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> Leading > Bylaws & Constitution > Bylaws – Article V & VI – House of Delegates

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Bylaws & Constitution

ARTICLE V & ARTICLE VI

(As Approved – December 22 Board of Governors Vote)

ARTICLE V

House of Delegates

Section 1

There shall be an advisory body to the Board of Governors of the Association known as the House of Delegates.

 

The House of Delegates shall be composed of representatives elected from constituent associations within the State of California that are recognized by the Association.

 

The number, selection, and tenure of the members of the House of Delegates shall be specified in the Bylaws of the Association.

Section 2

The House of Delegates shall serve as an advisory body to the Board of Governors on matters of local and regional interest to members of the Association and on matters of policy affecting the practice of veterinary medicine and its branches.

Section 3

The House of Delegates may, by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of all members, initiate recall proceedings against one or more members of the Board of Governors.

Section 4

The House of Delegates shall serve as liaison between the members of the Association and Board of Governors for purposes of communicating suggestions relative to the rules and regulations which the Board of Governors may consider on matters of professional responsibility and ethics.

Section 5

The House of Delegates shall have the right, by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of all members to veto, overrule, challenge or recommend revisions of any and all decisions made by the Board of Governors at any regular or special meeting.

Section 6

The House of Delegates may meet at least once each year with the Board of Governors to discuss and consider matters of interest to the members of the Association.

Section 7

The recommendations of the House of Delegates are advisory and not binding upon the Board of Governors except as otherwise set forth in Article V, Section 5 of these Bylaws.

Section 8

The Board of Governors may call upon the House of Delegates for assistance in the performance of the Board’s duties and in such event, the House of Delegates shall be deemed a committee of the Association and subject to the provisions of the Bylaws.

Section 9

Each constituent association Delegate, in addition to being a member of the House of Delegates, will also represent their constituent association as an advisor to the Board member or members serving their particular area.

Section 10

The House of Delegates is, in principle, the voice of the constituent associations.  Its vote on any matter relative to the practice of veterinary medicine, carried out in accordance with customary parliamentary procedure, shall be deemed a recommendation to the Board of Governors calling for implementation thereof, provided that the implementation thereof is consistent with the best interests of the Association.

ARTICLE VI

House of Delegates Representation

Section 1

A.    Each of the constituent associations granted representation in accordance with Article IV, Section 1, of the Bylaws shall be represented by Delegates and Alternate Delegates as follows:

MembersDelegatesAlternate Delegates
1. 20-150 CVMA members1 Delegate1 Alternate Delegate
2. 151-300 CVMA members2 Delegates2 Alternate Delegates
3. 301-450 CVMA members3 Delegates3 Alternate Delegates
4. 451-600 CVMA members4 Delegates4 Alternate Delegates
5. 601-750 CVMA members5 Delegates5 Alternate Delegates
6. 751-900 CVMA members6 Delegates6 Alternate Delegates
7. 901-1050 CVMA members7 Delegates7 Alternate Delegates
8. 1051-1200 CVMA members8 Delegates8 Alternate Delegates
9. 1201-1350 CVMA members9 Delegates9 Alternate Delegates
10. 1351-1500 CVMA members10 Delegates10 Alternate Delegates

B. Should constituent associations become larger than specified above, they shall be represented at the ratio of one (1) additional Delegate and one (1) additional Alternate Delegate for each one hundred-fifty (150) Association members.

 

C. The number of delegates and alternate delegates representing a non-geographic constituent association shall not exceed the number representing the largest geographic constituent association.

 

D. Veterinary students at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and Western University of Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine shall have one (1) Delegate and one (1) Alternate Delegate representative for each class.

Section 2

Delegates shall be elected or appointed by the constituent associations for membership in the House of Delegates for no more than three (3) terms of two (2) years each.  The three (3) term limitation provided for herein is applicable whether such terms were consecutive or otherwise.  Exception to this limitation may be made when proposed by the constituent association and approved by the Board of Governors.

 

Alternate Delegates shall be elected or appointed by constituent associations for membership in the House of Delegates for no more than three (3) terms of two (2) years each. The three (3) term limitation provided for herein is applicable whether such terms were consecutive or otherwise.  Exception to this limitation may be made when proposed by the constituent association and approved by the Board of Governors.

 

The above-specified limitations are disjunctive; accordingly, the same individual may serve as a Delegate subject to the limitations applying thereto, while separately serving at a different time as an Alternate Delegate subject to the limitations applying thereto.

Section 3

The number of active members in each constituent association shall be determined on a current basis from the records of the Association and shall be certified by the Executive Director sixty (60) days before the next recognized meeting of the House of Delegates.

 

Association members are limited to affiliation with only one (1) constituent association for purposes of representation as stated in Article IV, Section 4.

Section 4

Each Delegate representing a constituent association shall have a weighted vote determined as follows:

 

A.    One (1) vote for each fifteen (15) Association members or major fraction thereof. For example, if a constituent association has twenty-three (23) members, the Delegate for that constituent association shall have two (2) votes.  By contrast, if a constituent association has twenty-two (22) members, the Delegate for that constituent association shall have one (1) vote.

 

B.    No single Delegate or Alternate Delegate shall represent more than one hundred-fifty (150) Association members nor have more than ten (10) votes.

 

C.    Alternate Delegates shall vote only in the absence of the Delegate for whom they are the Alternate Delegate, or as otherwise provided.

 

D.    When the delegation from a constituent association consists of more than one Delegate, the weighted vote of each Delegate of that delegation shall be apportioned as equally as possible among the delegation on the basis of one (1) vote for each fifteen (15) members or major fraction thereof.

Section 5

Delegates representing sixty percent (60%) of the total weighted votes of the House of Delegates, as designated in these Bylaws, shall constitute a quorum.

Section 6

All Delegates and Alternate Delegates shall be members in good standing of the Association.

Section 7

A.    Special meetings of the House of Delegates shall be held upon written petition of five percent (5%) of the members of the Association presented to the Chair of the House of Delegates and filed with the Executive Director stating the place, time of the meeting, and the purpose for which such meeting is called.

 

B.    Special meetings shall also be held on the written petition of twenty-five percent (25%) of the members of the House of Delegates in accordance with the procedures described immediately above.  The time of said special meeting and the notice given to the members of the House of Delegates shall be in conformity with the applicable California Nonprofit Corporation Law provisions.

 

C.    The Executive Director shall issue a bulletin to the entire House of Delegates membership not less than fifteen (15) days before the special meeting, outlining the reason for the special meeting and the proposed business specified in the petition.  Only business specified in the petition shall be considered at a special meeting.

 

D.    All meetings of the House of Delegates shall be open to all Association members and invitees unless a majority of the Delegates present and voting or the House of Delegates executive committee (consisting of the Chair, Chair-Elect, and three at-large members) determines that the meeting shall be either a closed or an executive meeting as hereinafter defined.

 

E.    Closed meetings may be attended only by members of the Association and members of its staff and any invitees as determined by the House of Delegates Chair and/or the President of the Association.

 

F.    Executive meetings are those which are attended only by Delegates, Officers, and Governors and by such employees of the Association and of the House of Delegates and Board of Governors who, in the opinion of the Chair, are necessary for the functioning of the House.

 

G.    All meetings of the House of Delegates shall be conducted as specified in Robert’s Rules of Order, latest edition.

 

H.    Upon installation as Chair, a new Delegate shall be elected to complete the term on the House of Delegates as representative of the constituent association formerly represented by the Chair.

Section 8

The voting members of the House of Delegates shall convene, as needed, a Nominating Committee for the purpose of nominating candidates for the office of Chair-Elect to succeed or perform the duties of the Chair in the event of the Chair’s absence or inability to serve or conduct the affairs of the House of Delegates.

 

It shall also be the duty of the Chair-Elect to succeed the outgoing Chair of the House of Delegates and assume the duties of that office for a term of two (2) years. The Chair-Elect candidate shall have a minimum of 18 months remaining in their term in order to be eligible for the position of the House of Delegates Chair-Elect.

 

The term of office of the House of Delegates Chair shall be limited to one two-year term.

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