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Home Organization What is a CHMM? Membership What's New Events Calendar Newsletters Meeting Minutes Contact Us BYLAWS OF THE ALABAMA SOCIETY OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS MANAGERS CHAPTER I - MEMBERSHIP Section 1. Classification. The members of the Society shall be classified as either Voting or Non-Voting. Section 2. Voting Members. Voting Members shall be limited to Active, Life and Retired CHMMs both present and past. A. Active Member. Shall be a Hazardous Materials Manager certified by the Hazard Control Manager Certification Board and a member in good standing of this Society. B. Distinguished Member, An active member of this Society. Who has been recommended to Life Membership by unanimous vote of the Board of Directors and majority vote of the members at the annual meeting. C. Retired Member. An Active Member who has been an Active Member either for a period of twenty-five (25) accumulative years, twenty (20) consecutive years, or continuously from date of eligibility for Active Membership and who either reached the age of at least sixty-two years or, because of disability has retired from practice at an earlier age and no longer is earning income from the performance of service as a Hazardous Materials Manager. To qualify for Retired Membership status, the Active Member shall submit affidavit attesting to the status of retirement. D. Honorary Member. Any individual who makes a significant contribution to the enhancement of the Society's purposes and, who is appointed by a majority of the Board of Directors. Section 3. Non-Voting Members. Non-Voting Members shall be Affiliate, Student, and Sustaining Members at least 18 years of age. A. Affiliate Member. A professional in the field of Hazardous Materials Management who is not certified as a Hazardous Materials Manager. B. Student Member. A Student Member is a full time student who is pursuing a degree and has an interest in Hazardous Materials Management. C. Sustaining Member. Any person or organization interested in promoting the principles of the Hazardous Materials Management. Section 4. Rights of Voting Members. Voting Members shall be entitled to: A. The right to vote on all matters requiring a vote by the members of the Society to which the member belongs; B. Subscription to the official publication of the Society; C. Admission to any meeting of the Society; D. Such other rights as the Board of Directors of Members at the Annual Session may determine. Section 5. Rights to Non-Voting Members. Non-Voting Members shall be entitled to: A. Subscription to the official publication of the Society. B. Admission to any open meeting of the Society. C. Such other rights as the Board of Directors of Members at the Annual Session may determine. Section 6. Application for Membership. All applications for Active Membership must be made to the Board of Directors or their designated agent. Section 7. Dues. The dues of the Society are on an annual basis, payable in advance on or before May first of each year. A. Dues for the Active and Affiliate Members shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors. A majority vote shall be required for approval of any change. B. Honorary and Retired Members shall be exempt from payment of any dues to the Society. C. In addition to the Society dues, all Active members shall be in good standing with the Board of Hazard Control Management. Section 8. Loss of Membership. An active member, who has allowed their certification to lapse shall cease to be a voting member of the Society. Any member, whose dues remain in arrears for sixty calendar days (60) shall cease to be a member of the Society. Section 9. Reinstatement of Membership. Any member who has forfeited membership for nonpayment of dues may be reinstated as a continuous member on show of good cause, tender of all past and current dues and upon approval of the Board of Directors. Section 10. Resignation. Members may resign at any time upon making written request to the Board of Directors. CHAPTER II - GOVERNMENT Section 1. Quorum. A majority of the Voting Members, the Board of Directors, or a committee shall constitute a quorum. Section 2. Voting. Except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws, every question which shall come before a meeting of the members, the Board of Directors, or a committee shall be decided by majority of those voting. Section 3. Procedure. The current edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the Society in all cases to which it is applicable. Section 4. Meetings. A. Sessions. Annual Session of Society shall be the general meeting of the Society each year. This general session shall be known as the Annual Session of the Society. The Annual Session shall be held during the same calendar quarter of each year in the city of Montgomery, Alabama. The sessions shall be one or more days duration and shall include business and scientific meetings. B. Official Call. The Secretary shall cause to be published in the official publication of the Society official notice of time and place of each session and notify each member. C. Order of Business. The order of business at the Annual Session of the Board of Directors shall include: Call to Order Roll Approval of Minutes of Last Session Reports of Officers Reports of Committee Report of Board of Directors, including presentation of budget Report of Reference Committees Unfinished Business Election of Officers Installation of Officers Adjournment D. Special Session. Special session of the members shall be called by the President upon written request by the majority o the Board of Directors or by majority of the members in attendance at the previous annual meeting. The time and place shall be determined by the President, provided that the time selected shall be no more than forty-five (45) calendar days after the request was received. The business of the special session shall be limited to that stated in the official call. E. Order of Business. The order of business of any special session of the members shall be as follows: Call to Order Roll Reading of call for special meeting Transaction of business as provided in call Adjournment Section 5. Rules of Order. A. Reports. All reports, except supplemental reports of officers and committees, shall be published under the direction of the President and sent to all voting members at least twenty (20) calendar days in advance of the opening of the annual session. All supplemental reports shall be submitted in writing and read at a time designated in the order of business and then presented to the Secretary for recording. B. Resolutions. Any resolutions submitted by a voting Society member must be submitted in written form to the president and secretary not less than thirty (30) calendar days prior to opening the session. C. Consideration of Budget. The annual budget shall be proposed at a time designated in the order of business at a meeting prior to the last meeting of the annual session. In the event that the budget as submitted is not approved by the members, all recommendations concerning change shall be referred to the Board of Directors for the presentation of a revised budget which shall be submitted to the members as soon as possible thereafter. Such procedure shall be repeated twice until a budget for the ensuring year is adopted. If the budget is not adopted after two roll call votes, the Board of Directors shall by majority vote establish the budget. D. Introduction of New Business. No new business shall be introduced at the last meeting of the annual session, whether in the form of resolution, memorials, or otherwise, unless by unanimous consent of the voting members present. Action on any such new business shall require a majority affirmation vote for adoption. CHAPTER III - BOARD OF DIRECTORS Section 1. Composition. The Board of Directors shall consist of the President, President-elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Immediate Past President, and two At-Large one (1) year voting members. Section 2. Officers. The officers of the Board of Directors shall be the Chairman and the Secretary. A. Qualifications. 1. The Chairman of the Society shall be selected by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. 2. The Secretary of the Society shall serve as Secretary of the Board of Directors. B. Vacancies. 1. In the absence of the Chairman, the President-elect shall serve as Chairman of the Board. In the absence of the President and President-elect, the Board shall elect one of its voting members to serve as Chairman PRO TEM. C. Duties. 1. The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall preside at all meetings of the Board. 2. The Secretary shall serve as recording officer of the Board of Directors and custodian of its records. Section 3. Rights and Duties. A. The Board of Directors shall be the Administrative body of the Society vested with full power to conduct all business of the Society, subject to the laws of the State of Alabama, the Articles of Incorporation, the Bylaws, and the mandates of the Members. In matters of long range importance to the ASHMM, a question must be called and there must be a majority vote in favor of the issue. In addition, the Board of Direcotrs shall have power to enact interim policies between Annual Sessions when such policies are necessary to the proper conduct of the Society affairs, provided that all such policies are presented to the Members for ratification at the next Annual Session immediately following the enactment. B. The duties of the Board of Directors shall include, but not be limited to: 1. Be responsible for all property, real and personal, owned or held by the Society. 2. Be responsible for general fund consisting of all monies received from all sources. This fund shall be used for defraying all expenses incurred by the Society. 3. Establishing the fiscal year of the Society to begin on July 1 of the calendar year and end June 30 of the next year. 4. Cause the account of the Society to be audited annually by a certified public accountant or elected auditors. 5. Prepare an itemized budget of funds necessary to properly conduct the Society activities in the year following. 6. Submit an annual report to the member reviewing activities of the Board of Directors and the appointive officers. 7. Review reports of officers and committees of the Society and to make recommendations to the House of Delegates concerning these reports. 8. Perform such other duties as are prescribed by the mandated of the House of Delegates. 9. Direct the President to call a special session. 10. Approve the minutes of the last meeting provided they are ratified at the first meeting. Section 4. Meetings. A. Regular Meetings. There shall be at least four (4) meetings of the Board Annually. The time and place of these meetings to be determined by the President after consulting the members of the Board, one during the spring, one immediately before the Annual Session, one immediately after the Annual Session, and one during the fall. B. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be called by the Chairman or upon request of four (4) or more voting members of the Board of Directors. The call for meeting shall be issued in writing, at least ten (10) calendar days prior to the date set for the meeting and shall state the business to be considered. No business shall be considered except that provided in the call. Section 5. Mail or Electronic Ballots. Action taken by a majority of the voting members of the Board of Directors by mail or electronic ballot shall be binding and effective as if such action were taken in a regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors, providing, however, that any voting member of the Board may challenge the validity of a mail or electronic ballot on the grounds that insufficient information is available to ensure proper consideration of the question. If the problem is subsequently corrected to the satisfaction of challenge, the challenge can be withdrawn and vote taken. CHAPTER IV - OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS Section 1. Elective Officers. The elective offices of the Society shall be the President, President-elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and two (2) At-Large board members. A. Qualifications. A candidate for the office of President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Immediate Past President, At-Large board members. B. Term of Office 1. The President-Elect shall be elected for a term of one year or until a successor is elected. 2. The President-Elect, upon completion of the term office, shall succeed to the office of President without election to serve for a term of one year. 3. The President, upon completion of the term of office, shall succeed to the office of Immediate Past President without election, to serve for a term of one year. 4. Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected for a term of one year, with tenure limited to three (3) consecutive terms, and the two (2) one year Board Members At-Large shall be elected for a term of one (1) year with tenure limited to three (3) consecutive terms. 5. In the event of noncompliance with the duties delineated in these bylaws, to include representation at required meetings and/or negligence in duty, an officer may be dismissed by a majority vote of the entire Board of Directors. C. Nominations. Nominations for the office of President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer and two (2) At-Large board members shall be presented by the Chairman of the Nominations Committee in accordance with the order of business. Additional nominations may be made from the floor. D. Elections 1. The President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer and the two (2) At-Large board members shall be elected by the voting members at the annual session. a. Voting shall be by secret ballot. Vote tabulation shall be conducted by the Secretary and verified by the Immediate Past President. b. The majority of ballots cast shall elect. In the event no candidates receives a majority of the votes cast on the first ballot, the two (2) candidates receiving the greatest number of votes shall be balloted upon again. If there is only one nominee for an office, the chairman may declare the nominee elected. E. Installation. Elective officers shall be installed at each annual session following their election as provided in the order of business. The President-Elect shall be installed as president at the next Annual Session following elections. F. Vacancies. 1. In the event of a vacancy in the office of President, the President-Elect will serve as President or the unexpired term and the term immediately following. 2. In the event of a vacancy in the office of President-Elect, the office shall remain vacant until a special session is called to nominate a candidate for election by the voting members. 3. In the event of a vacancy in the offices of President and President-Elect, the Secretary shall serve as the President until the election of new officers at the next Annual Session. 4. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Secretary or Treasurer, the President with the approval of the board, may appoint a successor for the unexpired term. 5. In the event of a vacancy in the office of an At-Large Board member, the President, with the approval of the Board shall appoint a successor who shall serve until the vacancy is filled by election of the members at the next Annual Session. G. Duties. The elective officers shall perform those duties regularly and customarily pertaining to the offices they hold, except as may otherwise be provided in the Bylaws. 1. The president shall in addition to other duties: a. Address the opening meeting of each Annual Session. b. Submit to the members an annual report of activities of the office of President. 2. It shall be the duty of all elective officers to: a. Assist the President when the President so designates. b. Submit to the members an annual written report of the offices' activities. Section 2. Appointive Officers. The appointive officers of the Society shall be members as may be required for the proper conduct of Society affairs. A. Qualifications. Qualifications for appointive officers shall be determined by the Board of Directors. B. Term of Office. Appointive officers shall be appointed for a term of one (1) year. C. Appointment. Appointive officers shall be appointed annually by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. D. Vacancies. Vacancies in appointive officers shall be filled as they occur by majority vote of the Board of Directors. E. Duties. The appointive officers shall perform those duties prescribed by the Board of Directors. 1. Serve as a member of the board, without the power to vote. 2. Submit an annual report to the members. CHAPTER V - COMMITTEES Section 1. Composition A. Members. All committees, both standing and special, shall be comprised of not less than two (2) members who are Voting members in good standing of the Society at the time of their appointment and must maintain such membership during the term of their service. In the event that cooperative efforts with other Societies or other organizations make the appointment of one or more non-members desirable, such appointment shall be made only with specific approval of the Board of Directors. B. Ex-officio Member. The President or an officer designated by the President shall serve as an ex-officio member of committees of the Society, both standing and special, to advise the committee and serve as liaison between the committee and the Board of Directors. C. Consultants. All committees of the Society, both standing and special, may request the President to appoint one (1) or more consultants when the need for special assistance can be demonstrated. Section 2. Term of Office. A. Members of all committees of the Society shall serve for a team of no less than one (1) year with tenure limited to four (4) consecutive terms. B. In the event of noncompliance with the duties delineated in these Bylaws, to include attendance at required meetings and/or negligence of duty, a committee chairman may be replaced by the President subject to majority vote of the Board of Directors. Section 3 Duties. The duties of committees of the Society, shall include: A. To perform the duties prescribed by the members and Board of Directors. B. Submit a plan of work of that committee as required by the Board of Directors. C. To appointment such subcommittees as are necessary to the satisfactory accomplishment of the duties prescribed by the members and the Board of Directors. D. Maintain accurate records relative to the program, procedures and expenses involved. E. To submit to the members a written annual report, to be received by the President-Elect. F. Submit a recommended budget for the ensuing year to the Chairman of the Board. Section 8. Expenses. The expenses of each committee shall be paid by the Society provided such expenses are incurred in conformity with rules and regulations provided by the Board, and provided further that the committee's budget approved by the Board is sufficient to cover the payment of such expenses. CHAPTER VI - GENERAL MEETINGS Section 1. Type of Meeting. This Society shall meet once a year in an Annual Session. A. The time and place of the Annual Session will be determined by the Board of Directors. B. Previous to each Annual Session of the Society, the President-Elect shall cause to be Published notice of time and place of the Annual Session. Section 2. Admission to General Meetings. A. Members. All members of the Society shall be entitled to admission to general meetings of the Society once he has the official badge which can be secured on presentation of his membership cards or satisfactory evidence that dues have been paid. B. Guest badges. Guest badges shall be issued to all those interested in the proceedings after paying a registration fee as stipulated by the ASHMM Board of Directors. CHAPTER VII - PUBLICATIONS The Society shall circulate an official publication to all members of this Society. The frequency of issue shall be determined by the Board. The object of the publication shall be to report the activities of professional or organizational interest to the members of the Society. CHAPTER VIII - INDEMNIFICATION OF OFFICERS AND TRUSTEES The Society shall indemnify and hold harmless each trustee and each officer of the Society from and against any and all claims and liabilities to which they be or become subject by reason of alleged acts or omissions as a trustee and each officer of ;the Society for all legal and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending against any such claims or liabilities, provided, however, that no trustee or officer shall be indemnified against or reimbursed for any expenses incurred due to negligence or willful misconduct. The foregoing rights of trustees and officers shall not be exclusive of other rights to which they are entitled lawfully. CHAPTER IX - AMENDMENTS The Bylaws which may be amended by a majority of the voting members provided the proposed amendments or revisions shall have been presented in writing and postmarked at least thirty (30) calendar days prior to the Annual Session.