State Bylaws
Revised 2.13.13
FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS OF AMERICA
MAINE STATE CHAPTER
CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS
ARTICLE I. NAME
The name of this organization shall be the “Maine State Chapter of Future Business Leaders of America” and may be referred to as “FBLA”.
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ARTICLE II. PURPOSE
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The purpose of FBLA is to provide as an integral part of the instructional program additional opportunities for secondary students (grades 7-12) in business and/or business-related fields to develop vocational and career supportive competencies and to promote civic and personal responsibilities.
The specific goals of FBLA are to:
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develop competent, aggressive business leadership
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strengthen the confidence of students in themselves and their work
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create more interest in and understanding of American business enterprise
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encourage members in the development of individual projects which contribute to the improvement of home, business, and community.
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develop character, prepare for useful citizenship, and foster patriotism
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encourage and practice efficient money management
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encourage scholarship and promote school loyalty
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assist student in establishment of occupational goals
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facilitate the transition from school to work
ARTICLE III. ORGANIZATION
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Future Business Leaders of America is an association of local chapters, each operating in accordance with a charter granted by FBLA-PBL, Inc.
The general administration of FBLA shall be vested in the Advisory Board.
Local chapters within this division shall use the letters “FBLA” as the official title, and the members shall be referred to as “Future Business Leaders of America”.
ARTICLE IV. MEMBERSHIP
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FBLA membership shall consist of members of chartered local chapters. These members shall hold membership in their state and national chapters. Individual members shall be recognized only through a state chapter of FBLA except that, in the case where there is no state chapter, the member shall be recognized by the national office.
State FBLA, as well as the national and local chapters, shall be open for membership to these classes of members:
Active Members shall be students who became members while enrolled in business and/or business-related programs in Maine, who accept the purpose of FBLA, subscribe to its creed, demonstrate willingness to contribute to good school-community relations, and possess qualities for employment. Active Members shall pay dues as established by FBLA and may participate in the National and State events, in accordance with the guidelines of the National and State Awards Programs, serve as voting delegates to the National and State Leadership Conference, hold national and state office and otherwise represent their state and local chapters as approved by their respective state or local advisors.
Alumni Members shall be members who have terminated their active in-school membership and who continue to comply with the rules and policies of FBLA-PBL. Former members of FBLA-PBL shall be eligible for membership in the Alumni Division and shall become members upon payment of dues. Students enrolled in undergraduate programs in a school with an active FBLA or PBL chapter shall not be eligible for membership in the Alumni Division. Graduate students who are former members of FBLA-PBL shall be eligible for membership provided they do not hold membership in another division.
Professional Members shall be persons associated with or participating in the professional development of FBLA as approved by state chapters. Such members may include local and state chapter advisors, business teachers, business teacher educators, state supervisors of business and office education, employers or supervisors of cooperative work-training students, advisory council members, businesspersons, and other persons contributing to the growth and development of FBLA. Professional members shall pay dues as established by FBLA but shall not participate in events, serve as voting delegates or hold office.
Honorary Life Members may be elected to a state or local chapter by a majority vote. They shall be persons who are assisting in the advancement of business and/or business-related education who are rendering outstanding service to FBLA-PBL, Inc. Honorary Life members shall not vote or hold office and shall not be required to pay dues.
National Honorary Life Members may be recommended by the membership and shall be accepted upon approval of the Board of Directors of FBLA-PBL, Inc. They shall be persons making significant contributions to the field of business and office education and/or to the growth and development of FBLA-PBL, Inc. National Honorary Life Members shall not vote or hold office and shall not be required to pay dues.
ARTICLE V. CONFERENCES
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A Maine Fall Leadership Conference may be held each fall; the date and location to be set by the executive committee. The purpose of this conference will be decided upon by the executive committee
A State Leadership Conference shall be held each Spring; the date and location of which to be set by the executive committee. The purpose of this conference is to elect state officers, conduct state business requiring a quorum of state members, hold competitive events in business related subjects and offer workshops to the benefit of the membership.
FBLA-PBL members and advisors should develop an awareness of the image one’s appearance projects. The purpose of the dress code is to uphold the professional image of the association and its members and to prepare students for the business world. Appropriate attire is required for all attendees – advisors, members, and guests – at all sessions, competitive events, workshops and other activities unless otherwise stated in the conference program. Conference name badges are part of this dress code and must be worn for all conference functions. Advisors and members should become familiar with the National Dress Code as they will be asked to change if not abiding by the guidelines.
ARTICLE VI. OFFICERS
The officers of FBLA shall be: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian, Reporter, and Parliamentarian. The officers with the advisor as ex-officio member shall constitute the Executive Committee. The ex-officio members shall have no vote within the meetings of the Executive Committee, their sole purpose being to advise the members of the Committee.
The President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian and Reporter of FBLA shall be nominated and elected annually at the FBLA State Leadership Conference by a majority vote of local chapter voting delegates. The top scoring underclassmen in the Parliamentary Procedures test shall serve as the State Parliamentarian upon receiving approval of his/her local chapter advisor.
Officers shall hold offices for a term of one year or until their successors are elected. Officers shall assume their duties at the close of the meeting at which they were elected.
The chapter shall have an Advisor who shall be a faculty member from a local chapter business department or as approved by the state executive board. This chapter may have as many special-emphasis groups under the chapter as it deems necessary to meet the interests of all students and shall assume full responsibility for coordinating the program for these interest groups.
A replacement for any officer, other than the president, who cannot serve his/her term, shall be named by a committee of the state chairperson, the president, and the vice president. Candidates may only be judged on willingness to be involved, character, merit, apparent competency, and dedication to FBLA. There shall be no discrimination based on age, grade, school, or gender. There is no requirement for candidacy and the committee may form its own rules about the selection process.
The state chairperson shall be the head of the State Advisors and an ex-officio member of the Executive Committee. The state chairperson shall be nominated from among the State Advisors in the event of a vacancy and a vote shall be taken by the Executive Committee in the event of multiple nominations. The state chairperson shall serve indefinitely, vacating the position only by personal choice or a vote of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE VII. QUALIFICATIONS FOR STATE OFFICE
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To be considered for an officer’s position in FBLA, a candidate shall (a) have the endorsement of his/her local chapter and be recommended by the chapter advisor, (b) file an official application with the chairperson, (c) have at least one full school year remaining with his/her educational program.
Only those applicants who are officially recommended by the local advisor are eligible to become candidates for a state office of FBLA.
The candidates for state office must be present at the State Leadership Conference to be eligible for official nomination.
If no one declares their candidacy for an office by the deadline, members with advisors permission may apply to the state chairperson and interviews will take place with the state chairperson, the sitting president, and the sitting vice president. They shall decide upon the proper candidate to take the position, the majority ruling in the event that there is a disagreement. In the event that there is a three way disagreement, the next ranking officer, the secretary, shall break the tie, being allowed to only vote for one of the three previously selected candidates. Candidates may only be judged on character, merit, apparent competency, and dedication to FBLA. There shall be no discrimination based on age, grade, school, or gender.
ARTICLE VIII. DUTIES OF STATE OFFICERS
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The president shall (a) preside over all meetings of the chapter, (b) appoint all committees and serve as an ex-officio member of these committees, and (c) promote the growth and development of FBLA.
The vice president shall (a) preside in the absence of the President, (b) serve as the editor of “Maine-ly FBLA”, the state newsletter, and (c) assist the president in other ways as appropriate.
The secretary shall (a) keep an accurate record of the chapter and executive committee meetings, and (b) submit the required reports to the State Chapter and the National Office.
The treasurer shall (a) act as custodian of the funds of the organization, collect state and national dues, and prepare financial reports.
The historian shall maintain a scrapbook of both the state and local chapters’ activities, awards, and publicity.
The reporter shall maintain the state’s website and notify media regarding state FBLA events.
The parliamentarian shall advise the president or presiding officer on points of parliamentary procedure.
ARTICLE IX. STATE ADVISOR(S)
Section 1.
Chapter advisors automatically assume the role of a state advisor if they have a state officer, unless an advisor from another chapter is willing to act as the student’s State Advisor and the student explicitly expresses this wish. This person(s) shall be responsible for advising the state officers and coordinating the activities of these officers. The State Advisor(s) shall be an ex-officio member(s) of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE X. COMMITTEES
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An Advisory Board, to assist the growth and development of FBLA, may be appointed as deemed necessary by the State Chairperson. Recommendations of persons for such appointments shall be requested of local chapters.
Local chapters may select advisory committees to assist in the growth and development of their respective chapters.
The state chairperson, state advisor(s), and president shall be ex-officio members of all committees.
A Representative Assembly, to strengthen communication between the State and all local chapters, shall be elected on an annual basis at the State Leadership Conference during chapter caucuses or at an election prior to November 1st of the current year. Two local chapter members of each chapter shall be elected to serve as representatives of their respective local chapters by their local chapters at the State level. The Representative Assembly shall convene when deemed necessary by the Executive Board.
ARTICLE XI. MEETINGS
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State Officers shall attend all FBLA Executive Committee meetings and shall take their responsibility seriously and fully according to the Constitution and Bylaws.
Quorum. Two-thirds of the officers of the Executive Committee or the chapter shall constitute a Quorum.
Parliamentary procedures of all meetings shall be governed by ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER NEWLY REVISED. The annual state leadership conference shall be designated as the annual meeting for electing officers, receiving reports of officers and committees, and for any other business which may arise.
ARTICLE XII. VOTING
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Each local chapter in good standing shall be entitled to send two voting delegates, who will vote by secret ballot, from its active membership to the State Leadership Conference.
ARTICLE XIII. EMBLEMS, INSIGNIA, AND COLORS
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The chapter emblems shall be the emblems of the national organization.
The official emblem and insignia item designs are described and protected from infringement by registration in the U.S. Patent Office under the Trademark Act of 1946. The manufacture, reproduction, wearing, or display of the emblem shall be governed by the Board of Directors.
Emblems and insignia shall be uniform in all local and state chapters; and within special-emphasis groups, they shall be those of FBLA. Only members in good standing may use official emblems and insignia.
The official colors of FBLA shall be blue and gold.
ARTICLE XIV. PUBLICATIONS
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Newsletter. A newsletter, “Maine-ly FBLA”, shall be published periodically throughout the year by the state chapter. It shall be prepared by the state vice president or other designated person(s).
ARTICLE XV. DUES, FISCAL YEAR, BUDGET, AUDIT
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Annual state dues for this division shall be set by the Executive Committee. The State Chairperson will notify local chapters of the amount by September 1.
Any chapter whose state and/or national dues are not paid prior to the State Leadership Conference shall be ineligible to (a) nominate a candidate for state office and (b) enter any state competition.
The FBLA Executive Committee shall administer and control all finances and shall furnish an annual report to the local chapters.
The fiscal year for the chapter will be July 1 - June 30.
ARTICLE XVI. DISSOLUTION OR LIQUIDATION OF ASSETS
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Upon final dissolution or liquidation of the Association, its districts and/or satisfaction of all outstanding obligations and liabilities, the remaining assets shall be disbursed by the Advisory Board in accordance with one or more of the purposes of this Association or be transferred to a government instrumentally or qualified exempt organization within the meaning of Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.
ARTICLE XVII. AMENDMENTS
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These bylaws may be amended by majority vote of the legal ballots cast at any annual meeting, Executive Committee meeting, or by mail/email. In the event that the amendment is voted upon at an Executive Committee meeting, that ruling will be final, and all active chapters will be notified of the change.
Proposed amendments must be in harmony with the bylaws of the national organization. Amendments may be proposed by a chapter, the State Officers or the State Advisor(s).
Amendments to be acted upon at an annual or special meeting or by special mailing and notice shall be sent by the State Chairperson to all active chapters, the Advisory Board, and the State Officers at least thirty (30) days prior to that meeting.