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FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS OF AMERICA STATE OF LOUISIANA BYLAWS ARTICLE I Name The name of this division of Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda, Inc. shall be Louisiana Future Business Leaders of America, Inc. and may be referred to as Louisiana FBLA. ARTICLE II Purpose Section 1. The purpose of Louisiana FBLA is to provide as an integral part of the instructional program additional opportunities for secondary students of grades 9-12 in business and office education, to develop vocational and career supportive competencies, and to promote civic and personal responsibility. Section 2. The goals of Louisiana FBLA are to 1. develop competent, aggressive business leadership; 2. strengthen the confidence of students in themselves and their work; 3. create more interest in and understanding of American business enterprise; 4. encourage members in the development of individual projects which contribute to the improvement of home, business and community; 5. develop character, prepare for useful citizenship, and foster patriotism; 6. encourage and practice efficient money management; 7. encourage scholarship and promote school loyalty; 8. assist students in the establishment of occupational goals; 9. and facilitate the transition from school to work. ARTICLE III Organization Section 1. Louisiana FBLA shall consist of members from FBLA chapters in grades 9-12 in the state of Louisiana. The FBLA Middle Level Division shall consist of students in grades 5-9. Section 2. The state officers of Louisiana FBLA shall, with any ex-officio, nonvoting members, constitute the State Executive Council. The State Executive Council shall adopt policies of operation of FBLA as deemed necessary by a majority vote, subject to the approval of the State Adviser. Section 3. A State Committee will be appointed at the discretion of the State Adviser. Members of the State Committee shall assist the State Adviser in planning and implementing the total state program of leadership development activities, state leadership sessions, and state leadership conferences. Section 4. The State Adviser shall oversee all Louisiana FBLA State Chapter operations and act as a liaison with local chapters and the national office. Section 5. Louisiana FBLA shall be organized into districts with the parishes in each district to be determined by the State Adviser and approved by the Executive Council. ARTICLE IV Membership Section 1. Louisiana FBLA membership shall consist of members of chartered local chapters. These members shall hold membership in the national chapter of FBLA in order to be recognized by the state chapter. Section 2. Louisiana FBLA shall be open for membership to these classes of members. ACTIVE Members shall be secondary students who become members while enrolled in business and/or business-related fields, 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 at the national and state levels and may participate in district, state, and national events in accordance with the guidelines of the National Awards Program and Louisiana Awards Program, serve as voting delegates at district, state, and national conferences, hold national office in accordance to Article VI of the National FBLA Bylaws, hold state office in accordance to Article V of the Louisiana FBLA Bylaws and otherwise represent their state and local chapters as approved by their state and local advisers. MIDDLE LEVEL Members shall consist of students in grades 5-9 who join the FBLA Middle Level Division. Members of the Middle Level Division do not take part in FBLA competitive events. PROFESSIONAL Members shall be persons associated with or participating in the professional development of FBLA as approved by Louisiana FBLA. Such members may include local and state advisers, 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 established by FBLA, but shall not participate in events, serve as voting delegates, or hold office in FBLA. LIFETIME Members may be recommended by the membership and shall be accepted upon approval of the State Adviser, State Committee Members, and State Executive Council. They shall be persons making significant contributions to the field of business and office education and/or growth and development of Louisiana FBLA. Lifetime members shall not vote or hold office and shall not be required to pay dues. Any member of Louisiana FBLA who has been elected National FBLA President shall automatically become a Lifetime Member at the end of his term as National FBLA President.
Section 3. The membership year of Louisiana FBLA shall be August 1 through July 31. Section 4. The Middle Level Division shall pay state FBLA dues. ARTICLE V Officers and Elections Section 1. The officers of Louisiana FBLA shall be a president, a vice-president for each district, a secretary, a treasurer, a reporter, and a parliamentarian. These student officers shall constitute the State Executive Council. The advisers of the State Officers, the State Adviser, and the members of the state committee shall serve as ex-officio nonvoting members of the State Executive Council Section 2. Qualifications for State Office 1. Only active members are eligible to hold state office. 2. To be considered for an office in Louisiana FBLA, a candidate shall have at least one full year remaining in his/her high school program. 3. A candidate must complete a State Officer Application in accordance with the guidelines prescribed by Louisiana FBLA. Section 3. Officer applications for President, Secretary, Treasurer, Reporter, and Parliamentarian shall be received by the State Adviser no later than January 10. Section 4. Officer applications for Vice-President shall be received by the State Adviser no later than January 10. Section 5. No two state officers shall be elected from the same local chapter. Section 6. During his/her term of office, an officer shall attend the same school from which he/she was elected. Section 7. The President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and the Reporter shall be elected by a majority of the voting delegates present at the Voting Delegates Meeting at the FBLA State Leadership Conference. The Vice-Presidents shall be elected by a majority of the voting delegates present at the Voting Delegates Meeting at their respective district conferences. Voting shall be by secret ballot for election to state office. Section 8. The person scoring the highest on the Parliamentary Procedure written test at the State Leadership Conference who has completed a State Officer Application in accordance with the guidelines prescribed by Louisiana FBLA shall be appointed by the incoming State President to serve as Parliamentarian. Section 9. The State Officers shall serve for one year or until their successors are elected or appointed, and their term of office shall begin at the close of the Louisiana State Leadership Conference. Section 10. A vacancy in any office, other than that of President, shall be filled by appointment of the State Adviser and approved by the Executive Council unless a special election is deemed necessary by the State Adviser. Should the office of President become vacant, the First Vice-President shall automatically become President. Section 11. The First Vice-President shall rotate each membership year in numerical order beginning with District IV for the 1992-93 membership year. ARTICLE VI Duties of FBLA State Officers Section 1. The President shall: 1. preside at the FBLA State Leadership Conference and at all Executive Council Meetings; 2. preside at Voting Delegate's Meetings at the FBLA State Leadership Conference; 3. see that all meetings are conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised; 4. serve as a voting delegate to the FBLA National Leadership Conference. Section 2. The Vice-Presidents shall: 1. have charge of their respective district conferences; 2. preside at the Voting Delegate’s Meeting at their respective district conferences. Section 3. The Secretary shall: 1. keep an accurate record of all business meetings of the FBLA State Leadership Conference and the State Executive Council; 2. supply promptly at least one copy of the minutes to the State President and the State Adviser. Section 4. The Treasurer shall present an annual report on the finances of Louisiana FBLA at the State Leadership Conference. Section 5. The Reporter shall be responsible for the publication of the state newsletter, The Louisiana Leader. The Louisiana Leader shall be made available to local chapters twice during the membership year. Section 6. The Parliamentarian shall advise the President, the Executive Council, and FBLA members of the orderly conduct of business in accordance with FBLA Bylaws, Louisiana FBLA Bylaws, and Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised. Section 7. All State Officers shall serve on the State Executive Committee, perform the duties prescribed in these Bylaws, and perform such other duties as directed by the State Adviser, the Executive Council, and Louisiana FBLA which are not inconsistent with these Bylaws or other rules adopted by Louisiana FBLA. ARTICLE VII Conferences and Meetings Section 1. The FBLA State Leadership Conference shall be held annually prior to the FBLA National Leadership Conference at a time and place recommended by the State Adviser and approved by the State Executive Council. Section 2. Each district shall hold an annual conference prior to the FBLA State Leadership Conference at a time and place recommended by the State Adviser and approved by the State Executive Council. Section 3. The FBLA State Fall Leadership Conference shall be held annually at a time and place(s) recommended by the State Adviser and approved by the State Executive Council. Section 4. The State Executive Council shall meet, in addition to the FBLA State Leadership Conference, a minimum of two times a year at a time and place to be determined by the State Adviser. Section 5. The Louisiana FBLA State Chapter shall send two voting delegates from the active membership to the FBLA National Leadership Conference. The President shall be financially assisted by the State Chapter in attending the FBLA National Leadership Conference when funds are available and shall serve as the first voting delegate. The second voting delegate to the FBLA National Leadership Conference shall be selected in the following order: First Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Reporter, Parliamentarian, and Vice-Presidents in order of rotation. The second voting delegate shall receive financial aid in attending the FBLA National Leadership Conference when funds are available. Section 6. Each local FBLA chapter in good standing shall be entitled to send two voting delegates from its active membership to its district meeting and to the FBLA State Leadership Conference. ARTICLE VIII Dues and Finances Section 1. Louisiana FBLA membership dues, based on fiscal reports by the state office, and on recommendation of the State Adviser and the State Executive Council, shall be determined by a majority vote of the voting delegates at the FBLA State Leadership Conference. Louisiana annual membership dues shall be $4.25. Section 2. Twenty-five cents of the $4.25 dues shall be used for a $500 scholarship given to the top three in the Louisiana’s Who’s Who Event. Section 2. The fiscal year of Louisiana FBLA shall be July 1 through June 30. ARTICLE IX Emblem The emblem for the State Chapter of Louisiana Future Business Leaders of America, Inc. shall be the emblem of the National Association, Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda, Inc. ARTICLE X Parliamentary Authority The rules contained in Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern Louisiana FBLA in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the rules of Louisiana FBLA, Inc., these Bylaws or any special rules of order Louisiana FBLA may adopt. ARTICLE XI Amendment Section 1. Proposed amendments to these Bylaws, after having been submitted to and approved by the State Executive Council, shall be submitted in writing to all active chapters 30 days prior to the FBLA State Leadership Conference. Section 2. A two-thirds vote of the voting delegates present and voting at the FBLA State Leadership Conference is required for adoption of any amendments or revisions. Section 3. Voting on amending and revising these Bylaws shall be conducted by secret ballot. Amended March 5, 1999 Amended March 31, 2000 Amended April 15, 2002 |
