Welcome to Bylaws Wizard!
Region Bylaws Chair: Josephine Ciancuilli
weprbylaws@gmail.com
Please include unit/council code in the subject line in the email.
All units and councils must have PTA bylaws under which they operate. The bylaws must be updated every 3 years to keep your unit or council in good standing with the State and National PTA. Bylaws are the backbone of your organization. You are encouraged to use the Bylaws Wizard. It is efficient, user friendly and takes less than 15 minutes to complete.
Steps to Updating Bylaws
- Form a bylaws committee of 3-5 members. Use experience people on the committee as well as newer members.
- Elect a chair. The chair should:
- Secure a copy of the most recent state-approved bylaws. The president and secretary should have official copies signed by the State Bylaws Coordinator.
- Consult executive board members for possible changes. Bylaws should reflect the way your unit or council operates.
- Make a copy of the existing bylaws and any recommended changes for every member of the committee so they can be reviewed prior to the meeting.
- Committee members should review the existing bylaws and consider any recommendations submitted by the executive board or membership.
- Enter the information into the Bylaws Wizard, appropriate data or sections of text are added to the bylaws document. When you finish the Bylaws Wizard, a draft of your bylaws will be emailed to the address proved and the documents will be automatically submitted electronically for approval.
- A copy of the bylaws document will be generated and emailed to you. If you find any changes or corrections, contact your Region Bylaws chair. Do not go through the Wizard a second time to avoid duplicate records.
- The membership has to vote on any bylaws changes. You must give the membership 30 days notice of a meeting on which they will vote on any proposed changes, or if there are none, the proposed re-approval of the existing bylaws.
- Unit proposed bylaws are submitted to all members and must be approved by a 2/3 vote of members present and voting at a general membership meeting.
- Council proposed bylaws are submitted to all member units and must be approved by a 2/3 vote of members present and voting at the member units’ general membership meetings.
- Once the bylaws are adopted, the President and Secretary must sign the cover page and add the Adoption Date. Make a copy for your records and then email the signed cover page to your Region Bylaws Chair at weprbylaws@gmail.com.
- If any changes, please include explanations in email to the Bylaws Chair with signed cover page.
- The Region Bylaws Chair will review the bylaws and once region approved, the bylaws will then be available electronically for the State Bylaws Coordinator to review and approve. Any questions or issues will be addressed during this process before state approval is given.
- Once your bylaws are approved by the State Bylaws Coordinator, you will automatically receive the approved document via email. This is your official document and a copy should be placed in both the President and Secretary’s binders.
- Units can make additional paper or electronic copies for members as appropriate and may place a copy on file in the school office and/or library. Councils should provide a set of approved bylaws to each member unit.
Unit-Bylaws-Wizard-Instructions-2021
Council-Bylaws-Wizard-Instructions-2021
Amendments
If you have any corrections or changes to your bylaws, you can make an amendment.
Amendment-to-Bylaws-Instructions-2018
Council-Bylaws-Amendment-2018-1
Procedures
Where a unit or council has extra detail that cannot be added, or is not an option in the Bylaws Wizard, we encourage you to have written Procedures where the executive committee and executive board roles can be described in more detail than in your bylaws. Please review the Sample Procedures posted below. You can then customize them to fit the needs of your unit or council.
Westchester East Putnam Region PTA 