Current Bylaws (approved September 2003)

Bylaws
Coastal Association for the Education of Young Children
(CAEYC)

Article I. Name
The name of this Association shall be the “Coastal Association for the Education of Young Children”, hereafter also referred to as CAEYC.

Article II. Purpose
The purposes of the CAEYC shall be charitable and educational. CAEYC shall promote interest, study and action concerning the well-being and education of young children (primarily birth through eight years) and their families; and foster the growth and development of the membership in their work with, and on behalf of, young children.

Article III. Membership
1. CAEYC is an affiliate of the Washington Association for the Education of Young Children (WAEYC) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). WAEYC and NAEYC membership is required of members of CAEYC.
2. The categories of membership shall be Comprehensive Membership, Regular Membership and Student Membership.
3. Membership is required of all Governing Board and Affiliate Council members of the Association.
4. All persons interested in the purpose of NAEYC, WAEYC, and CAEYC are eligible for membership upon payment of annual dues. Upon payment of annual dues, members shall become eligible for all rights, benefits, and responsibilities of membership as set forth in the bylaws and policies of the Association.
5. CAEYC admits individuals of any race, color, gender, religion, disability, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, services and activities generally accorded to or made available to members. All activities, contracts, endorsements and grants or scholarships shall be without bias.

Article IV. CAEYC Affiliate Chapter
1. CAEYC is a local organizational unit which is an affiliate Chapter of WAEYC and NAEYC whose responsibilities shall include promotion and support of NAEYC, WAEYC, and CAEYC activities and services, as well identification of prospective members.
2. CAEYC Affiliate Chapter shall maintain a minimum of fifty (50) members.
3. All members and officers of the CAEYC Affiliate chapter shall be WAEYC and NAEYC members.
4. The CAEYC Chapter President or designee shall be a member of the WAEYC Affiliate Council.

Article V. Administering Body
1. The Administering Body shall be called the Governing Board.
2. The Governing Board shall have supervision, control and direction of the affairs of the Association, shall determine its policies or changes within the limits of the bylaws, shall actively promote its purpose, and shall have discretion in the disbursement of its funds. It may adopt such rules and regulations for the conduct of its business as shall be deemed advisable, and may in the execution of the powers granted, appoint such committees or agents as it may consider necessary.
3. The Governing Board shall consist of four (4) elected officers and the WAEYC Affiliate Council representative.
4. There shall be at least one meeting of the Governing Board during the membership year.
5. The Governing Board will make recommendations related to implementation of the bylaws to the membership for final approval.
6. Notification of all meetings of the Governing Board and Affiliate Council shall be given through post, email, fax or telephone at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting. The time and place of the meeting shall be included in all meeting announcements.

Article VI. Officers
1. The four (4) officers of CAEYC shall be:
a) President
b) Vice President
c) Secretary
d) Treasurer

2. The duties of the officers shall be such as are usually performed by these offices.
3. Elected officers may succeed themselves in any office once.
4. Except in the initial year, officers will be elected on a rotating basis according to the CAEYC policies.
5. All officers shall serve two years. All terms of office shall begin at the first meeting of the Governing Board following election.

Article VII. Vacancy, Resignation or Removal from Office
1. Any position elected by the membership that becomes vacant during the term shall be filled by appointment of the Governing Board. Such appointment will be effective until the next annual election of Governing Board members.
2. An officer or Governing Board member may resign at any time. The resignation shall be made in writing and shall take effect at the time specified therein. The acceptance of a resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
3. An officer or Governing Board member may be removed, with or without cause, by the same authority that elected or appointed them.

Article VIII. Finance
1. The Governing Board shall be empowered to establish, monitor and change the Association budget, in accordance with the Association bylaws and policies.
2. The Governing Board shall have fiduciary responsibility for the Association.
3. CAEYC dues shall be determined by vote of membership. Changes in the amount of dues shall be submitted to the membership six months before the effective date of the change.
4. CAEYC dues shall provide a means for development, implementation and coordination of activities of the Association.
5. No part of the net earnings of the Association shall inure to the benefit of or be distributable to its members, trustees, officers, or other public entities or private persons, except that the Association shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distribution in furtherance of those purposed and set forth in Articles hereof. No substantial part of the activities of the Association shall be carrying on of propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the Association shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding, any other activities not permitted to be carried on by a corporation exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law shall not be conducted by this Association.

Article IX. Fiscal Year
The Fiscal year shall be a consecutive twelve (12) month period designated by the Governing Board.

Article X. Nominations and Elections
1. All Governing Board members are elected by the membership.
2. Individual members may nominate the officers.
3. Election results shall be determined by a majority of the members voting.
4. Election shall be by mail vote or by a vote at a membership meeting as determined by the Governing Board in accordance with Association bylaws and policies.

Article XI. Committees
The President, with the approval of the Governing Board, shall appoint as many standing and special committees as are determined necessary to fulfill the purpose of the Association. Supervision of the committees may be delegated.

Article XII. Membership Year
The membership year shall be established in accordance with NAEYC, WAEYC, and CAEYC policies.

Article XIII. Meetings
1. There shall be an annual membership meeting of the Association, the date, time and place to be determined by the Governing Board. The membership shall be informed by mail, fax, telephone or email of the date, time, general purpose and place of the meeting.
2. There shall be at least one meeting of the Governing Board during the membership year. Notification of special meetings of the Governing Board shall be deemed to be duly given to a Governing Board if mailed, faxed, telephoned or emailed to the member at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting. The notification shall state the time, place and general purpose of the meeting.

Article XIV. Quorum and Voting
1. The membership present at any meeting of the Association, other than the Executive committee, Governing Board and Affiliate Council meetings, shall constitute a quorum for the purposes of conducting business.
2. Governing Board – shall have at least a simple majority of its members present in order to conduct business.
3. Any action required to be taken at a meeting of the Governing Board may be taken without a meeting if proper notice of the proposed action is given in writing, by phone or electronically to all Governing Board members and thereafter written consent approving the action is signed by all the Governing Board members entitled to vote on the subject.

Article XV. Dissolution
1. CAEYC may be dissolved at a membership meeting called for the specific purpose by a majority vote of the Governing Board.
2. Upon the dissolution of the Association the Governing Board shall, after paying or making provision for payment of all of the liabilities of the Association, dispose of all of the assets of the Association exclusively for the purpose of the Association in such manner, or to such organization or organizations organized and operated exclusively for educational purposes as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under section 501(c)(3).

Article XVI. Parliamentary Authority
Robert’s Rule of Order Newly Revised shall be the parliamentary authority of the Association.

Article XVII. Amendments
1. Revisions and amendments to the bylaws shall be presented to and reviewed by the Governing Board.
2. These bylaws may be amended, repealed or altered, in whole or in part:
a. By a 2/3 majority vote of members at any membership meeting of the Association; provided that a copy of any amendment proposal for consideration shall be mailed to the membership at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of the meeting; or
b. By approval of 2/3 of the members responding in a through mail vote.



Approved September 26th 2003