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Bylaws

Article I - Membership

  1. The Department of Children Youth and Families Oversight Board (Board) consists of a total of 21 members, including: two senators and two representatives from the legislature; one non-voting representative from the governor’s office; subject matter experts; tribal representatives; and representatives from stakeholder groups as described by RCW 43.216.015.
  2. Legislators serving on the Board are appointed by the leaders of the two major caucuses of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
  3. The remaining members of the Board are nominated by the Governor subject to the approval of the appointed legislators by majority vote.

Terms of Office

  1. Legislative members serve four-year terms and all are appointed before the close of each regular session of the legislature during odd-numbered years.
  2. Non-legislative members of the Board serve four-year terms.
  3. Youth members must be under twenty-five years of age at initial nomination and approval to serve on the Board, but may continue to serve on the Board after turning twenty-five years of age until the end of their four-year term.
  4. Youth members may be reappointed for a subsequent term if they are under the age of twenty-five at the time of reappointment. All other members may be reappointed for subsequent terms, to serve a maximum of eight consecutive years.
  5. A member whose term has expired but whose successor has not been nominated or appointed may continue to serve until replaced.
  6. If a member resigns or their position otherwise becomes vacant, the successor will be nominated or appointed, as provided by RCW 43.216.015(6), for a full term at the time of appointment.
  7. Members are expected to consistently attend and prepare for Board meetings and subcommittee meetings, of which they are members, in order to be effective and active participants. Members are further expected to stay current in their knowledge and understanding of the Board’s projects and work activities.
  8. The Board may meet in order to review any concerns presented to the co-chairs about a Board member’s inability to perform as a member or for neglect of duty.

Reimbursement for Expenses

  1. Board members are reimbursed for travel expenses incurred while attending meetings of the Board or conducting business of the Board when authorized by the Board in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
  2. A request for authorization to receive travel reimbursement for attending meetings of the Board or conducting business of the Board must be submitted by the Board member to the staff of the Board prior to the activity prompting the request for travel reimbursement.
  3. The Board staff will determine authorization for travel reimbursement based on the status of the Board’s budget. Authorization or non-authorization will be communicated to the requesting Board member prior to the activity prompting the request for travel reimbursement.

ARTICLE II - Board Officers

Officers

  1. The officers of the Board shall consist of two co-chairs. One co-chair shall be a legislative member and the other co-chair shall be a non-legislative member.

Elections/Terms of Office

  1. The Board shall nominate and elect, by majority vote, co-chairs from its membership. The co-chairs shall serve for two years then rotate out of the co-chair role. The legislative cochair position shall rotate each legislative term between the two major caucuses. The nonlegislative co-chair can be re-elected for a second term as co-chair.
  2. If both co-chairs are absent from a Board meeting, the Board members by majority vote shall select one of the members present to serve as Chair Pro-Tem.

Duties of Officers

  1. The co-chairs shall call meetings of the Board and shall preside at all meetings of the Board when a quorum of Board members are present. The co-chairs shall delegate assignment and duties to other Board members, manage all matters of the Board and perform such other duties as are incident to the office or are required by the Board or by law.
  2. The co-chairs will act as the Board’s formal spokespersons. If an alternate spokesperson is needed, the co-chairs will designate a Board member to serve as spokesperson for specific issues as needed.

ARTICLE III - Committees of the Board

  1. When necessary and as resources allow, the Board may create committees to carry out specific assignments. Prior to creating a new committee, the Board will identify the purpose of the committee, including how it relates to the Board’s charge and duties in RCW 43.216.015. The Board will identify the chairs and membership and the duration of the committee. Committees will report to and advise the Board.

ARTICLE IV Meetings of the Board

Regular Board Meetings

  1. The Board will hold a minimum of four Board meetings a year, and two stakeholder engagement meetings a year.
  2. The Board will adopt and publish an annual schedule of dates and locations for regular Board meetings for each calendar year.
  3. Any changes to the annual schedule shall be made at the discretion of co-chairs unless a majority of the Board objects.
  4. Board meeting agendas will be published at least 24 hours prior to the beginning of the regular meeting as pursuant to RCW 42.30.077.

Special Board Meetings

  1. The co-chairs may call a special meeting of the Board at any time.
  2. By request of the majority of board members, a special meeting may be called.
  3. Special meetings must be properly noticed as required by the Open Public Meetings Act, Chapter 42.30 RCW.

Meetings to be Open and Public

  1. The Board is subject to the Open Public Meetings Act, Chapter 42.30 RCW and all meetings of the Board are open to the public.

ARTICLE V - Meeting Procedures

Quorum and Voting

  1. A majority of the voting Board members appointed and currently serving constitutes a quorum for business meetings, and unless otherwise specified, a majority of those present decides any issue.
  2. As required by the Open Public Meetings Act, Chapter 42.30 RCW, the Board may discuss issues and address administrative matters in the absence of a quorum, but it may not adopt any resolution, rule, regulation, order, or directive during a meeting unless a quorum is present. The Board may, however, entertain a motion to adjourn without a quorum.
  3. Board members participating in meetings by phone or a videoconferencing application, shall be deemed to be present and count toward quorum.
  4. Voting shall be by voice vote.
  5. A Board member may request a roll call vote, and the co-chairs will honor any such request.
  6. Proxy voting is not permitted.

Meeting Minutes and Agendas

  1. Written minutes and record of attendance of all Board meetings will be taken by Board staff.
  2. All minutes will be produced for Board review and approval.
  3. As required by the Open Public Meetings Act, RCW 43.20.035, minutes for regular and special meetings will be made public.

Rules of Procedure

  1. The procedures used to conduct Board business will be governed by the relevant laws, these bylaws, and any other policies or procedures of the Board, in that order.
  2. If a procedural issue arises that is not covered by these bylaws and applicable state statutes, and the Board cannot reach consensus on how to proceed, the Board will follow the procedures contained in the most current version of Robert’s Rules of Order.

ARTICLE VI - Executive Director Hire

  1. The Board, by majority vote, shall select and hire an executive director.
  2. The termination of the executive director shall be subject to a majority vote of the Board.

Duties

  1. The executive director shall perform such duties as may be determined by the Board and shall serve at the pleasure of the Board.
  2. The executive director shall house records of the Board’s proceedings and make the records available upon request.
  3. The executive director, subject to the input and advice from the Board, shall supervise and have general charge of all operating functions and activities of the Board and shall be charged with carrying out the policies adopted by the Board.
  4. The executive director shall hire, supervise and determine the compensation of one fulltime equivalent employee.
  5. The executive director shall perform such other duties and shall have such other authority and powers as the Board may from time to time prescribed, shall keep the Board, officers and committees of the Board fully informed as to the business and affairs of the Board and may consult freely with them concerning its business and affairs.
  6. The Board may create or modify a job description for the executive director as needed.

Annual Evaluation

  1. The Board shall establish or modify the evaluation procedure of the executive director as needed. This evaluation should be conducted by the Board no earlier than one year after the job description or evaluation tool is established or modified. Subsequent to the evaluation, the co-chairs, or co-chairs’ designee, will communicate the results to the executive director.

ARTICLE VII - Amendments

Amendment to the Bylaws

  1. Revisions or amendments to adopted Board Bylaws may be proposed by any member.
  2. Revisions or amendments must be submitted to the Board at least 72 hours prior to a board meeting where the revisions or amendments will be included on the agenda for discussion.
  3. Final action on any proposed revisions or amendments to adopted Board Bylaws will be scheduled to take place during the subsequent board meeting following the meeting when the revisions or amendments were first discussed.
  4. Board Bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of the Board.