BYLAWS OF THE CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. GENERAL PROVISIONS................................................................................................... 1

A. Definition................................................................................................................... 1

B. Purpose..................................................................................................................... 1

C. Non-Member Participation........................................................................................ 1

II. CAC MEMBERSHIP........................................................................................................... 2

A. Earning of Attendance Credits.................................................................................... 2

B. Eligibility Requirements.............................................................................................. 2

C. Membership Requests............................................................................................... 2

III. RULES AND PROCEDURES FOR MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS.................................. 3

A. Member Organizations’ Responsibilities..................................................................... 3

B. Member Organizations’ Rights and Privileges............................................................. 5

C. Officers and Their Duties........................................................................................... 5

D. Termination of Organizations’ Membership................................................................. 7

IV. CONDUCT OF BUSINESS................................................................................................ 8

A. Meetings................................................................................................................... 8

B. Voting Procedures..................................................................................................... 9

C. Minutes................................................................................................................... 10

V. AMENDMENTS................................................................................................................ 10

A. Bylaws Amendments............................................................................................... 10

VI. RULES OF ORDER........................................................................................................... 10

A. Parliamentary Authority............................................................................................ 10

I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

A. Definition

The Citizen Advisory Committee, hereinafter referred to as the “CAC”, for the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization, hereinafter referred to as the “OMPO”, shall consist of non-governmental organizations and City and County of Honolulu neighborhood boards appointed by the Policy Committee. The CAC shall be broadly based, include minorities or disadvantaged groups reflected through the composition of its member organizations or its members, and have an interest in and concern for the transportation planning process. The Policy Committee shall appoint organizations to the CAC, hereinafter referred to as “member organization(s)”, to achieve this intent.

B. Purpose

The CAC shall be a vehicle whereby public input can be solicited to advise the Policy Committee and the OMPO Executive Director on transportation planning issues; and a means of keeping citizen’s groups and the public informed of the aims and progress of the cooperative, comprehensive, and continuing transportation planning process.

C. Non-Member Participation

Non-Member organizations and individuals may participate in all CAC activities without the privileges as stated in item III. B. Member Organizations’ Rights and Privileges.

II. CAC MEMBERSHIP

A. Earning of Attendance Credits

“Attendance credit” shall be defined as credit earned from signing in for an organization and attending any of the following meetings:

1) Regular CAC meetings;

2) Meetings of CAC Subcommittees;

3) OMPO Policy Committee meetings; and

4) OMPO Technical Advisory Committee meetings.

1. An organization may earn only one attendance credit at each meeting.

2. Attendance credit shall not be given to an organization if the person signing in for said organization, signs in for more than one organization at the same meeting.

3. Member organizations shall not receive attendance credits if the person signing in for its organization is not said organization’s designated representative, alternate, or presiding officer.

4. Individuals may not earn attendance credits. Only organizations may earn attendance credits.

B. Eligibility Requirements

An organization seeking CAC membership shall earn at least four (4) attendance credits within a twelve-month period before requesting membership.

C. Membership Requests

1. Each organization seeking membership shall submit, to OMPO, an official OMPO Membership Application form (provided by the OMPO office). The application form shall be accompanied by a cover letter printed on the organization’s official letterhead, signed and dated by its presiding officer.

2. The completed application and cover letter must be sent to the OMPO office within three (3) months of earning four (4) OMPO attendance credits. The organization’s appointment to the CAC shall become effective immediately following the Policy Committee’s approval of said request.

3. Applications that are found to be incomplete will be returned to the originating organization, along with a notification that the application was incomplete and must be completed before the request for membership will be processed.

III. RULES AND PROCEDURES FOR MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS

A. Member Organizations’ Responsibilities

1. The head of each member organization shall designate, in writing, a representative from its membership to serve on the CAC, and reaffirm its representative in writing at the beginning of each State of Hawaii fiscal year (from July 1 through June 30), hereinafter referred to as “fiscal year.”

2. If the member organization is in good standing, the member organization’s representative serving on the CAC, hereinafter referred to as “member representative”, shall be entitled to the rights and privileges of its member organization as stated in section III. B. Member Organizations’ Rights and Privileges. See section III.D.1. Termination of Organization’s Membership.

3. Designation of an alternate(s) shall be subject to the same provisions as the designation of a member representative (See section III.A.I). Designation of more than one alternate shall be in sequential order. Identification of an alternate(s) is encouraged.

4. Any changes in member organization information, including representations, shall be made by the head of the member organization and shall be sent to OMPO in writing. The notification shall reach the OMPO office prior to any meeting(s) for which the organization wishes to earn attendance credit(s).

5. Each member organization shall earn at least four (4) attendance credits during the past fiscal year to retain membership in good standing on the CAC.

6. Member representatives shall report to and from their organizations regarding transportation matters and issues.

7. The CAC shall request and receive the approval of the Policy Committee or Executive Committee before testifying before a legislative body as the CAC. If said request is approved, the testimony shall reflect a majority opinion of the entire CAC membership and shall identify which members voted for, voted against, did not vote, or abstained. Nothing in these rules shall prevent a member organization from presenting independent testimony on behalf of its own organization.

8. The CAC shall not issue press releases. All press releases shall originate from the Policy Committee.

B. Member Organizations’ Rights and Privileges

1. Only member representatives of member organizations in good standing may move and second formal motions, cast votes, and serve as CAC officers.

2. Each member organization in good standing shall be entitled to one (1) copy of each document produced and approved by OMPO free of charge. If a member organization in good standing so chooses to receive its copy of a document, the member representative shall be given said document for its member organization.

3. In the absence of its designated representative, the alternate shall serve as the representative for its member organization and shall be entitled to the same rights and privileges as the designated representative.

4. In the absence of its designated representative and alternate, the presiding officer of the member organization shall serve as the representative for said organization and shall be entitled to the same rights and privileges as the designated representative.

C. Officers and Their Duties

1. The officers of the CAC shall be a Chair and Vice Chair elected annually by the member representatives. Each officer’s term shall be for a fiscal year. No member shall serve longer than four consecutive years as Chair and no more than four consecutive years as Vice Chair.

2. The Vice Chair shall preside in the absence of the Chair. If both the Chair and Vice Chair are absent, the Chair, prior to the meeting, shall appoint a pro tempore officer from the CAC membership. If the Chair fails to designate a pro tempore officer, the member representatives present may select a pro tempore officer from the CAC membership or from the OMPO staff.

3. Should a vacancy occur in the office of the Chair, the Vice Chair shall complete the unexpired term of the Chair, and the office of the Vice Chair shall be deemed vacant.

4. Should a vacancy occur in the office of the Vice Chair, the CAC shall elect a successor to fill the unexpired term.

5. The Chair shall have general supervision over the affairs of the CAC and shall perform such other duties usually pertaining to such office. The Chair may designate member representatives to represent the CAC in matters pertaining to the duties and functions of the CAC.

Such duties shall include, but not be limited to:

a. Scheduling meetings as set forth in item IV. Conduct of Business.

b. Preparing the agenda and notifying all members and interested parties.

c. Opening all meetings at the appointed hour, calling all meetings to order, and adjourning all meetings.

d. Conducting the meeting in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order, newly revised, where CAC Bylaws for the OMPO are silent.

e. Authenticating by his/her signature all acts of and doings by the CAC, when necessary.

f. Attending and representing the CAC at Policy Committee meetings.

g. Transmitting CAC views to the Policy Committee and the OMPO Executive Director.

h. Receiving all CAC communications and presenting them to the CAC.

i. Participating in Policy Committee meeting discussions, if so approved by the Policy Committee.

j. Reporting relevant Policy Committee meeting discussions and actions to the CAC.

6. The Chair may appoint temporary or permanent subcommittees as needed. The Chair shall appoint a subcommittee’s Chair and Vice Chair.

D. Termination of Organization’s Membership

1. Member organizations in good standing must earn at least four attendance credits (earned at CAC monthly and subcommittee meetings, and at OMPO Policy Committee and Technical Advisory Committee meetings) during the fiscal year to remain in good standing. Failure to attend the required number of meetings will result in the loss rights as stated in Section III.B.1 and 2.

2. If the member organization that has lost its rights, as stated in Section III.B.1 and 2, earns at least three (3) attendance credits in the twelve months following the loss of rights, then its rights shall be reinstated following the earning of the three (3) attendance credits.

3. If any member organization fails to earn any attendance credits in the first ten (10) months of a fiscal year, OMPO staff shall notify the member organization’s head of its lack of attendance credits in writing at least 60 days prior to the end of the fiscal year. If the member organization does not earn at least one (1) attendance credit by the end of the fiscal year, the organization’s membership shall be immediately terminated.

4. Member organizations may also be removed from the CAC at any time by the Policy Committee or by written request from the member organization itself.

IV. CONDUCT OF BUSINESS

A. Meetings

1. The CAC shall hold meetings at a location, date, and time set by the Chair.

2. The agenda shall be set, meeting notifications shall be posted, and meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes and applicable laws.

3. Agenda items may be proposed by any member organization.

4. Special meetings of the CAC may be called at any time by the Chair or by a majority of the member representatives of member organizations in good standing present at a CAC meeting when there is a quorum. Notice of said meeting shall be made in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes and applicable laws.

5. The CAC shall promote full participation through discussion by the public, as well as by member organizations. In order to provide for the orderly conduct of a meeting, persons wishing to present lengthy statements of position on agenda items shall notify the CAC Chair of their intention in advance. Statements should be to the point and as brief and clear as possible. At the discretion of the CAC Chair, statements on non-agenda items that have pertinence to CAC activities may be accepted as "Other Business" after all other agenda items have been covered or may be placed on the next meeting's agenda.

6. Persons wishing to distribute relevant materials at a CAC meeting should indicate their intention to the CAC Chair within a reasonable amount of time prior to the start of the meeting. Materials having no immediate pertinence to the CAC activities shall not be distributed at a CAC meeting.

7. All CAC meetings shall be open to the public.

B. Voting Procedures

1. Only member representatives of member organizations in good standing may move and second formal motions, and cast votes.

2. At least 30% of the total voting membership constitutes a quorum.

3. Before a CAC vote can be taken during a regular or special meeting, the subject matter shall first be identified on the agenda in sufficient detail as to directly relate to the vote taken.

4. Each member representative of member organizations in good standing present at a meeting of the CAC shall be allowed one vote on each issue. Abstentions shall not be counted as a vote. A majority of the votes cast shall be required to pass a motion.

C. Minutes

1. Minutes shall be kept for all meetings in accordance with Chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

2. Copies of the approved minutes shall be made available to the public at the business office of the OMPO as stated in the OMPO Office Policy Regarding Duplication and Distribution of Meeting Materials.

V. AMENDMENTS

A. Bylaws Amendments

1. The Bylaws of the CAC for the OMPO may only be amended by the Policy Committee.

2. The CAC may recommend amendments to the Bylaws of the CAC for the OMPO to the OMPO Policy Committee.

VI. RULES OF ORDER

A. Parliamentary Authority

When the Bylaws of the CAC for the OMPO are silent, the current Robert's Rules of Order shall govern.