated period of time, or may continue until the person resigns from the honorary membership, or until that membership is revoked. An honorary membership may be revoked by a 2/3 vote of the Region Committee.

Section 5 Dues
5.1 Dues are payable as outlined in the IPA-US statutes and standing rules.

5.2 Annual dues for region honorary members will be in accordance with §4.2.3. Honorary members may also be charged an activity fee for certain activities.

Section 6 Officers
6.1 Region 38 will have the following elected officers:
President
First Vice-President
Secretary
Treasurer

6.2 The Region Committee, by a majority vote, may establish or eliminate additional region officer positions as it deems necessary to conduct the business of the region, consistent with provisions of Statute 604.00 and other relevant statutes and standing rules. It may appoint individuals to fill such positions until the next scheduled region election is held, at which time a person will be elected to fill the position. It may also, by a majority vote, opt not to fill a vacant position, provided that all positions required by IPA-US bylaws are filled. An additional Vice-President position is automatically a member of the Region Committee. For any other added position, the Region Committee will, in establishing the position, determine whether the position will be a member of the Region Committee, and whether the person will be a voting or non-voting member of the Committee.

6.3 The Region Committee may, by a majority vote, establish or abolish other positions, and appoint individuals to or remove them from such positions, as the Committee deems necessary to assist in the operation of the region.

Section 7 Region Committee
7.1 The Region Committee consists of the following Region 38 officers: President, all Region Vice-Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer, and other officers as determined in accordance with §6.2.

Section 8 Region Responsibilities
8.1 Region 38 will be represented at each NDC by a region delegate or by proxy, following procedures outlined in the IPA-US statutes and standing rules.

8.2 The Region Committee will determine who will represent Region 38 at the NDC. In the event the designated delegate or proxy is not able to represent Region 38 and there is not sufficient time to consult the Region Committee, the President may designate a replacement and provide the necessary notifications. All substitutions must comply with applicable provisions of the IPA-US Bylaws, including S.R. 1101.00 et seq.

8.3 All matters known to be on the NDC agenda will be reviewed by the Region Committee prior to the NDC.

8.4 The Region 38 NDC Representative or proxy will vote according to the direction of the Region Committee. The Region Committee may delegate authority to the representative to use his/her judgment in terms of how to best represent the intent of Region 38 on proposals amended during the NDC meeting or other issues that may arise during the NDC meeting.

Section 9 Authority
9.1 Pursuant to Statute 903.00, the Region Committee has authority over the activities and affairs of the Region, subject to the authority of the NEC, NDC, IPA-US Statutes and Standing Rules, and Region 38 Bylaws, and has authority to establish procedures for the region that are not inconsistent with those entities and documents.

9.2 The Region Committee may adopt, by a majority vote, standing rules and/or policies to carry out the provisions of these bylaws or the business of the region.

Section 10 Duties of Officers
Officers will perform the duties indicated below.

10.1 President: The President is responsible to prepare the agenda for, and preside over, region meetings, and to serve as the spokesperson for the region. The President will also generally function as the liaison with IPA U.S. Section, and be the official representative of Region 38. The President may appoint subcommittees, designate subcommittee chairs, and assign or appoint other region members to perform specific tasks, subject to approval of a majority of the Region Committee. The President may also discontinue subcommittees he/she has established and remove persons he/she has assigned or appointed, unless a majority of the Region Committee objects. The President or his/her designee has the authority to sign contracts that are binding on Region 38, subject to approval by a majority of the Region Committee. The President, as well as the Treasurer, is authorized to sign checks on behalf of the region.

10.2 First Vice-President: The First Vice-President will assume the duties of the President in the event of his/her absence or inability to perform the duties of the office, and perform other duties as may be assigned by the President or the Region Committee.

10.3 Additional Vice-President positions: Any other Vice-President will assume the duties of the Vice-President above him/her in the event of that Vice-President’s absence or inability to perform the duties of the office, and perform other duties as may be assigned by the President or the Region Committee.

10.4 Secretary: The Secretary will keep minutes of region meetings and distribute them in a timely manner to members of the Region Committee. He/She will present the minutes for approval at the next meeting and retain a copy for at least five years. He/She will also be responsible for functions related to region membership, for correspondence on behalf of the region, for maintaining official papers, and for maintaining a record of decisions made by the Region Committee. He/She will notify the National Membership Coordinator or the Secretary-General of any change of a member’s name, address, telephone, or email address.

10.5 Treasurer: The Treasurer is the chief financial officer of the region and has overall responsibility for all financial accounts of the region, as well as performing those duties required by the IPA-US bylaws. He/She will be responsible to maintain region funds in an appropriate account at an established financial institution, to keep a record of all income and expenses, to prepare and file any necessary tax documents, and to ensure compliance with all applicable financial laws and regulations.

10.5.1 The Treasurer will provide a treasurer’s report at each Region 38 general membership meeting and Region Committee meeting. That report will include all funds received, and expenses paid, on behalf of Region 38 since the last treasurer’s report.

10.5.2 The Treasurer has the authority to pay ordinary and necessary expenses of $100 or less for Region 38 with approval of the President or, if he/she is unavailable, the First Vice-President; however, the Treasurer may not pay any expense, or reimburse any member for expenses, in an amount exceeding $100 without Region Committee approval. Any check written to reimburse the Treasurer for expenses he/she has incurred must be signed or countersigned by another member of the Region Committee.

10.5.3 The Treasurer will provide current region financial account balances, along with information about the financial institution(s) and account number(s) where they are being maintained, and a copy of the last region financial report to the National Treasurer upon his/her request.

Section 11 Meetings
11.1 General Membership meetings

11.1.1 There will be at least one meeting per year, with at least 28 days prior notice. The meeting may be held in person or by teleconference or other electronic means. Additional meetings of the general region membership may be held from time to time at the call of the President or a majority vote of the Region Committee.

11.1.2 Any IPA Region 38 ordinary or ordinary life member in good standing may attend and participate in the meeting and may vote on any matters that come before the meeting.

11.1.3 The members present at such a meeting will constitute a quorum to conduct business, provided that the meeting has been called with at least two weeks advance notice to region members at their last known email or postal mail address. The number of votes needed to pass any item which is put to the general membership for a vote will be a percentage of the number of members attending the meeting who vote.

11.1.4 By permission of the Chair, or by a majority vote of the members present, other persons may attend the meeting, or a portion of the meeting, but may not vote, and may speak only by invitation of the Chair.

11.2 Region Committee meetings

11.2.1 Meetings: The Region Committee will meet at least twice every calendar year. A meeting can be called by the President or by a majority of the Region Committee. All Committee members will be given at least 7 days advance notice of the meeting.

11.2.2 Attendance and participation: Any IPA Region 38 member in good standing may attend any Region Committee meeting, except for those portions that constitute an executive session. At the discretion of the Chair, or by a majority vote of the Region Committee members, any such member may participate in discussions, but may not vote.

11.2.3 Quorum: A quorum, consisting of at least 3 Region Committee members, must be present to conduct business at a Region Committee meeting. For purposes of this section, “present” includes those members who are represented by proxy (in accordance with §11.2.5) or who are attending the meeting by means of teleconference or other electronic means. Once a quorum is established, the quorum will continue to exist for the duration of the meeting even if members leave, unless members are excused by a majority vote of the Committee.

11.2.4 Executive Session: An executive session of the Region Committee may be held to discuss issues involving potential disciplinary action against a region member. During an executive session, only Region Committee members may be present, except for those others whose presence may be required to present information for the length of time that the person’s presence is necessary to accomplish that end.

11.2.5 Proxy

11.2.5.1 A Region Committee member who cannot attend a meeting in person may be represented by written proxy. The written proxy can be an original signed document, presented by the holder of the proxy at the meeting, or can be in email form, sent to at least two other officers in advance of the meeting.

11.2.5.2 The proxy must indicate what authority is being given to the person holding the proxy. The person giving the proxy may indicate that it is for attendance only (to establish a quorum, but not to cast votes on issues); to cast votes in a specific manner regarding certain specified matters to be considered at the meeting; or, to cast votes for any or all matters to be considered in a manner to be determined by the holder of the proxy.

11.2.5.3 Information about the proxy will be entered into the minutes of the meeting.

11.2.6 Conducting business outside of meetings

11.2.6.1 When reasonably necessary to conduct region business, members of the Region Committee may take action based on a poll of committee members via email. The percentage of votes needed to approve an item will be the same as during a meeting.

11.2.6.2 The President has the authority to make decisions of an emergency nature on matters that are not covered by the Region 38 Bylaws or by the IPA-US Statutes and Standing Rules. Any such decision or action will be conveyed to the other members of the Region Committee as soon as practical. The Region Committee may, by a majority vote, overrule the decision or reverse the action in those cases where it is feasible to do so.

11.2.6.3 The Secretary will be informed of, and maintain a record of, all decisions made outside of meetings.

Section 12 Elections and Appointments
12.1 Only ordinary and ordinary life members are eligible to hold elective office.

12.2 Region officers will be elected for three-year terms, pursuant to Statute 1205.00. Region elections will occur every three years, with the first election occurring in 2022.

12.3 Any member intending to run for a region office must submit a notice of intent run, including the office that he/she plans to run for, to the Region Secretary not later than October 1 of an election year.

12.4 Voting will normally take place in November. Voting may be done at a general membership meeting called for that purpose, with at least 28 days advance notice to members, or may be done by mail or electronic means that ensures the integrity of the voting.

12.5 It will normally be the responsibility of the Secretary to conduct elections.

12.6 Newly-elected officers will take office on the following December 31, and the oath of office will be administered at the next meeting following that date.

Section 13 Vacancies
13.1 Vacancies occurring during the term of office for region officers will be filled as outlined in this section and applicable sections of the IPA-US Bylaws.

13.2 Vacancies for the offices of President and 1st Vice-President will be handled in the manner prescribed in Statute 1303.00.

13.3 For vacancies in the office of a Vice-President other than the 1st Vice-President, the next Vice-President in succession will assume the duties of the vacated office.

13.4 Other Region Committee vacancies, including the last Vice-President position, will be handled in the manner prescribed in Statute 1304.00.

Section 14 Voting
14.1 For election of officers, each ordinary member and ordinary life member of Region 38 present at the meeting when the election is held will have one vote. At Region Committee meetings, each voting member of the Committee who is present in person or electronically, or who is represented by proxy, will have one vote. (If one person holds multiple offices, he/she will have only one vote.)

14.2 Unless specified otherwise in the bylaws, the percentage or number of votes needed to pass an item will be based on the number of eligible votes actually cast. An abstention will not count as a vote cast. (Example: At a Region Committee meeting, when the Region Committee comprises 6 persons, if one person is absent and one person abstains from voting, the number of votes needed to pass will be based on a percentage of 4 votes, which is the number of votes cast.)

14.3 The chair of any meeting will enjoy all of the rights and responsibilities of other members, including the right to vote.

Section 15 Subcommittees
15.1 Subcommittees may be appointed as needed by the President or by a majority vote of the Region Committee. Unless a chairperson is designated by the appointing entity, the members of the subcommittee will select one of the subcommittee members to serve as chair. The subcommittee’s responsibility and authority will be clearly defined, and a time limit for its existence will be established. A standing subcommittee with no termination date may be established by a majority vote of the Region Committee.

15.2 The chair of the subcommittee will enjoy the same rights and responsibilities as other subcommittee members, including voting. The chair is responsible to ensure that the subcommittee carries out its charge, and to report on a regular basis to the Region Committee.

15.3 Subcommittees may not expend or encumber region funds without authorization from the Region Committee.

15.4 A subcommittee may be decommissioned by a majority vote of the Region Committee.

Section 16 Restrictions
16.1 No person may use the IPA Region 38 name or logo without authorization of the Region Committee.

16.2 Pursuant to S.R. 1107.00, Region 38 will not schedule any IPA-sponsored events during the week of the NDC.

Section 17 Grievances, Removals, and Suspensions
17.1 Grievances involving region issues or officers will be brought before the Region Committee. Any issue involving an alleged violation of National or International bylaws that is not resolved at the region level may be referred to the NEC or NDC.

17.2 Charges against region officers will be handled as outlined in the IPA-US Bylaws, including Statute 1708.00 et seq.

Section 18 Rules of Order
18.1 Meetings will be conducted according to parliamentary procedure. The current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised will govern all cases in which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the IPA-US Bylaws or the Region 38 Bylaws.

Section 19 Bylaws
19.1 These bylaws will govern the activities of Region 38 to the extent they are not inconsistent with the IPA International Statutes and Rules, the IPA-US Bylaws, and applicable laws.

19.2 These bylaws may be initially adopted by a 2/3 vote of the Region Committee.

19.3 Any Region 38 member in good standing may submit a proposal for a bylaws change in writing to the Region 38 President. That proposal must specify what change(s) are to be made and the reason(s) for the proposal. The proposal will be considered at the next Region Committee meeting that allows at least 30 days advance notice of the change to Region 38 members.

19.4 These bylaws may only be amended at a meeting of the Region Committee by a 2/3 vote. Any proposed bylaw amendment(s) must be communicated to current Region 38 members via email not less than 30 days prior to the meeting at which the amendment(s) will be considered. Any comments received from Region 38 members prior to the meeting, and the comments of any Region 38 members in good standing who are at the meeting, will be considered by the Region Committee prior to the vote as to whether to adopt the amendment(s).

19.5 If any portion of these bylaws conflicts with any law or with International or U. S. Section statutes or rules, that portion which is in conflict is automatically repealed, and the remaining sections will remain in effect.

Section 20 Administrative Issues
20.1 Region Communication

20.1.1 Region 38 will issue a newsletter periodically via email and/or the region website. Any member who does not have email access may request that newsletters be mailed to him/her.

20.1.2 Region 38 will keep an email list of its members and may send email notifications to them regarding significant events, meetings, and other notifications.

20.1.3 Any notice required by these bylaws may be accomplished by sending email notification to the last known email address of those persons required to be notified and by posting the information on the Region 38 website.

20.2 Region Internet Presence

20.2.1 Region 38 will maintain an up-to-date website, which includes region officer contact information; a list of region meetings, activities, and functions; and a copy of the Region 38 bylaws. Unless the site is password-protected, care should be taken not to post information that should be restricted from non-members.

20.2.2 No member will place any personal commentary, remarks that would be in conflict with IPA statutes or standing rules, or remarks that would reflect badly on the IPA or on Region 38 on the Region 38 website or on any Region 38 social media presence (e.g., Facebook).

Section 21 Geographic Area
21.1 Region 38 includes all of the state of Nevada.

Adopted by vote of the Region 38 Board
9/1/2020