NEW JERSEY COUNCIL OF NAIW
BYLAWS
1. NAME
The name of the Council shall be New Jersey Council of NAIW.
2. CONFORMITY
These bylaws shall be supplemental to NAIW bylaws and standing rules. If any amendment to NAIW bylaws or standing rules causes these bylaws to conflict with NAIW bylaws or standing rules the New Jersey Council of NAIW bylaws shall automatically conform to NAIW bylaws and standing rules. Dues or assessment of individuals or local associations shall be prohibited.
3. COUNCIL DIRECTOR
A. Council directors shall be elected at the council meeting for a term of one (1) year or until their successors are elected and assume office. The Council directors assume office and duties on July 1. Council Directors shall not serve more than two consecutive terms in office.
B. The director shall:
1. Perform the duties as stated in NAIW bylaws and standing rules, the council’s bylaws, by the Board of Directors, by the Executive Committee, by the National President, and the Council Director’s and Council Director’s-elect manuals.
2. Preside at the New Jersey Council Annual Meeting and any other state meeting. If unable to attend, an alternate appointed by the council director shall preside. In the event the council director is unable to appoint an alternate, the regional vice president shall appoint an alternate.
3. Appoint standing committees as provided in NAIW bylaws and standing rules and these council bylaws.
4. Maintain the Council Nominating Committee file in accordance with procedures established by the NAIW Board of Directors and contained in the Nominating Committee Manual.
5. Fill any vacancy that may occur in council-elected positions other than council director, and council director-elect, with the concurrence of the regional vice president. Local associations and active members may submit candidates either from the council or who have their declared association of record as being within the council to the Council Director for consideration.
C. The director shall visit associations within the council during the current term, subject to the following guidelines:
1. Not to exceed the travel budget allocated for her term.
2. Not to exceed one (1) visit per association, unless the local association extending the invitation defrays the expense for the additional visit.
D. Should a vacancy occur in the position of council director, the council director-elect shall
immediately assume the office of council director.
4. COUNCIL DIRECTOR-ELECT
A. Council directors-elect are elected to serve from the close of the Annual Meeting until they
assume the office and duties of the council director on July 1.
B. The director-elect shall:
1. Perform the duties as stated in NAIW bylaws and standing rules.
2. Appoint all standing committees, except as otherwise provided in NAIW bylaws and standing rules, and these council bylaws.
3. Confirm the date and site of the annual meeting (to be held on the fourth Saturday in October) immediately following election to office, in accordance with these bylaws, and subject to the approval of the current regional vice president.
4. Shall make one (1) budgeted on-site planning visit with the Annual Meeting Planning Committee.
C. Should a vacancy occur in the position of council director-elect, the vacancy shall be filled by
election by the local presidents of the council. The vacancy shall be filled by a
member from the council or by a member who has declared their association of record as
being within that council.
In the event there is no council director-elect to serve as council director, the vacancy shall be
filled by election by the local presidents of the council. The vacancy shall be filled by
a member from the council or by a member who has declared association of record
as being within the council.
5. COMMITTEES
A. Council Nominating Committee
The Nominating Committee shall be formed in accordance with Article IV, Section 3., D., of
the NAIW bylaws.
1. There shall be a Nominating Committee that shall be appointed by the council-director elect.
2. The Chairman who should have previously served on the council nominating committee shall be appointed by the council director-elect and shall not have a vote.
3. This Committee shall meet at the annual meeting and recommend one (1) or more candidates for office.
4. The Nominating Committee shall be appointed no later than July 1st preceding the annual council meeting.
5. The committee receives recommendations and qualifications of candidates from councils, local associations and active members. In addition, the committee can submit its own nominations. The Committee shall submit at least one name for each position to be filled. Following the report of the committee, additional nominations may be made from the floor. The nominations are for the following positions:
Council director-elect
· Delegate to Regional Nominating Committee
· Alternate to Regional Nominating Committee
· Chairman and members of the Council Nominating Committee, depending on the council bylaws.
· Any additional elected positions provided for in these bylaws.
The report of the Nominating Committee at the council meeting, following any description of the committee or the committee’s work shall be in a form similar to the following:
Nominating Committee Chairman- “ Madame Council Director, as set forth in Article IV, Section 3.D of the NAIW (International) Bylaws, the Nominating Committee recommends the following slate of candidates for the council for the 200_-200_ term. Candidates’ qualifications were previously provided and will not be read at this time.
For Council Director:________________________
For Delegate to Regional Nominating Committee:
________________________________________
For Alternate to Regional Nominating Committee:
________________________________________
Madame Council Director, this concludes the report of the Nominating Committee
B. Council Bylaws Committee
1. The director-elect shall appoint a chairman and two (2) members to review the State Bylaws.
2. This committee shall be appointed no later than December 15.
3. The committee shall consider and/or correlate proposed amendments submitted, together with its own, and submit amendments receiving a majority vote of the committee to the annual meeting for consideration.
4. The committee may receive recommendations for proposed amendments from local associations and active members, which shall be submitted to the council meeting for consideration.
5. The chairman shal distribute the proposed amendments to all local associations and members at large no later than sixty (60) days prior to the annual council meeting.
6. The committee shall correlate and publish all bylaws and amendments adopted at the council meeting and furnish revised copies to NAIW headquarters for distribution to all local associations, members-at-large and the region vice president immediately following adoption at the council meeting.
C. Credentials Committee
1. The council director shall appoint a chairman and at least two (2) members, who shall be present at the annual council meeting. The committee shall receive credential forms, certify delegates and alternates, and register delegates and alternates at the annual meeting.
2. Any member who contests a delegate or alternate certification shall do so to the committee. The council director shall make the final decision on a contested delegate or alternate certification.
3. The chairman shall provide quorum certification at all other state meetings.
D. Council Public Relations/Programs Committee
1. A Public Relations/Programs Chairman shall be elected at the annual meeting and assume office on July 1.
2. The chairman may appoint three (3) members as liaisons for public relations education and legislation, with the concurrence of the council director.
3. This committee shall assist the council director in managing the cooperative efforts with the insurance industry within the council.
4. This committee shall assist in supporting the educational needs of the members in insurance education, legislation and safety issues in the council.
5. This committee shall promote NAIW programs within the council.
E. Council Membership Development Committee
1. A Membership Development Committee Chairman shall be elected at the annual meeting and assume office on July 1.
2. The chairman may appoint three (3) members as liaisons throughout the council, to assist in the duties of this committee with the concurrence of the director.
3. This committee shall assist the director in the organization of new associations and recruitment of active members within the council.
4. This committee shall promote membership development and retention within the council.
5. Other Council committees may be appointed by the Council Director.
F. Awards Committee
1. The director shall appoint an Award Chairman and the chairman appoint as many as two (2) members to administrate the awards and coordinate with the Finance Chairman the distribution of funds as provided for in the Awards and Fund Guidelines.
2. The committee shall administer the following New Jersey Council awards:
a) Insurance Professional of the Year Award
b) Claims Professional of the Year Award
c) Rookie of the Year Award
d) Education Scholarship Awards
e) E Day Awards
f) Regional Conference Awards
g) National Convention Awards
h) Regional Mini-Board Awards
i) State Communicate With Confidence Speak Off Award
j) Various Professional Awards
3. Any additional award added between council annual meetings must be proposed by the committee to the members at council meeting. If the delegates at the meeting approve the award, then the award may be given and funded by the New Jersey Council of NAIW for that year only. To continue, the award must be added to Rule 4.F.2 of these bylaws.
4. All awards shall be in compliance with NAIW official policy.
5. The council director shall select the recipient of the AAMGA Award.
G. New Jersey Council of NAIW Insurance School and Education Committee
1. The council director shall appoint a School Director and Education Chairman.
2. The school director shall maintain appropriate licensing and recordkeeping for the school, assist in filing courses for approval by the New Jersey Department of Insurance and perform other duties as may be required.
3. The education chairman may appoint as many as two (2) members to assist with the educational needs of the members in insurance education programs within the council.
4. The committee members shall work in conjunction with the New Jersey Council of NAIW School.
H. Communications Committee
1. A Communication Committee chairman shall be appointed by the council director.
2. This committee shall monitor, manage, and maintain the New Jersey Council’s web site and the New Jersey online guide link at the National NAIW web site.
3. This committee shall periodically collect and coordinate data from the council director, council director-elect, and committee chairmen to update the information contained on the New Jersey Council web site.
I. Other council committees may be appointed by the council director.
6. MEETINGS
A. The Council Annual Meeting shall be held in accordance with Article IV, Section 3., A., of the NAIW bylaws. Councils shall hold an annual meeting for the purpose of transacting any business that may properly come before it. Council annual meetings should be held between the dates of September 1 and December 1 subject to approval by the current regional vice president. The New Jersey Council has selected the fourth Saturday in October for its Annual Meeting.
1. The voting body of the council meeting shall consist of one delegate from each local association in that council.
2. Delegates at the annual meeting shall register with the Credentials Committee prior to the business session and their national dues must have been paid.
3. Members-at-large, (excluding student members-at-large) in attendance at the council meeting, shall meet and elect a certified delegate.
4. The meeting program and planning shall be at the discretion of the council director-elect.
5. The registration fee for the annual meeting shall be determined by the hosting association with the approval of the council director-elect subject to any restrictions in the NAIW bylaws and standing rules.
6. The national representative shall be the regional vice president of the region, who shall be provided time on the program to address the assembly.
7. A delegates’ briefing, open to all members, shall be conducted by the council director and the regional vice president. The purpose of the briefing shall be to review any proposed amendments to NAIW bylaws and standing rules or council bylaws.
8. The council director shall appoint a secretary to record minutes and provide a copy to all associations within the state.
B. Other Meetings
1. This Council may hold three (3) additional meetings annually at the discretion of the council director. The purpose of these meetings shall be to conduct council business and educational seminars.
2. Local associations shall be represented by one (1) voting delegate, as determined in Rule 6, Section A.1 of these council bylaws. Voting representation for members-at-large is determined in Rule 6, Section A.3 of these council bylaws.
3. The council director shall select the date and site of all meetings other than the Annual Meeting.
4. The meeting registration fee shall be sufficient to cover all expenses.
5. The council director shall appoint a secretary to record minutes and provide a copy to all associations with the council.
C. Fund Raising at the annual meeting shall be limited to those associations who will be hosting an annual meeting, regional conference or national convention or associations having hosted an annual meeting, regional conference or national convention resulting in a deficit. An association meeting the fund raising criteria will not be charged an exhibitors fee. Fund raising will also be allowed for the purpose of establishing a Council Fund or to add revenue to an existing Council Fund.
7. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
A. Nominations shall be in accordance with Article IV, Section 3.D of the NAIW bylaws.
1. Candidates shall be in attendance at the Annual Meeting
2. All candidates shall submit a resume of their qualifications to the Nominating Committee.
B. Elections shall be held in accordance with Article IV, Section 3.E. of the NAIW bylaws.
8. RECOMMENDATIONS
A. The Council and active members may submit recommendations to be considered at the regional conference and the national convention provided:
1. That the recommendation was circulated to all associations and members-at-large, and that the recommendation received a majority vote of the delegates present and voting, or
2. That the recommendation received a two thirds (2/3) vote of delegates present and voting without previous notice.
9. AMENDMENTS
A. Associations in the Council and active members may submit recommendations for amendments to or revision of the council bylaws.
B. These bylaws may be amended at the Annual Meeting by a majority vote of the delegates present and voting, provided written notice has been submitted to the New Jersey Council associations and member-at-large at least sixty (60) days prior to the Annual Meeting, and by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the certified delegates without prior notice.
C. These bylaws may be revised at the Annual Meeting by a two thirds (2/3) vote of the delegates provided the amendment(s) shall have been submitted to New Jersey Council associations and members-at-large sixty (60) days prior to the annual meeting.
D. Amendments to these bylaws or revisions shall become effective at the close of the Annual Meeting at which adopted, unless otherwise specified in said bylaws.
10. FUNDS
A. Funds shall be established in separate accounts as the New Jersey Council of NAIW AWARDS FUND and as the New Jersey Council of NAIW OPERATING FUND. Money can be accepted into the funds by virtue of donation and through proceeds from Council functions.
B. The funds shall be administered by a custodian who shall be a member appointed by the council director.
C. The Custodian shall:
1. Distribute award and/or scholarship funds to recipients at the direction of the Awards Committee.
2. Have a general supervision and management of the receipts and disbursements during their term, which shall coincide with the fiscal year.
3. Have the council director approve all expenditures.
4. Keep an itemized summary of all transactions and make a detailed report at the council Annual Meeting.
5. Submit books and records for audit when requested.
6. File any and all tax forms required.
D. The council director shall appoint two members who are in attendance at the annual meeting to audit the Fund at the annual council meeting.
