Constitution / Bylaws

The Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute Associates, Inc.

PREAMBLE

We, the members of the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute Associates, Inc., organized at Orlando, Florida, on the Eighteenth Day of May, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-five, do make and ordain as our government the following:

ARTICLE I

NAME
This Associates shall be known as THE FLORIDA CRIMINAL JUSTICE EXECUTIVE INSTITUTE ASSOCIATES, INC

ARTICLE II

PURPOSE
The purpose of the Associates shall be to foster and promote the Criminal Justice Executive Institute Associates and their respective organizations, by extending the resources of the Associates' organization and the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute; and by providing educational opportunities for criminal justice professionals in the State of Florida.

ARTICLE III

TERM OF THE ASSOCIATION
The term of the Associates shall be perpetual.

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ARTICLE IV

MEMBERSHIP AND DUES
Section One
......MEMBERSHIP

Membership in this Associates shall be limited to the following:

I. Individuals who have satisfactorily completed the prescribed course of instruction in any programs offered by the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute which consists of three or more individual sessions and who are actively engaged in criminal justice duties, have retired or who have left the criminal justice field in good standing.

II. Active and retired members of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement who have served as counselors or coordinators in any programs offered by the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute which consists of three or more individual sessions or who have been directly involved as a regularly appointed full-time administrator of the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute.

III. Individuals who are currently enrolled in any programs offered by the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute which consists of three or more individual sessions, but have not yet completed the course of instruction are eligible for membership. Said members shall not be eligible to hold office in the Association until the successful completion of the prescribed course of instruction.

IV. Instructors of any programs offered by the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute which consists of three or more individual sessions may join as an Associate Member.  Associate members do not have voting rights in the business of the Association.

V. There shall be no honorary or other types of membership except active membership.

Section Two
......Dues

The dues of this Associates shall be established by the President's recommendation and a majority vote of all members present at the annual meeting. The dues shall be payable in advance for each calendar year and shall be paid on or before any business meeting of this Associates for the member to be able to participate.

I. All dues shall be paid to the Executive Secretary-Treasurer on or before April 1st of each calendar year.

II. Any member, who has not paid assessed dues on or before June 1st, shall be deemed delinquent and automatically suspended from membership in this Associates, and shall lose all attendance rights and privileges pertaining thereto.

III. Any member, who has been suspended for nonpayment of dues shall be eligible for reinstatement of membership upon payment of dues which are in arrears.

IV. Any member, who has been suspended and not reinstated pursuant to Paragraph III hereof shall, on September 1st of the current year, be dropped from the roll as a member of this Associates and may regain membership herein only as described in Paragraph III.

Section Three
......SUSPENSION FROM MEMBERSHIP

All members of this Associates shall be suspended from membership:

I. Upon severance of a member's full-time employment from a duly constituted criminal justice agency, other than members retired in good standing.

II. Upon nonpayment of any required dues.

III. Upon participation in activity unworthy of or inimical to the best interest of criminal justice, as evidenced by any dismissal or requested resignation from any criminal justice agency based upon misfeasance or malfeasance, and by a majority vote of the Executive Board of the Associates.

IV. Upon participation in activity unworthy of or inimical to the best interest of The Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute Associates, Inc.

Section Four
......RIGHT TO VOTE

All members in good standing have the right to vote on any issue brought before the general membership at the regular business meeting. A member must be present at the meeting in order to vote and the current year's dues must have been paid.

ARTICLE V

OFFICERS/DIRECTORS AND MANNER OF ELECTING

Section One
The Officers/Directors of the Associates shall consist of:

President/Director
First Vice President/Director
Second Vice President/Director
Third Vice President/Director
Executive Secretary-Treasurer

The persons serving as the President, First Vice President, Second Vice President and Third Vice President, shall also serve as the corporation directors, which shall be four in number.

Section Two
These Officers/Directors shall be elected annually by the majority of members in attendance at the annual business meeting and shall take office immediately following their election.

The Executive Secretary-Treasurer shall be appointed by a majority vote of the elected Officers/Directors and will serve for a period of four years, as a nonvoting member.

Section Three
Any person elected to any office must be present at the meeting at which they are elected.

Section Four
When possible, the composition of the Board of elected Officers/Directors, shall consist of at least one person from each of four subdivisions of the state of Florida. Each subdivision shall consist of approximately one-fourth of the land mass of the state of Florida, divided along county boundaries.

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ARTICLE VI

DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS

Section One
......President/Director

The President shall preside at all annual and special meetings of the Associates. The President's decision shall be final unless otherwise provided for in this constitution, its amendments, or reversed by a two-thirds vote of the members in attendance.

The President shall appoint the members of any committees and shall have the authority to remove any member of said committee at his/her discretion. The President shall also serve as a Director of the Corporation.

Section Two
......First Vice President/Director

The First Vice President shall assume the duties of the president upon the president's absence. The First Vice President shall chair committees as appointed by the president. The First Vice President shall also serve as a Director of the Corporation.

Section Three
......Second Vice President/Director

The Second Vice President shall assume the duties of the President and the First Vice President in their absence. The Second Vice President shall chair committees as appointed by the president. The Second Vice President shall also serve as a Director of the Corporation.

Section Four
......Third Vice President/Director

The Third Vice President shall serve as Director of the Corporation. The Third Vice President shall assume the duties of the President, the First Vice President, and the Second Vice President in their absence.

Section Five
......Executive Secretary-Treasurer

The Executive Secretary-Treasurer shall keep a full and complete record of all meetings. The Executive Secretary-Treasurer shall submit a copy of all minutes to all officers.

The Executive Secretary-Treasurer shall, on or before February 15th of each calendar year, mail to each member a dues notice for the ensuing year.

The Executive Secretary-Treasurer shall have the authority to disburse such monies as may be reasonably necessary in the ordinary conduct of the association business. Such disbursements shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, expenses incurred for membership cards, stationery, printing and postage.

In addition thereto, the Executive Secretary-Treasurer shall disburse monies for expenses as approved by the executive board to elected or appointed officials to be used by them for expenses they may incur on behalf of the association in the discharge of their respective offices. The Executive Secretary-Treasurer shall require and receive an accounting from each and every officer who is the recipient of such monies, and shall include said accounting from each and every officer who is the recipient of such monies, in the treasurer's report at all regular meetings.

The Executive Secretary-Treasurer shall give all notices for any special meetings, both of the association or of its committees.

ARTICLE VII

OFFICERS BUSINESS MEETINGS

Meetings of the elected Officers/Directors of the Associates shall be called at least quarterly to handle the regular and on-going business affairs of the Associates. The time, date, and location of the meetings are determined by the President.

ARTICLE VIII

SERGEANT AT ARMS

Section One
When necessary for the proper conduct of a meeting, the President may appoint a Sergeant at Arms from among the members present.

Section Two
The duties of the Sergeant at Arms shall be to prevent unauthorized persons from being present, to maintain order, and to perform any duties required of him/her by the President for the orderly conduct of the meeting.

ARTICLE IX

QUORUM

A quorum for conducting business at the regular business meeting shall consist of two officers and at least twenty percent of the members in good standing.

A quorum for conducting business at a quarterly business meeting shall consist of three elected officers.

ARTICLE X

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE

In the case of parliamentary procedure that is not covered by this Constitution, "Robert's Rules of Order" shall prevail.

ARTICLE XI

ORDER OF CONDUCTING BUSINESS

The Order of Business shall be as follows:

1. Opening of the Meeting by the President.
2. Roll Call of Officers
3. Reading of the Minutes of Previous Session.
4. Introduction of New Members.
5. Sickness and Distress.
6. Report of the Committee.
7. Reading Communications.
8. Unfinished Business.
9. Nomination and Election of Officers.
10. Installation of Officers.
11. New Business.
12. General Welfare.
13. Reading of Bills.
14. Treasurer's Report.
15. Adjournment.


ARTICLE XII

CHANGES AND AMENDMENTS

Any changes or amendments to this Constitution may be made only by a two-thirds vote of the members present at the annual business meeting.

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ARTICLE XIII

STATEMENT OF DISSOLUTION

In the event of dissolution, the residual assets of the organization will be turned over to one or more organizations, which themselves are exempt as organizations, described in Section 501-C3 and 170-C2 of the Internal Revenue code of 1954 or corresponding section of any prior or future law of the Federal, State, or Local government for the exclusive public purpose.

Constitution and By-Laws adopted during the regular business meeting at Orlando, Florida, on the eighteenth of May, 1995.

Last amended April 28, 2009.