CHAPTER XIII. STATE CONVENTION The interim board of directors establishes the place and dates of the state convention( See Bylaws, Article XV). Site Committee The site committee shall be composed of members appointed by the State President no later than two( 2) years in advance of the state convention. Its function shall be to receive bids from convention hotel( s) located in the region where the convention will be held. The bids submitted will include the name of the hotel / hotels involved, and one or more available dates, and the city in which to be held. This committee shall, also, have negotiating powers. Place and Dates Place and dates are established two( 2) years in advance, by the interim board of directors not later than the interim board meeting following the annual state convention. Convention sites shall continue to be located in the three grand divisions of the state. No region shall host a convention for two consecutive years. Registration Fees Registration fee for the state convention is established by the board of directors at the preceding Interim Board and shall be paid by each person attending except the state president, non-members appearing on the program, non-members attending only a luncheon or the Banquet, and guests of the incoming and outgoing presidents. Members may register for one day only, either Friday or Saturday, for a fee of $ 15.00. Late registration for one day shall cost $ 20.00. No member may use the one day registration more than once at the same convention. Those registered for one day will not be delegates to the convention, may not receive packets of materials and reports, and will not have the privilege of voting. Charges for stated meals will be the same as for full registration. There shall accompany the registration fee, payments for all functions for which reservations are requested. All registration fees, stated meals paid in advance, and monies collected during convention shall be deposited by the Registration Committee Chair into the Interim Board / Convention bank account. The Registration Committee chair will prepare an Income Statement to be presented at the Post-Convention Board of Directors meeting. A final income statement will be distributed at the next Interim Board of Directors. The Convention Chair will verify and approve all charges for meal functions and meeting facilities prior to presenting bills to state president for approval for payment by state treasurer. Payment should be made to“ hotel” prior to departure of state president and state treasurer. All bills and expense vouchers approved by the state president, deposit slips, and registration forms will be submitted to the state treasurer within ten( 10) days after Convention. The treasurer will write all checks for properly approved bills and vouchers, and present a State Convention financial report at the next Board of Directors meeting. All documentation will be kept by the treasurer for audit purposes. Within forty-five( 45) days, all financial information shall be made available to the immediate past state president and immediate past finance chair. Request for Refunds Request for refund of paid pre-registration and stated meals will be approved only if received by the president in writing at least 72 hours prior to formal opening of the convention. A copy of the request for refund will also be received by the convention chair at least 72 hours prior to formal opening of the convention. Registration fees are not transferable from one member to another unless the transfer occurs between members of the same Local Organization.( See CHAPTER XVI. MISCELLANEOUS POLICIES, Refund Pre-Registration, p. 47.) Half of only registration fee will be approved only if made in writing to the state president and received no later than 24 hours prior to the first business meeting. Duties of State Convention Duties of the State Convention must include, but are not liimited to, the following:
• receive reports of the officers and chairs for the preceding year;
• elect officers for the ensuing term;
• act on recommendations, resolutions and other business presented;
• adopt a state legislative platform; Convention Program The program for the convention will be planned and coordinated by the president and the president-elect who select a theme for the convention. At a meeting of the executive committee, including the finance chair as exofficio, to be held as soon as the final prices are available from the hotel and no later than a date preceding the regional meetings, the convention program will be finalized and a convention budget established. After a final Convention budget has been established, only the Convention Chair shall have final negotiating powers.
31 November 2011