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Governor's Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs

State of Maryland

Bylaws

  1. Names & Authority
  2. Purpose
  3. Membership
  4. Officers & Subcommittees
  5. Duties & Functions
  6. Quorum
  7. Meetings
  8. AMENDMENTS
  9. Proxy
  10. Compensation
  11. Effective Date
  12. Interpretation

Names and Authority

The name of the Commission shall be State of Maryland, Governor's Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs (hereinafter referred to as "Commission"), originally established on June 25, 1992 by Executive Order 01.01.1992.14, and reestablished on July 20, 1999 by Executive Order 01.01.1999.21.

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Purpose

The Commission shall serve in an advisory capacity, along with the Governor's Office on Asian Pacific American Affairs (hereinafter referred to as "Office"), to the Governor of the State of Maryland on issues relating to the rights and interests of Asian Pacific Americans.

The Commission and the Office shall work together to maintain effective liaison and outreach to individuals, organizations, businesses, and government agencies to share information concerning programs that will benefit both the Asian Pacific American community, and society at large.

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Membership

The Commission shall consist of seventeen (17) members appointed by the Governor for a term of three (3) years. Members shall be representative of the major Asian Pacific American population groups within the State.

No member may serve for more than two consecutive terms, or six consecutive years, on the Commission. Individuals with previous Commission service may seek to rejoin the Commission after one full year off the Commission. Related individuals from the same immediate family may not serve concurrently on the Commission.

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Officers and Subcommittees

The Chair for the Commission shall be designated by the Governor. The Vice Chair for the Commission shall be selected from within the Commission by a majority of voting members. No member may serve as Vice Chair for more than two consecutive terms.

There shall be three (3) standing Subcommittees:

  1. Business & Finance
  2. Cultural & Social
  3. Health & Education

There shall be at least three (3) members on each of the three Subcommittees. The Chair of the full Commission shall designate members for each Subcommittee, with advice and consent from Commissioners.

Each Commissioner shall serve on at least one Subcommittee. Each Subcommittee shall designate a Chair. The Chair and Vice Chair of the full Commission may not serve as a Chair on any of the Subcommittees.

The Commission shall have an Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall have five (5) members:

  1. Chair of the full Commission, who shall serve as Chair of the Executive Committee
  2. Vice Chair of the full Commission, who shall serve as Vice Chair of the Executive Committee
  3. The three Chairs of the standing Subcommittees

The Chair of the full Commission, or one third (1/3) of Commissioners, may create Ad Hoc Committees to address any specific purpose or function, as the need may arise. The Chair of the full Commission, or one third (1/3) of Commissioners, may abolish any Ad Hoc Committee.

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Duties & Functions

Commissioners shall attend meetings on a regular basis.

Commissioners shall perform any other duties that may be requested by the Governor.

The Commission shall submit, through the Executive Director, by December 1st of each year, an annual report to the Governor on the Commission's activities for the past year, in accordance with the Executive Order.

In accordance with the laws of the State of Maryland, as codified under Article 41, Section 1-203 of the Annotated Code of Maryland, a Commissioner who does not attend at least one half (1/2) of regularly scheduled Commission meetings during any consecutive twelve (12) month period shall be considered to have resigned from the Commission. This resignation may be waived if the Commissioner provides explanation that is acceptable to the Governor.

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Quorum

A quorum shall be the majority of the number of Commissioners who have received official appointment letters from the Governor,

Commissioners whose terms have expired, and who have not been reappointed by the Governor, will not be counted for the purposes of determining a quorum. Commissioners whose terms have expired but have not been reappointed may not vote.

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Meetings

There shall be regularly scheduled bi-monthly Commission meetings, which shall be open to the public, unless the Commission, by a majority of voting members, designates any meeting to be closed. Meetings shall be conducted under Robert's Rules of Parliamentary Procedure. The Parliamentarian shall be designated by the Commission.

The Chair, or a one third (1/3) of Commissioners, may call emergency meetings, which may be conducted by telephone or in person. During an emergency meeting, members may vote on an issue by telephone. Any vote conducted during emergency meetings must be ratified during the next regularly scheduled meeting.

For the purposes of Article 41, Section I-203 of the Annotated Code of Maryland, an emergency meeting shall not be deemed a regularly scheduled meeting.

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Amendments

The Bylaws may be amended by two thirds (2/3) of voting Commissioners.

An amendment to the Bylaws may be adopted only during regularly scheduled meetings. No amendment may be adopted during emergency meetings.

Amendments to Bylaws must be mailed at least 2 weeks prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting when they will be voted on.

Should any provision of these Bylaws not conform to any existing or new federal or State Law, Executive Order, or Judicial Decree, the Commission shall make all necessary amendments so as to be in conformity.

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Proxy

No proxy voting is allowed during regularly scheduled meetings.

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Compensation

Commissioners may not receive regular compensation for service on the Commission.

Commissioners are entitled to receive reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred in the course of conducting Commission business, as established under State regulation.

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Effective Date

These Bylaws and any amendments thereto shall become effective and become binding on the date of ratification by a majority of voting members.

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Interpretation

Interpretation of these Bylaws shall be determined by the Commission, by a majority of voting Commissioners.

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These Bylaws were passed on September 17, 1996 unanimously by the Governor's Advisory Committee on Asian Pacific American Affairs.

These Bylaws were amended unanimously on February 1, 2000 by the Governor's Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs.