Texas Retired Teachers Association

BYLAWS OF DISTRICT XI

TEXAS RETIRED TEACHERS ASSOCIATION

ARTICLE I. NAME

The name of this organization shall be District XI, Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) hereinafter referred to as the District.

ARTICLE II. OBJECT

The object of the District shall be to stimulate the organization and activities of TRTA Local Units; to encourage retired school personnel to use their talents, training, and experience in furthering the educational and civic endeavors in their community, state, nation, and world; to afford opportunities for united action in solving problems and meeting the needs of retired school personnel; to cooperate with TRTA and its Local Units and other organizations of retired persons in solving problems of mutual concern; and to work with the Texas Legislature and the United States Congress to protect, promote and defend the interests of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas members.

ARTICLE III. MEMBERS

Members shall be the TRTA members in the District. Active members shall be any retired school personnel or beneficiary who is an annuitant of a teacher retirement system.

ARTICLE IV. FINANCES

Section 1. Source. The income of the District shall be the three dollars ($3.00) per TRTA members in the District, which is rebated from TRTA.

Section 2. Budget. The Treasurer shall prepare a budget for the fiscal year, which shall be considered and approved by the Board of Directors.

Section 3. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year shall begin July 1 and close June 30.

ARTICLE V. OFFICERS

Section 1. All District officers shall be Active TRTA members of a Local Unit within the District and shall be of two kinds, elected and appointed.

A. The elected officers shall be President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-

President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

B. The appointed officers shall be Historian, Parliamentarian,and Foundation Representative. Appointment shall be by the President.

Section 2. Term of Office.

A. The elected officers shall serve two (2)-year terms, July 1 through June 30 or until their successors are elected and take office. They may be reelected. (takes effect with the 2016-2018 term)

B. The term of the appointed officers shall coincide with that of the President.

Section 3. Nominations and Election.

A. Nomination. At the Spring Leadership Development Conference of odd numbered years, a NominatingCommittee of five (5) members shall be elected.The Nominating Committee shall consist of a Chair, who shall be the Immediate Past President of District XI, and four (4) members. Each of the five (5) members shall be from a different District XI Local. Nominations to serve on this Committee shall come from the floor at the Spring Leadership Development Conference, and nominees shall be given the opportunity to decline or consent to this nomination.(will be effective Jan. 2018)

B. Election. At the District Fall Conference of odd numbered years, the Nominating Committee shall submit at leastone (1) nominee for each elected office. Additional nominations may be made from the floor. No name shall be placed in nomination without the consent ofthe nominee. The election shall be by ballot except that if there is only onenominee for an office, the vote for that office may be by voice. A majority vote shall elect. (takes effect in 2015)

Section 4. Vacancy in Office.

A. A vacancy in the office of President shall be filled by the elected officers in

the following order: First Vice-President, Second Vice-President.

B. A vacancy in any other elected office shall be filled by the President until

the next semi-annual meeting, at which time, the Nominating Committee shall present at least one (1) nominee to be elected to the vacant office.

Section 5. Duties. The District officers shall perform their duties as specified, in

addition to others as directed by the members at the semi-annual District meetings.

A. The President shall:

1. Preside at all meetings of the District and of the Board of Directors;
2. Call a meeting of the Board when necessary;
3. Appoint the Historian, Parliamentarian, FoundationRepresentative, the Chairs of all Standing Committees (except Membership, Public Relations, and Nominating Committees) withapproval of elected officers;
4. Serve as ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee;
5. Approve the date and place of the District Fall Conference and the Spring Leadership Development Conference;
6. Approve the payment of bills;
7. Serve as a delegate and Chair of the District delegation at the TRTA Convention; and
8. Maintain communications and visitations with the TRTA Local Units in the District, as needed to fulfill the object and purposes of TRTA, especially in the formulation and implementation of the TRTA Legislative Program.

B. The First Vice-President shall:

1. Be the Chair of the Membership Committee;
2. Preside at all District and Board of Directors' meetings in the absence of, or at the request of the President;
3. Assist the President in communicating with the District XI Local Units; and
4. Serve as a delegate to the TRTA Convention.

C. The Second Vice-President shall:

1. Be the Chair of the Public Relations Committee;

2. Preside at District and Board of Directors' meetings in the absence of

President and First Vice-President;

3. Assist in communicating with the District XI Local Units; and

4. Serve as a delegate to the TRTA Convention.

D. The Secretary shall:

1. Keep an accurate record of the District and Board of Directors' meetings;

2. Have custody of all records during the tenure and pass them to the

incoming secretary for safekeeping at the close of term. (Other than the

past years' records.... the District records shall be stored at the

University of Texas at Arlington Library.);

3. Maintain a current roster of all District officers, District committee

chairs and Local Unit presidents of the District and their addressestelephone numbers; and

4. Serve as a Delegate to the TRTA Convention.

E. The Treasurer shall:

1. Prepare a budget for the fiscal year to be considered and approved by

Board of Directors;

2. Have custody of the District funds and deposit them in a financial

institution approved by the Board of Directors;

3. Pay all bills as approved the President;

4. Keep an accurate account of all receipts and disbursements and an

accurate record of TRTA membership in the District; and

5. Serve as a delegate to the TRTA Convention.

F. The Historian shall keep a permanent record of all activities and accomplishments ofthe District.

G. The Parliamentarian shall:

1. Serve as the Chairman of the Bylaws Committee;

2. Be familiar with the District Bylaws and the TRTA Bylaws;

3. Observe and advise that all actions of the District and Board of Directors are in accordance with the District Bylaws, TRTA Bylaws, or in thelatest edition of ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER NEWLY REVISED, if

not specified in these Bylaws.

H. The Foundation Representative shall report on the status of the Texas Retired

Teacher Foundation and encourage Local Units and members to contribute to

the Foundation.

ARTICLE VI. MEETINGS

Section 1. Regular semi-annual meetings of the District shall be a District Fall Conferenceand a Spring Leadership Development Conference. The place and date of these meetingsshall be approved by the District President. Written notice shall be provided to each TRTA Local Unit president at least thirty (30) days prior to these meetings.

Section 2. Special meetings may be called by the District President provided that eachTRTA Local Unit president shall have been sent written notice at least thirty (30) daysprior to such meetings.

Section 3. A quorum shall consist of a majority of the members in attendance.

ARTICLE VII. BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1. Composition. The Board of Directors shall be composed of the elected and appointed officers and standing committee chair.

Section 2. Duties. The Board of Directors shall:

A. Conduct District business, subject to these Bylaws and instructions of the District,between the semi-annual meetings;

B. Review, amend (if necessary) and approve the District budget and approve the financial institution into which District funds are deposited;

C. Approve the filling of vacancies in all elected offices except the office of

the President;

D. Approve the establishment of special committees; and

E. Encourage and promote the establishment of new District TRTA Local Units.

Section 3. Limitation of Liability. A member of the Board of Directors is not liable tothe District members for monetary damages for an act or omission in the Board member's capacity as a Board member, except that this provision does not limit the liability of the Board member for:

A. A breach of the Board member's duty of loyalty to the District or its members;

B. An act or omission not in good faith or that involves intentional misconduct orknowing violation of the law;

C. A transaction from which a Board member received improper benefit whether or not the benefit resulted from an action taken within the scope of the Board member's office;

D. An act or omission for which the liability of a Board member is expressly providedfor by statute; or

E. An act related to an unlawful stock repurchase or payment of a divided.

Section 4. Meetings. The meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held prior to the District Fall Conference and the Spring Leadership Development Conference. Special meetings may be called by the president or by a majority of the Board of Directors.

Section 5. Quorum. A majority of the Board of Directors shall compose a quorum.

ARTICLE VIII. COMMITTEES

Section 1. Types. District Committees shall be composed of two (2) types, standing and special. Committee Chairs shall be Active TRTA members.

A. Standing committees shall be: Auditing, Bylaws, Community Volunteer Service,Health Care, Informative and Protective Services, Legislative, Membership, Public Relations, Member Benefits, and Retirement Education.

B. Special Committees may be established, as the need arises, by the President, with the approval of the Board of Directors.

Section 2. Duties.

A. The Auditing Committee shall audit the Treasurer's records at the end of the

Treasurer's term and report to the District Fall Conference for approval.

B. The Bylaws Committee shall have the right to originate amendments, review

amendments submitted to it, and edit those amendments for composition, shallreport them to the Board of Directors for information, and submit the proposedamendments to the District Fall Conference or the Spring Leadership Development Conference for finalaction.

C. The Community Volunteer Service Committee shall work with the Community Volunteer Service Committees of TRTA and TRTA Local Units in the District toencourage members to identify community needs and develop and execute programs of community volunteer service that are identifiable as contributionsof their Units.

D. The Health Care Committee shall cooperate with the Health Care Committees ofTRTA and TRTA Local Units to develop and initiate programs for the maintenanceof good health of retirees.

E. The Informative and Protective Services Committee shall work with the

Informative and Protective Services Committees of TRTA and TRTA Local Units of the District to gather and disseminate to retired school personnel, information for their well-being and render service to those requiring help in solving personal problems of retirement.

F. The Legislative Committee shall keep informed of legislation concerning retiredschool personnel, specifically the TRTA Legislative Program, inform TRTA Local Units in the District of relevant information and cooperate with other organizationsconcerning education legislation as well as legislation for the common welfare.

G. The Membership Committee shall take steps to stimulate the organization of newTRTA Local Units within the District and formulate plans to encourage membership in TRTA. The Chairman shall contact the Treasurer to ascertain the currentTRTA District membership.

H. The Public Relations Committee shall devise methods of interpreting the objectand ideals of the District and TRTA to other educational groups and the public and shall also inform the members of civic and educational activities of otherorganizations.

J. The Retirement Education Committee shall cooperate with the Retirement

Education Committee of TRTA and TRTA Local Units in the District in

developing and sponsoring retirement education programs and/or workshops

for active and retired personnel.

K. The Member BenefitsCommittee shall cooperate with the Member Benefits Committee of TRTA and TRTA Local Units in the District to keepthe LocalUnits in the District informed of the TRTA benefits for vendor goods and services provided for TRTA members only.

ARTICLE IX. ELECTRONIC MEETINGS

The elected officers, the Board of Directors, and standing and special committees shall be authorized to meet via telephone conference or other electronic means so long as all members of that group have the opportunity to hear one another simultaneously and participate during the meeting.

ARTICLE X. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER NEWLY REVISED shall govern the District in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws and the TRTA Bylaws.

ARTICLE XI. AMENDMENTS

Section 1. These Bylaws may be amended at the District Fall Conference or the Spring Leadership Development Conference by a two-thirds (2/3) vote. An amendment may be proposed by the Bylaws Committee or any member(s) provided that a copy of the proposal shall have been sent to each TRTA Local Unit of the District at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting at which the proposal is to be considered.

Section 2. These Bylaws shall be amended automatically to comply with TRTA Bylaws.

Amended October 2017