Bylaws

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Bastrop County Republican Executive Committee
BYLAWS” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:center|color:%23af0707″ use_theme_fonts=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1598456023929{margin-top: -2em !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

ARTICLE I
Name

• The name of this organization shall be the Bastrop County Republican Executive Committee (hereinafter referred to as “Executive Committee”). The Executive Committee may conduct business in the name of Bastrop County Republican Party (“BCRP”).

ARTICLE II
Purpose

• Section 1. The purpose of this Executive Committee shall be:
  1. To establish the policies of the Bastrop County Republican Party, subject to the direction of the biennial County Convention;
  2. To represent the Bastrop County Republican Party, the State of Texas and the United States, articulating the principles and policies of the Republican Party platform and to promote Republican candidates;
  3. To cooperate in carrying out programs initiated by the Republican Party of Texas, including, but not limited to:
     1. Conducting a Republican Primary in as many election precincts within the county as practicable, but no less than one voting location in each County Commissioner’s precinct;
     2. Conducting a biennial County Convention, in accordance with Texas Election Code and Republican Party of Texas Rules;
     3. Organizing a coordinated effort, including Get-Out-The-Vote preceding each General Election and to publicize the Party candidates;
  4. To develop and sustain a county-wide organization through which the Republican Party of Texas can exercise those powers and responsibilities conferred upon it by State and Federal statutes;
  5. To be responsible for the general and ethical supervision and management of the Republican Party in Bastrop County, Texas;
  6. To promote and inform the electorate through education;
  7. To increase the effectiveness of residents of Bastrop County in the cause of good government through active participation;
  8. To facilitate cooperation among Republicans of Bastrop County and to promote the welfare and growth of the Bastrop County Republican Party;
  9. To foster and encourage loyalty to the ideals of the Republican Party and to promote conservative ideas and principles encompassed in the US Constitution, Bill of Rights and Texas Constitution;
  10. To influence the outcome of public policy to reflect the principles found in the platform of the Republican Party of Texas.
• Section 2. The Executive Committee is charged with the responsibility of observing all the laws of the State of Texas and these United States in fulfilling the purposes stated in the Article.

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

ARTICLE III
Members

• Section 1. The voting members of the Executive Committee shall be the County Chair and the Precinct Chairs. Officers and Committee Members who are not Precinct Chairs may serve as non-voting ex-officio members of the Executive Committee.
• Section 2. Requirements for County Chair or Precinct Chair
  1. The eligibility requirements are defined in Texas Election Code, Section 161.005.
  2. No member may simultaneously hold more than one voting position on the Executive Committee.
  3. The residency requirements for Precinct Chair are defined in Texas Election Code Section 171.023.
  4. Removal of a Precinct Chair or County Chair for abandonment of office shall be in accordance with Texas Election Code Section 171.029.
• Section 3. The term of office for County Chair or Precinct Chair is defined in Texas Election Code, Section 171.022.
• Section 4. Filling a vacancy in the Office of County Chair or Precinct Chair shall be as provided in the Texas Election Code Section 171.024 and Section 171.025. The required quorum is as given below in Article V, Section 6. Votes to fill such vacancies shall be initiated by motion and conducted by secret ballot.
• Section 5. Votes shall be cast and counted in the manner prescribed in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised.
• Section 6. It shall be the duty of each precinct chair to serve as liaison between the Bastrop County Republican Party and party members with the Precinct he/she represents. It shall be the duty of the County Chair to serve as the liaison between the Republican Party of Texas and party members of the county he/she represents; It shall be the responsibility of both Precinct Chairs and County Chair to promote the growth of the Republican Party of Texas within the county through recruitment of Party officials where no entity of the Party exists; and to ensure that Party Officials within the county have adequate information concerning conduct of Primary elections, County Conventions, and meetings, as well as legal requirements governing contributions and expenditures.

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

ARTICLE IV
Officers

• Section 1. Officers of the Executive Committee shall be County Chair, County Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary Parliamentarian, Sergeant-At-Arms and Chaplain. The County Vice Chair, Parliamentarian, Sergeant-At-Arms and Chaplain shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the County Chair. The office of Vice Chair shall not remain vacant for more than ninety days. The Treasurer and Secretary shall be elected by the Executive Committee and shall serve at its pleasure. Officers need not be Precinct Chairs. All officers shall serve pro- bono. The County Chair is permitted only statutory compensation for conduct of the primary election and its runoff.
• Section 2. The term of officers shall be concurrent with that of the Executive Committee as stated in Article III, Section 3 of these bylaws.
• Section 3. A vacancy in any office may be filled at a regular meeting or at a special meeting called for that purpose.
• Section 4. Duties of the officers shall be as specified by the Texas Election Code, Rules of the Republican Party of Texas, adopted Parliamentary Authority, these bylaws and any Rules adopted by the Executive Committee.
  1. The County Chair shall be the Executive Committee’s presiding officer. The County Chair shall be ex-officio (non-voting) member of all Standing and Special committees and shall make committee appointments as outlined in Article VI of these bylaws within forty-five days of any vacancy. The County Chair may be a member of the Texas Republican County Chairmen’s Association and the Executive Committee may pay any assessment or dues. The County Chair is authorized to make, or authorize the Treasurer to make, expenditures within the adopted budget or up to $50.00. The Chair shall not make any other expenditures without the approval of the Executive Committee.
  2. The County Vice Chair shall assist the County Chair as requested in the performance of the County Chair’s duties. In the event the County Chair is unable to perform the duties of the Chair, due to death, or inability or unwillingness to serve, the County Vice Chair shall serve as acting Chair until the Chair resumes their duties or until the election of a new Chair. The Vice Chair may not perform any statutory duties as outlined by State law but may assist in any other functions.
  3. The Treasurer shall keep systematic records and comply with all applicable State and Federal laws and regulations regarding contributions and expenditures. The Treasurer shall provide a monthly report of financial condition showing detailed and itemized income and expenses, both paid and encumbered but not yet paid, and current balances for all bank accounts, merchant accounts, debit cards or credit cards. Such financial reports shall be presented at each regular Executive Committee meeting. The treasurer shall make party financial records available to Executive Committee members upon request. All expenditures must be verified by committee vote recorded in the monthly minutes.
  4. The Secretary shall carry out the usual duties of that office above and beyond the statutory duties of Texas Election Code 171.025 and 172.022. The Secretary shall maintain the permanent file of the minutes of the meetings, a copy of which shall be furnished to any Executive Committee member upon request. The Secretary shall maintain a current list of all Executive Committee Members, officers, and Standing Committee members as well as members of any Special Committee, or other committees which shall be furnished upon request to any Executive Committee member and shall be brought to each Executive Committee meeting. The Secretary shall keep a permanent record of the Bylaws and Standing Rules a copy of which shall be furnished to any Executive Committee member upon request.
  5. The Parliamentarian shall advise the County Chairman on procedural issues, on procedural questions that arise during the course of Executive Committee meetings and make recommendations regarding amendments to the Bylaws. If a special committee is created to review and/or recommend changes to the Bylaws the Parliamentarian shall serve as an Ex Officio member of the special committee.
  6. The Sergeant-At-Arms shall assist the County Chairman in conducting Executive Committee meetings and shall serve to keep peace and order during the Executive Committee meetings.
  7. The Chaplain will be responsible for the Invocation and Benediction of all Bastrop County Republican Party Executive Committee meetings and functions.

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

ARTICLE V
Meetings

• Section 1. The Executive Committee shall meet at all times as required by the Texas Election Code and will generally hold regular meetings in odd numbered months on the third Saturday of the month. Meetings can be cancelled or rescheduled as necessary.
• Section 2. Notification of Statutory and Regular meetings of the Executive Committee shall be by the County Chair. Special meetings may be called by the County Chair or by written petition signed by at least twenty-five percent of the Precinct Chairs, delivered to the Chair or Secretary at least fourteen days before the desired meeting date. The date, time, location and agenda of the meeting must be stated in the call. The only business that can be transacted at a special meeting is that which has been specified in the call of the meeting. Notice shall be by e-mail to all members who have provided the Secretary a working e-mail address, otherwise the notice shall be by U.S. mail postmarked not less than seven calendar days prior to the designated meeting date. In the case of a Special Meeting called by petition that is delivered to the Secretary, the Secretary shall have authority to notify the members of the call.
• Emergency meetings may be called by the County Chairman with a minimum of five days’ notice to each Executive Committee member.
• Section 3. Organizational meeting shall be called in accordance with Republican Party of Texas Rule 8.
• Section 4. A Standing or Special committee shall meet at the call of its chairman, by written petition signed by at least twenty-five percent of the committee’s membership, or by vote of the Executive Committee. The date, time, location and proposed agenda of the meeting must be stated in the call. Those calling the meeting shall send the call to all members of the committee and to all Executive Committee members no less than seven days in advance of the meeting using the same methods described in Section 2 above. When the Executive Committee calls the meeting, notification shall be sent by the Secretary. Meetings of the Executive Committee or its subcommittees may be cancelled only as follows:
  1. A meeting called by a chair may be cancelled by that chair.
  2. A meeting called by petition may be cancelled by agreement of all signors of the petition.
  3. A meeting called by vote of the CEC, may be cancelled by a 2/3 vote of the CEC.
• Section 5. The counting of votes shall be on an individual basis. Proxy voting is not allowed, per Texas Election Code Section. 171.026. A roll call vote shall be taken in compliance with RPT Rule 7 (b).
• Section 6. The Quorum requirements for all meetings are specified in Texas Republican Party Rules including but not limited to Rule 9 and in these Bylaws. A quorum of a majority of the filled Executive Committee voting positions must be present to fill any vacancy of the voting members of the Executive Committee.
• Section 7. Meetings of the CEC, or its committees, may be conducted through the use of Internet meeting services. Such services shall be designated by the Chair. At a minimum, these services should allow anonymous voting, support visible displays identifying those seeking recognition to speak, showing (or permitting the retrieval of) the text of pending motions, and showing (or permitting the display of) the results of votes. Regular meetings shall be held in person, with an online component when possible (or as needed).
• These electronic meetings shall be subject to bylaws provisions and other rules adopted by the CEC to govern meetings. Any rules specifically pertaining to electronic meetings adopted by the CEC shall supersede any conflicting rules in the parliamentary authority but may not otherwise conflict with or alter any rule or decision of the CEC. Any anonymous vote conducted through the designated Internet meeting service shall be deemed a ballot vote, fulfilling any requirement in the bylaws or rules that a vote be conducted by ballot. For purpose of meeting notice, location shall be deemed to be “online” whether participation is through the Internet or via teleconference.

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

ARTICLE VI
Committees

• Section 1. The County Chair shall appoint the Chair of any Standing Committees or Special Committees as deemed necessary to carry out the policies of the local Party, and each shall serve at the pleasure of the County Chair. The Executive Committee may, however, remove a chair of any standing or special committee with a two thirds vote of members present and voting.
• Section 2. Each Standing Committee or Special Committee shall consist of a minimum of three members and a maximum of five members, who, except the Committee Chair, shall be elected by, and serve at the pleasure of the Executive Committee. While the Committee Chair is vacant or absent from a called committee meeting, the other members may elect a Chair Pro Tem for conduct of the committee meeting.
• Section 3. Each committee is authorized to develop procedures for conducting business within that committee’s jurisdiction, subject to review and amendment by the full Executive Committee.
• Section 4. A committee member missing three consecutive committee meetings shall be automatically removed from the committee membership and the vacancy will be filled by the County Chair for the chair of the committee within forty-five days and by the Executive Committee for the other members of the committee. No Precinct Chair shall chair more than one Standing Committee and no Precinct Chair shall be a voting member on more than two Standing Committees or one Standing Committee and one Special Committee.
• Section 5.The Standing Committees composition and duties may include the following:
  1. The Finance Committee shall focus on raising the money needed to fund the Party and its activities. The Treasurer shall be an ex officio (non-voting) member of the Committee. The Finance Committee shall prepare an annual budget and submit it to the Executive Committee by the November meeting, and maintain bookkeeping. The Finance Committee shall be responsible for fund raising for the Bastrop County Republican Party. It shall develop and report fund-raising initiatives to the Executive Committee for approval, including the initiative’s purpose, methodology, forum, expense, and delegation of responsibilities. It shall also report to the Executive Committee the status of any fund- raising initiative in execution, and the results of any fund-raiser upon completion. Finance committee will work with the events committee to coordinate said fundraising initiatives.
  2. The Rules Committee shall periodically review these bylaws and may recommend amendments hereto. The committee shall also review changes in election laws, Republican Party of Texas Rules and advise the Executive Committee of such changes.
  3. The Resolutions Committee shall review the platform, take suggestions from the public for additions, deletions or corrections to the platform. They will review such requests and submit the recommendations to the Executive committee at any time prior to the biennial county convention.
  4. The Vacancies Committee may recruit and shall interview qualified persons to fill vacancies on the Executive Committee. Individuals interested in serving as a Precinct Chair in a precinct that is vacant shall be referred to the Vacancies Committee for review. The Vacancies Committee shall report its findings to the Executive Committee for a vote.
  5. The Candidate Committee shall recruit and encourage qualified persons to seek open public offices on the Republican ticket. The Committee shall also provide assistance to the Party’s nominees.
  6. The Public Relations Committee shall maintain the party’s web site, email list, Facebook, Twitter, online calendar, social media accounts, and news releases; maintain, record and store in a secure location managed by the BCRP County Chair, any login credentials required for any such accounts; develop usage policies for such accounts; maintain and expand party databases related to communications; publish communications through these tools and other community avenues; receive input for such communications from all sources; facilitate precinct chairmen communications with their own precincts; and delegate assignments to perform these tasks.
  7. The Events Committee will coordinate events throughout the year. These events may include but are not limited to monthly informational meetings, quarterly dinner meetings, special community events, major and minor fundraisers. Any fundraising event will be in coordination with the Finance committee.
• Section 6. The County Chair may appoint Special Committees as needed to support the purpose of these bylaws. The scope of a Special Committee shall be specified by the County Chair and agreed to by an Executive Committee majority and shall be entered in the Executive Committee minutes. The recommendations of the Special Committees will be presented to the Chair and Executive Committee for further consideration. Additional standing or special committees may be created by vote of the Executive Committee. Such a motion should include the name of the committee, define its duties, and specify whether the committee being formed is a standing or special committee.
• Section 7. Chairs of Standing or Special Committees shall be a precinct chair. No other member of a Standing or Special Committee need be a Precinct Chair.
• Section 8.Standing or Special Committees must meet between regular meetings of the Executive Committee when they have pending business. Should a committee fail to timely hold such a meeting, then its pending business shall automatically refer to the Executive Committee as a whole for consideration. The Executive Committee may at that time either resolve the business or refer the business back to the standing or special committee for action before the Executive Committee’s next regular meeting.

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

ARTICLE VII
Dues

• Section 1. No dues shall be collected or levied on anyone participating in Bastrop County Republican Party activities. Party affiliation shall be as provided in The Texas Election Code.
• Section 2. The Executive Committee may establish one or more categories of donor clubs.

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

ARTICLE VIII
Elections

• Section 1. Executive Committee will review the selection of election judges that the County Chair will otherwise submit in accordance with Texas Election Code Section 32.002.
• Section 2. The Bastrop County Republican Executive Committee shall contract with the Bastrop County Elections Office to conduct elections according the Texas Election Code Section 31.

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

ARTICLE IX
Parliamentary Authority

• The CEC shall operate in accordance with the Constitution and Laws of the United States of America, the Constitution and Laws of the state of Texas, the Bylaws and rules of the Republican Party of Texas, these Bylaws and Rules and the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised.

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

ARTICLE X
Amendment of Bylaws

• These Bylaws may be amended at any meeting of the Executive Committee, duly called and constituted, by two thirds (2/3) vote of those members present and voting, provided that the amendment has been proposed in writing at the previous regular meeting by a voting member of the Executive Committee.

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

• As adopted on September 12, 2020; and modified on January 16, 2021

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]