REPORT OF COUNCIL ON CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS
CCB Report 1-A-06
Subject: Converting TMA Constitution and Bylaws to TMA Style
Presented by: Ira Bell III, MD, Chair
Referred to: Reference Committee on Financial and Organizational Affairs
In 2001, TMA's Division of Communication developed Language, Expressions, and Style , designed to ensure that TMA documents are grammatically correct and consistent in style. Marketing and promotions staff in the division has reviewed the TMA Constitution and Bylaws for style inconsistencies. While the majority of changes suggested relate to capitalization, punctuation, and grammar, several sections could be improved for clarification. Language also was converted from passive to active voice.
Attention should be called to changes being proposed to a few sections:
For some years, the Board of Trustees has maintained an emergency reserve well in excess of $100,000 specified in Section 4.103. Therefore, a change in the last sentence of that section is proposed, leaving the amount at the discretion of the board.
Section 4.109 provides for a Coordinating Committee. The Board of Trustees is charged with monitoring program activities of association councils and committees. Because meetings of this committee were held at TMA's fall and winter conferences to follow meetings of councils and committees, it required an additional day for physician leaders to be away from their practices and members found the meetings to be redundant. For these reasons, the Coordinating Committee has not met in many years. Elimination of bylaws providing for the committee are proposed.
At the 2004 Annual Session, the House of Delegates approved discharge of the Committee on Rehabilitation. Elimination of Section 11.544 implements that change.
TMA Bylaws make provisions for the appointment of reference committees to handle business items submitted for each House of Delegates session. The bylaws also make several references to a "Reference Committee on Credentials." Because this committee does not function as a reference committee, a change of the name to "Credentials Committee" is proposed. That typically is the term that is used in day-to-day House of Delegates operations and at meetings. Changes in Sections 3.31, 3.32, 3.33, 3.71, and 13.443 reflect the change.
Recommendation 1 : Approval at first reading of proposed changes to TMA Constitution.
Recommendation 2 : Approval of proposed changes to TMA Bylaws.
TMA House of Delegates: TexMed 2006