Bylaws

Bylaws and Standing Rules Review & Updates:

• Bylaws and Standing Rules should be reviewed annually by the Bylaws Review Committee and must be formally updated through the appropriate channels at least every five (5) years.

• Please refer to Bylaws Update for detailed procedures and important reference links.

• Once finalized, Standing Rules may be amended by:

  • A two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the association, or

  • A majority vote with thirty (30) days’ written notice (not to exceed ninety (90) days).

  • All actions and outcomes must be recorded in the unit's records.

• Unlike bylaws, standing rules do not require CAPTA parliamentary approval and do not need to be submitted through channels for approval. However, they must be kept on file with the unit’s records and reflected in the meeting minutes.

• After approval by both the Executive Board and the Association, please email the following to the CFSCPTA Parliamentarian:

  • An updated copy of standing rules pages, and

  • A summary list of standing rules changes included in the body of the email.

• For additional guidance, please visit the CAPTA website for information on the essential role of bylaws, and sign in to the Leaders’ Website for further resources and best practices.

Bylaws Update Process Overview:

1. Bylaws Review Committee Appointment

The unit president appoints Bylaws Review Committee, which is chaired by the Parliamentarian. The committee appointments must be ratified by the Executive Board before the committee may begin its work.

• • Unit Bylaws Worksheet (for eBylaws):

Please note that the eBylaws service is currently unavailable on the CAPTA website, and some information in the worksheet (such as National PTA dues) may be outdated. However, the worksheet still contains important sections that the Bylaws Review Committee may find helpful when reviewing current bylaws and developing amendment proposals.

• • Instructions for Completing the Standard Bylaws:

The upper portion of the document containing information about eBylaws is no longer valid. However, the remaining sections—“NOTES – BYLAWS ARTICLES AND SECTIONS”—still contain useful guidance, including formulas for determining quorum requirements for general association and executive board meetings, limits on unbudgeted expenditures, and information on other important areas.

2. Executive Board Approval

The Bylaws Committee Chair presents the proposed amendments to the Executive Board for approval. The committee report and board action should be recorded in the meeting minutes.

3. Submission via FutureFund Bylaws System

Upon a unit’s request or at the end of the five-year bylaws review cycle, CFS Council will assign a bylaws update task to the unit in the FutureFund platform.

• • Once assigned, the unit may generate revised bylaws in FutureFund based on the board–approved amendment proposals.

  • After submission, the unit can monitor the status and progress of the bylaws review process directly within the FutureFund bylaws system.

  • The bylaws will move through the review process as follows:

  • Unit → CFS Council → Sixth District → California State PTA → Sixth District → CFS Council → Unit.

  • Units may be contacted with questions at any stage, and bylaws may be returned for clarification or corrections.

4. Association Approval

After receiving approval from the California State PTA Parliamentarian, the updated amendments must be presented to the Association for adoption in accordance with PTA procedures.

5. After Adoption

• • The signature pages must be signed and dated by the President and Secretary.

  • Submit a final copy of the signed and dated signature page to CFS Council.

  • The Secretary files the original signed and dated hard copy.

  • The President and Parliamentarian should each have a signed and dated hard copy.

  • Any member may request a copy of the bylaws.

For additional guidance, please refer to the Bylaws Update materials.

Unit Election and Planning Ahead

Did you know that election preparation begins well before the election date outlined in your unit bylaws? The election timeline officially starts at your unit’s winter General Association (GA) meeting. From that point forward, there are important steps and deadlines to follow to ensure a smooth and compliant election process.

Please review the document below for key information and action items to help you plan ahead for your spring election and the transition to your next executive board.

CAPTA Unit Election Timeline & Action Items

General Association (GA) Meetings and Required Annual Business

Your bylaws outline the number and dates of your General Association meetings–typically found in Standing Rules–to ensure your unit can complete essential business throughout the year.

Generally the meetings serve the following purposes:

• Fall GA: Approve the Budget, Calendar, and Release of Funds

• Winter GA: Elect the Nominating Committee

• Spring GA (by April): Elect officers (in time for CA State Convention and the May roster deadline)

• Late Spring GA: Approve a preliminary Budget/Calendar and Release Funds needed for summer activities

If your unit does not currently have enough GA meetings scheduled to cover all of these required actions, please consider adding additional meetings in your bylaws the next time you update them.