CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS OF DISTRICT 2
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Section 1. This organization shall be known as District 2 of the Texas Osteopathic Medical Association.
Section 2. This organization is hereby declared to be a divisional society of the Texas Osteopathic Medical Association and shall be subject to the Constitution and Bylaws and Code of Ethics of the Texas Osteopathic Medical Association and the American Osteopathic Association, now in effect or as hereafter amended.
Section 1. The membership of this district shall consist of the present members of TOMA District 2 and of such others as shall be accepted in the manner prescribed by the Bylaws.
Article IV – Officers
Section 1. The officers of this organization shall be President, President Elect, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. They shall perform such duties as are provided in the Bylaws.
Article V - Meetings
Section 1. Regular meetings shall be held at such time and place as may be determined by the Executive Committee. A special meeting may be called by the President or by petition of a majority vote of the district membership.
Article VI – Dissolution
Section 1. This district society shall use its funds only to accomplish the objectives and purposes specified in this Constitution and no part of said funds shall inure, or be distributed to the members of the District. On dissolution of the organization, any funds remaining shall be distributed to one or more regularly organized and qualified charitable, educational, scientific, or philanthropic organizations to be selected by the membership.
Article VI - Amendments
Section 1. The Constitution of this society may be amended or repealed by a two-thirds majority vote of the members eligible to vote and present at any regular or special called meeting of the District provided that notice of such proposed changes have been sent in writing to the members at least thirty (30) days before such meeting. The final wording may be altered for clarity, but the intent can not be changed.
TOMA DISTRICT 2 BYLAWS
Article I – Members
Section 1. Any physician who has been granted the degree Doctor of Osteopathy or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from a school which was then approved by the American Osteopathic Association and who is legally practicing osteopathic medicine and surgery in this state, or elsewhere if in government or missionary service, is eligible to apply for membership in this district. Such physician shall make application for membership. These applications may then be acted upon at any regular meeting by a majority vote of the membership present and voting
Section 2. The physician shall be a member of the District whose boundaries encompass his/her place of residence, primary place of practice, or of an adjacent district that borders District 2. No physician may hold membership in more than one District society at a time. Any member desiring to change membership from one district society to another whose boundaries are adjacent, shall request the societies concerned to transfer the membership. If the request is not granted by both societies concerned, it shall be referred to the TOMA Board of Trustees for consideration and resolution.
Section 3. Any member whose dues remain unpaid for three months shall be automatically suspended from this District. Such member may be reinstated, before the expiration of three months, upon payment of all dues in arrears.
Section 4. Six months after non-payment of dues, the member’s name shall be taken from the District roll. A new application for membership may be made.
Section 5. The Secretary of District 2 shall notify any member, who has been suspended or revoked because of non-payment, and shall provide the physician with full information as to the member’s rights to reinstatement or reapplication.
Section 6. The district has the right to develop additional classes of membership that have requirements different than those of physician members.
Section 7. Interns, residents, and fellows, who are training within the boundaries of this district, will not be required to pay dues. They may vote and hold office.
Section 8. Those retired from the practice of medicine shall be granted retired status and will not be required to pay dues.
Section 9. Honorary membership may be granted by the regular members of the District, acting at a regular meeting, to anyone whom they wish to bestow this classification. Removal from this status shall be in the same manner. They will not be required to pay dues. They may not vote or hold office.
Article II – Dues
Section 1. Annual dues for membership in District 2 shall be $50.00 per year. Dues for all classes of membership shall be established by the membership at a regular meeting.
Section 2. The fiscal year shall begin on January 1st and end on December 31st. Annual dues shall apply to the fiscal year and become due and payable on the preceding October 1st.
Section 3. The funds collected from the annual dues may be allocated as the District determines. No dues shall be refunded to any member whose membership terminates for any reason.
Article III – Officers
Section 1. The elected officers of the District shall be President, President Elect, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer to be elected by the membership of the District to serve a one-year term or until their successors have been duly elected and assume office.
Section 2. The officers of this District shall be elected annually from among the members by majority vote of those present and voting. The officers will assume their duties at May meeting of the District.
Section 3. All district officers must be members in good standing of the Texas Osteopathic Medical Association in order to hold a district office and must have paid the current year’s dues.
Section 4. The President shall be the chief executive officer of the District and preside over all meetings of the District and of its Executive Committee. The President may represent the District before legislative bodies, official boards, and in the business of the District concerning public relations.
Section 5. The President Elect shall have those duties as are assigned to him by the Executive Board, membership, or these bylaws. At the end of his term as President Elect, he shall become President.
Section 6. The Vice President shall preside in the absence of the President. In the event the presidency is vacated, the Vice President shall succeed to that office for the remainder of the unexpired term. If required, a new Vice President will be elected at the next regular meeting to fill the unexpired term.
Section 7. The Secretary shall prepare and keep all records, minutes, and district membership rolls. The Secretary will give notice of meetings and conduct the correspondence of the District. In the event that the office of Secretary is vacated, the executive committee shall appoint an individual to perform the duties of the secretary-treasurer for the remainder of the unexpired term. The Secretary, at the completion of his/her term of office, shall deliver to the newly elected successor all books, papers, and other properties of the district society
Section 8. The Treasurer shall be responsible for all funds received by the District and maintain a checking account in an insured bank in the name of the District. At the end of the fiscal year, the Treasurer shall prepare a financial report for the membership of District, listing income and expenses for the year past. The Treasurer, at the completion of his term of office, shall deliver to the newly elected successor all monies, books, papers, and other properties of the district society.
Section 9. The Secretary of this society shall certify, in writing, its elected delegates/alternates to the Executive Director of the Texas Osteopathic Medical Association at least sixty (60) days prior to the first day of the annual meeting of the TOMA House of Delegates. All delegates and alternates must have paid the current fiscal year dues of the Texas Osteopathic Medical Association before the House of Delegates meeting begins.
Section 10. The Officers of the District are eligible for re-election to the office without limitations.
Article IV – Executive Committee
Section 1. The Executive Committee shall consist of the elected officers and three (3) Immediate Past Presidents for three-year terms, one each year.
Section 2. The Executive Committee shall be authorized to transact all necessary business of the District between regular meetings. Any business so transacted shall be reported to the membership at the next regular District meeting. The Executive Committee shall not have the authority to remove officers, elect, revoke, or reinstate members. The Executive Committee shall be responsible to the membership of the District.
Section 3. A vacancy occurring in any officer position by resignation, death, or disablement may be filled for the balance of the term by the Executive Committee with the approval of the membership at the next regular district meeting.
Section 4. The Executive Committee shall meet from time to time at the pleasure of the President. Such meetings may be held by telephone conference call.
Article V – Meetings
Section 1. Meetings shall be held at such time and place as may be determined by the Executive Committee or the general membership. The District shall hold five (5) regular meetings per year. These meetings shall be held on the third (3rd) Thursday of September, November, January, March, and May.
Section 2. Meetings may be omitted or meeting dates may be changed at the discretion of Executive Committee or the general membership. In no case shall there be less than five (5) meetings per year.
Section 3. The Executive Committee may call special meetings of the District by duly notifying all members at lease fourteen (14) days before the special meeting.
Article VI – Grievance Matters
Section 1. The membership of any District 2 member who violates the established policy of this society or who seeks to undermine the osteopathic profession, the Texas Osteopathic Medical Association or any of its district societies or affiliated organizations, may be revoked, suspended, or placed on probation by action of the Ethics Committee of the Texas Osteopathic Medical Association. All complaints, whether oral or written, and regardless of who made such complaint, shall be referred to the TOMA Ethics Committee.
Section 2. The term “complaint” shall embrace all complaints or charges filed with the TOMA Executive Director against any member of the Association for professional misconduct. The term “professional misconduct” shall include: (1) Any willful violation of the Constitution, Bylaws or Code of Ethics of the Association; (2) Any fraudulent, dishonorable or immoral conduct, whether or not in connection with the practice of osteopathic medicine or surgery, and whether or not such action may constitute an offense under the Penal Code of this State, and whether or not the accused member is being prosecuted for or has been convicted of, or has been acquitted of the violation of such penal provision.
Article VII – Committees
Section 1. The President, with the advice of the Executive Committee and approval of the membership, shall appoint such committees as are necessary and which are not in conflict with other provisions of these bylaws. The duties of any such committees shall be prescribed upon their appointment.
Section 2. Standing committees shall be established and abolished upon recommendation by the Executive Committee and approval by the membership. Committee chairs and members shall be appointed by the President, subject to approval by the Executive Committee.
Section 3. The President may establish a committee for a special function or purpose. Such committee shall, upon completion of its assigned duties or at the end of the President’s tenure, unless otherwise specified, cease existence.
Section 4. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.
Section 5. The action taken by any District Committee shall be advisory only. No committee shall have any authority to incur any obligation or liability whatsoever, to bind the District society or its membership.
Article VIII – Rules of Order
Section 1. This District shall be governed by the rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised except where otherwise provided in the Constitution and Bylaws or by special rules of order the District may adopt.
Article IX – Amendments
Section 1. These Bylaws may be amended or repealed by a two-thirds vote of the members eligible to vote and present at any regular meeting of the District provided that notice of such proposed changes have been sent in writing to the members at least thirty (30) days before such meeting.
The foregoing Constitution and Bylaws were adopted and approved at a meeting of TOMA District 2 on September 23, 2004.
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Jill Gramer, D.O., President
Interns, residents, and fellows, who are training within the boundaries of this district, will not be required to pay dues. They may vote and hold office.