Constitution and By-Laws

Texas High School Basketball Officials Association
Abilene Chapter
By-Laws

Adopted 1967
Revised 2014, 2017, 2018

ARTICLE I.   NAME AND OFFICIAL PURPOSE

SECTION I.  Name
Under the authorization of the Texas High School Basketball Officials Association (THSBOA), this organization will be known as the Abilene Basketball Chapter (ABC). 

SECTION II.  Official Purpose
The Abilene Basketball Chapter’s official purpose will be a source of interscholastic basketball officiating, and to assist the Texas High School Basketball Officials Association (THSBOA) and other governing bodies for interscholastic basketball.

ARTICLE II.  OFFICERS

SECTION I.  Officers and directors of this organization shall be:

President – Will preside over chapter and board meetings. The term of office shall be two (2) years and may be re-elected.  If the presidency is vacated due to resigning from the board or leaving the chapter, the vice president will assume the duties of the president for the remainder of the term.  The President is a voting member but only in the case of a tie vote.

Vice President – Will serve in the absence of the president and perform such other duties as assigned by the president.  The term of office shall be two (2) years and may be re-elected. If the vice presidency is vacated due to resigning from the board, leaving the chapter, or assuming the presidency, an election will be held to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term.  The Vice President is a voting member.

Secretary – Will give game assignments. Will keep records and follow    instructions of the Board of Directors.  Compensation shall be set by the Board of Directors and ratified by a simple majority of the chapter membership.  Shall provide a copy of the latest income and expense report of the chapter as provided by the treasurer and as sent to the THSBOA office in Austin.  The term of office will be two (2) years and may be re-elected.  If the secretary is vacated due to resigning from board or leaving the chapter, an election will be held to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term.  The Secretary is a voting member.

Treasurer – Will be responsible for monitoring the finances for the chapter. 

Be responsible for the collection of dues and fees and the payment of expenses incurred by the chapter.  Will provide the president and the board of directors an up-to-date listing of members who are not current with either state or local fees. Will submit state dues to the THSBOA office as received from members for the protection of the chapter and individual members.   Will provide an annual income and expense report to the secretary for submission to the THSBOA office. The Treasurer is appointed by the board.  The term of office will be one (1) year and may be re-appointed.  This will be a non-voting office unless also serving as a director but may participate in all other board activities.  

Directors – Will be elected at large from the general membership.  A director can be elected to an office of the chapter during his/her tenure on the board. At said election to an office of the chapter the director must resign his/her position on the board.  Six directors will be elected and will be filled as follows:   Two (2) directors each year to serve a (3) three-year term.  If a directorship is vacated due to resigning from the board, or leaving the chapter, a general election will be held to fill the vacancy and remainder of the term.  

An additional director shall be selected from among the officials with one through three years of experience and shall be selected by a vote limited to those same officials rather than by the full chapter membership. This director will be a voting director and shall serve a (1) one-year term.

Process of removal – If the Board of Directors deems it necessary deems necessary to remove one of the officers or board of directors, the proposal will be brought by the board of directors and voted on by the general membership.  The removal is approved by simple majority of the voting membership present and at that time, that officer or board of director will be removed and replaced by a nominee voted on by the general membership.

THSBOA Representative – Will be elected at large from the general membership to a (2) two year term and will not simultaneously hold any other elected office in the chapter.  If the Representative is elected to the THSBOA State Executive Board, they will remain as the THSBOA Representative until the State Committee term ends. If this position is vacated due to election to an office of the chapter, resignation from the board, or leaving the chapter, an election will be held to fill the vacancy and remainder of the term.

SECTION II.  Election of Officers, Directors, and THSBOA Representative

The officers and directors will be elected by majority vote of the general membership at the last meeting of the seasonal year and will take office on May 1 of that calendar year. All candidates must be Members in Good Standing with ABC and THSBOA and remain in Good Standing during their term. The nomination and election of one director will be limited to the officials with one through three years of experience.  A nominating committee will be appointed by the president at least two (2) meetings prior to election to select, recommend and notify qualified and willing candidates to serve in said offices.  Nominations may be accepted with prior approval of the candidate or from the floor by a qualified member of the Abilene Basketball Chapter, THSBOA.

Each Board of Director position is a separate election.  Therefore, each candidate must declare which board position they are choosing to run for.  If a majority of the votes is not received by any candidate, a run-off election will ensue.  The candidate with the lowest vote total will be eliminated and a second vote will take place.  Additional votes will take place until a majority vote is received.

The staggering election of officers- the president and the THSBOA representative will be elected at the conclusion of all even years and the vice president and the assigning secretary will be elected at the conclusion of all odd years.

SECTION III.  Board of Directors

The Board will be composed of the officers and directors, and they will make overall plans for the operation of the chapter.  Complaints of the chapter members in good standing will be referred to the Board of Directors.  All chapter problems not mentioned in this document are under the jurisdiction of the Board of Directors.  If formal meetings are necessary, they will be conducted by guidelines of “ROBERTS’ RULES OF ORDER”. During the active season a formal meeting or “state of business” can be called by a simple majority of the chapter members present, if that meeting has had one (1) week prior announcement.  Any officer or director will abstain from voting if there is any conflict of interest.

ARTICLE III.  MEMBERSHIP AND DUES/FEES

SECTION I.  Membership

Only officials in good standing and dues current with THSBOA-Abilene Basketball Chapter and THSBOA-State will be deemed members.  Voting in state and local elections will be a privilege extended only to members.  First year members must pay state and local dues to become a member of the local organization.  Rankings of members will be according to the ranking system currently in place as designated by the state organization scale and guidelines.  The Board of Directors will deal with specific issues of excessive meeting absenteeism.

SECTION II.  Dues and Fees

All monetary matters required of the membership shall be determined by the Board of Directors and ratified by a simple majority of the members.  Local membership dues shall be paid for by the end of the third week in November of the current season.  All state dues must be paid prior to any scrimmage or game assignment.  All game fees are set according to the guidelines of the Constitution and Contest Rules of the THSBOA.  Tournament fees for all games will be determined and set by the THSBOA-Abilene Basketball Chapter.

SECTION III. Member in “Good Standing” is defined as:

  1. An official that is current with all ABC and THSBOA dues and fines.
  2. An official that has attended at least 80% of the ABC mandatory meetings.
  3. An official that has passed all ABC and THSBOA mandatory tests.

ARTICLE IV.  GOVERNING BODY FOR PENALTIES, CONDUCT OF OFFICIALS, 

GAME ATTENDANCE PENALTIES, AND ABUSE

SECTION I.  Governing Body for Penalties

The Board of Directors shall hear all charges against an individual or official.  DUE PROCESS shall be afforded anyone.  A 2/3 majority of the voting members of the Board of Directors must vote in the affirmative of application of the penalty for the penalty to become official.  Report of action taken will be given IN WRITING to the concerned parties.

SECTION II.  Conduct of officials

The conduct of officials of the Abilene chapter shall follow the guidelines set by the THSBOA. 

SECTION III.  Game Attendance Penalties

No Shows – An official who fails to show up for any assigned game will be assessed a $70.00 fine and probation for the remainder of the season.   A second violation within one season will result in a one calendar year suspension.

Game Cancellations – An official giving 24 hour notice may cancel a game without penalty.  An official cancelling a game with less than 24 hour notice will forfeit the next equal or higher level game and the official may be required to appear before the Board of Directors with an explanation before continuing their schedule.

Paying Fines – Fines must be paid to the treasurer within 10 days of notification or the officials schedule will be reassigned.

Appeals – Appeals to these policies must be submitted in writing to the President within 10 days of notification to the official.  An appeal will only be considered by the Board after any applicable fine is paid.  If violation is overturned, any fines submitted will be reversed.

SECTION IV. Meeting Attendance

A member must attend a minimum of 80% of the general meetings to be in good standing.  Members not attending the required meetings shall not be eligible for regular season, post-season, regional or state assignments.  Members officiating a game assigned by the chapter will be considered excused. Members requesting an excused absence for other extenuating circumstances may present a written note to the President, who will present it to the Board for consideration.

SECTION V.  Abuse

Any incident of physical and/or verbal abuse shall be reported as to THSBOA State policy.

ARTICLE V. PLAYOFF ASSIGNMENTS

All playoff assignments will be done through the chapter secretary and Board of Directors.  The following are some factors and consideration that will determine playoff assignments:  Coaches preference, meeting attendance, availability, camp attendance and test score of at least 90%.

ARTICLE VI.  STAFF SALARY

The secretary will be paid a salary of $ 4,000 per year, plus any other expenses that may arise during the course of the year.  The secretary may appoint a sub assigner, in which case, that salary will be $1,000 per year. 

The Treasurer is a paid position of $500.00 yearly as long as the Treasurer meets all his requirements of this position and is in good standing in the Chapter.  

ARTICLE VII. ABILENE BASKETBALL CHAPTER CODE OF ETHICS

The Abilene Basketball Chapter code of Ethics will be established by the THSBOA 

and adhered to by all Abilene Basketball Chapter members.