Constitution By-laws, Rules and Regulations of the Indiana State Coroners Association, Inc.



Download (PDF)

Preamble

This association is organized to afford its membership the opportunity to discuss and debate the problems confronting the Medicolegal aspect of death investigation. It has, as its primary goal, the continuing education of its members. The completion of this goal ensures professionalism in the performance of the duties of the coroner.

Article I - Name

The name of the organization will be the Indiana State Coroners Association, Inc.

Article II - Parliamentary Procedure

The Robert's Rules of order will guide all deliberations in all parliamentary procedure.

Article III - Membership

Member Categories

  1. Regular members of the Indiana State Coroners Association shall be duly elected and commissioned Coroners and those deputy coroners currently sworn and functioning death investigators.
  2. Affiliate members are individuals, agencies or businesses, which are related to and support the goals and ideals of the association. The board of directors shall approve affiliate members. Affiliate members have no voting privileges.
  3. Honorary members shall be those persons who have had no regular affiliation with the Association, but who have shown an interest in or contributed to the success and goals of the Association. Honorary members shall be nominated and approved by the board of directors. Honorary members shall have no voting privileges.
  4. Emeritus members of the Indiana State Coroners Association are former members of the Association who have made a significant contribution to the success and betterment of the Association while serving as an active member. Emeritus members shall be nominated and approved by the board of directors. Emeritus members shall have no voting privileges.

* All memberships are subject to review and approval by the board of directors.

Article IV -Dues

All rights of membership are subject to the payment of annual dues.

Membership dues are to be established by the board of directors along with the terms and conditions for the increase of such dues, together with the time and payment of such dues.

Membership cards shall be issued as receipt of payment of dues. Such card may be required at meetings, classes and other such functions to demonstrate valid membership and/or voting eligibility.

Article V Officers

The elected officers of the Indiana State Coroners Association will be president, vice president, secretary/treasurer all of whom shall be elected at the annual meeting of the Association. All officers shall serve for a term of one year beginning on the first day of January following the annual meeting and continuing until the end of the calendar year. An officer may serve no more than two consecutive years in a single office. All officers shall be duly elected or appointed commissioned coroners. Whenever any vacancy shall occur in any office by reason of death, resignation or otherwise, the same shall be filled by the majority vote of the board of directors.

  1. President
    2.
    The president will call and preside at all meetings. In addition, the president shall exercise such powers and perform such duties and functions, which evolve upon and are customarily performed by presidents of like associations, including by way of illustration and not limitation, the signing of all written obligations, contracts and instruments for and n the behalf of the association. The president shall appoint all committees and is an ex-officio member of all committees.

  2. Vice President
    3.
    The Vice President will assume all duties of the president in his/her absence or disability of the president and perform other duties as may from time to time be prescribed by the board of directors. The vice president shall chair all committees.

  3. Secretary/Treasurer
    4.
    The secretary/treasurer shall keep or cause to be kept all minutes of all proceedings at the meetings of the membership and of the board of directors and keep a proper record thereof and complete record of the accounts showing the financial condition of the association and deposit hi appropriate bank account all span monies of the association and shall disperse such funds as directed by the board of directors and as required for the normal operation of the association. Such duties of the secretary/treasurer may be designated to the Executive Director.

  4. Executive Director
    5.
    The Executive Director shall be the chief executive officer of the Association and shall be solely responsible to the board of directors for the operation of the Association. The Executive Director is an ex-officio member of the board, without voting rights or counting towards a quorum. The Executive Director is charged to meet with the board of directors to report on the affairs and condition of the Association and for other such work and duties as is required for the operation of the Association. The Executive Director shall be selected and approved by the majority vote of the board of directors. The board of directors will determine the terms, length and conditions of employment by means of an employment contract. The Executive Director shall be or have been an active coroner or functioning deputy coroner.


Article VI -Committees

Unless otherwise specified all committees shall be appointed by the president and chaired by the Vice President.

LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE: The Legislative Committee shall act as a liaison with the Indiana State Legislature, Association of Indiana Counties and other associations, organizations and committees, to formulate legislation to be presented to the legislative bodies on behalf of the Association and to attend various sessions as may be necessary for the continued benefit of the Association.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE: The Nominating Committee shall meet prior to the regular annual meeting to select a slate of qualified candidates to the board of directors and its officers. Those names shall be presented to the membership at its annual meeting for election. Nominations for board of directors and officers will be accepted from the membership during its annual meeting, however, providing that a motion and second are made by a regular member. The Nominating Committee shall consist of the two immediate past presidents, the executive director, and two additional board members appointed by the president.

ELECTIONS COMMITTEE: The Elections Committee shall be responsible for monitoring and certifying the election of officers and board of director members at the annual meeting of the Association. Duties shall include verifying voter membership, the tabulating of paper ballots in a contested election and other such duties as may be necessary to conduct the election. The committee shall consist of first past president, the executive director and one coroner from the regular membership as selected by the president.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: The members of the Executive Committee will be the President, the President Elect, the Secretary/Treasurer, and the Executive Director of the Association.

The Executive Committee shall consider carefully and act on all matters. It is to be expected that the business of the Association shall be transacted by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall act as Liaison between the Association and the State of Indiana. The Executive Committee shall present at each meeting of the Board of Directors a report of any action taken since the last meeting and shall make a full report at the annual meeting. Executive Committee meetings may be called at any time by the President of the Association.

LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE: The Legislative Committee will be appointed by the President. The members of the Legislative Committee will choose a vice chairman. The Legislative Committee will act as Liaison with the Indiana State Legislature and will formulate bills to be presented to the Legislative bodies on behalf of the Association and will attend the various sessions as needed to explain positions decided upon by the Association.

Reasonable expenses incurred by the Legislative Committee in the completion of their duties will be paid by the executive director after review by the Secretary/Treasurer.

All acts of the Legislative Committee are subject to review of the Board of Directors. Legislative Committee meetings may be called at any time by the chairman or vice chairman. A quorum of the Legislative Committee will be one more than half.

SPECIAL COMMITTEES: The Board of Directors may appoint special committees from time to time as may be required to carry out properly the duties of the Association. Such Committees shall confine themselves to the purpose for which they were appointed and shall report to the Board of Directors. They shall not have the power of action unless such is specifically granted by the motion, which created the committee.

Article VII - Board of Directors

The Board of Directors shall consist of the following members:

  1. The duly elected officers of the Association.
  2. The two immediate past presidents of the Association.
  3. Two members from the regular membership, to be elected by the membership. A coroner or deputy coroner may hold these positions.
  4. Director of Training for the Indiana State Coroners Training Board

In addition to the listed directors, the president may appoint up to eight additional members to the board of directors and shall serve at the will of the president.

No more than two members on the board of directors shall reside in the same county.

Regular meetings of the board of directors shall be held at least once each quarter of the calendar year.

A board member may be removed for missing three consecutive meetings without just cause. Whenever any vacancy shall occur on the board of directors by reason of death, resignation or otherwise, the same shall be filled by the majority vote of the board of directors.

Special meetings of the board of directors may be called by the president or by a majority of the board of directors upon not less than five days prior notice, specifying the time, place and general purpose of the meeting given to each director either by mail, fax or telephone.

Meetings will be held at a time and place, convenient for most of the members. Reasonable expenses for attendance by members will be paid by the executive director after review by the Secretary/Treasurer.

The Indiana State Coroners Association is the final authority in all actions of the Association. The Board of Directors is responsible to the Indiana State Coroners Association. All Committees are responsible to the Board of Directors.

Article VIII - Meetings

Annual Meeting

The annual meeting of the Association shall be held during the annual membership and training conference. The agenda at the annual meeting shall be as follows:

  1. Call to order
    2.
  2. Reading of the prior meeting minutes
    3.
  3. Treasures report
    4.
  4. Report(s) of Committee(s)
    5.
  5. Old Business
    6.
  6. New Business
    7.
  7. Election of officers and board members
    8.
  8. Adjournment

Special meetings of the Association may be called at any time by the President or at the request of a majority of the Board of Directors, upon not less than five days prior notice, specifying the time, place and general purpose of the meeting given to each member either by mail, fax or telephone.

Article IX - Voting Rights and Power

Each county coroner shall have one vote in all Association meetings. A coroner may execute a proxy giving full power of substitution to vote his/her membership on all questions upon which the coroner would be entitled to vote if he/she were present. The proxy must be delivered to the Executive Director at least seven days prior to the membership meeting. The proxy must bear the name, address and telephone number of the member you wish to serve as your proxy and be signed and dated by the coroner.

Article X - Amendments

These by-laws may be amended after notice is given to each regular member of the Association said notice must be given thirty days prior to any voting of the Association.

Amendments require two-thirds vote of the voting members present for adoption. Amendments upon approval shall immediately become adopted.

Article XI - Articles of Incorporation/Organization

No part of the net earnings of the Corporation shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its trustees, directors, officers or other private persons, except that the corporation/organization shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in , furtherance of Section 501(c) (3) purposes. No substantial part of the activities of the corporation/organization shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the corporation/organization shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office.

Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the corporation/organization shall not canyon any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by a corporation/organization exempt from Federal income tax under Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code (or corresponding section of any future federal tax code) or (b) by a corporation/ organization, contributions to which are deductible under Section 170( c) (2) of the Internal Revenue Code (or corresponding section of any future Federal tax code.)

Upon dissolution of this corporation/organization assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of Section 501( c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, i.e. charitable, educational, religious or scientific, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the Federal government, or to a state or local government for a public purpose. However, if the named recipient is not then in existence or no longer a qualified distributee, or unwilling or unable to accept the distribution, then the assets of this corporation/organization shall be distributed to a fund, foundation or corporation organized and operated exclusively for the purposes specified in Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code (or corresponding section of any future Federal tax code.)

Article XII - Adoption

Adopted by the Indiana State Coroners Association on this date: September 15, 1992.
June 24, 2002.