Constitutional Column 2024: Issue 3 | Page 21

Bylaws

Bylaws

21

Article vii / Amendments

Like the Constitution , the Bylaws ends by describing how it can be amended .

Section 1 . Amendments

Bylaws amendments are handled similarly to Constitutional amendments — they go to the Board of Directors , then to the ACL Board of Governors , then the Amendments Committee ( made up of representatives from States at the NJCL Convention ), and finally to the State delegations at convention to be ratified . Bylaws amendments and Constitutional amendments are even voted on at the same time .
However , there are a few differences :
Δ While the Amendments Committee discusses Bylaws amendments , it doesn ’ t vote on them like it does Constitutional amendments .
Δ The ACL Board of Governors receives Bylaws amendments before Convention , but they only give final approval after the amendments have been ratified by the States .
Δ Only a majority of votes cast by States ( instead of two-thirds ) is needed to ratify a Bylaws amendment .

Section 2 . Proposing New Bylaws

Like with the Constitution , a proposal for a completely new set of bylaws goes through the exact same process as a normal amendment .

How do I do it ?

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If you have a separate bylaws , make sure that it ’ s easier to amend than your constitution .
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The main way to do this is to make constitutional amendments require two-thirds to ratify and bylaws amendments require just a majority to ratify .