1.01  Name of Organization
The name of the organization shall be Batterer Intervention Services Coalition of Michigan (BISC-MI).

1.02  Principal Office
The principal office shall maintain an official address and archives in the State of Michigan, designated by the Board.

1.03  Fiscal Year
The fiscal year of the organization shall begin January 1 through December 31.

2.01 Purpose of the Organization
To provide a working forum for interaction and information sharing among agencies and individuals concerned with the provision of batterer intervention services in Michigan.

2.02 Mission of the Organization
The mission of BISC-MI is:
A. We will voice the batterer intervention perspective while keeping the needs of the victims foremost.
B. We will provide a working forum for interaction and information sharing among agencies and individuals concerned with the provision of batterer intervention services in Michigan.
C. We will create and maintain coordinated community actions that hold batterers accountable for their behavior and promote victim safety, autonomy and empowerment.

2.03 Core Beliefs & Values of the Organization.
A. BISC-MI holds core values and expects its members to subscribe to these values. Victims are those who experience or witness power & control tactics in domestic situations.
B. BISC-MI Core Beliefs and Values include:
1.  Safety, autonomy and empowerment needs of victims, including minors, are primary in our efforts.  Batterer accountability must occur but not at the expense of the victims’ needs.
2.  Batterer behavior is a choice in a society that condones violence against women.  It is not caused by substance abuse, family history, psychological conditioning, etc.
3.  Eliminating domestic violence requires a systemic response from the community.  Batterer intervention is a key interdependent component in a community response to domestic violence.
4.  Children who witness or experience battering tactics are also victims of domestic violence.

2.04 Goals of the Organization
BISC-MI takes a stand to create the following conditions:
A. The community acknowledges the impact of domestic violence and their primary responsibility for facilitating victim safety, autonomy and empowerment.
B. Batterer intervention service providers are held accountable for the work they do.
C. Social change agents recognize the expertise, credibility and integrity of BISC-MI.
D. Society will hold batterers accountable for their behavior.

2.05 Restrictions
All policies and activities of the organization shall be consistent with:
A. Applicable federal, state, regulatory and other legal requirements, and
B. Applicable tax exemption requirements, including the requirements that the organization not be organized for profit and that no part of its net earnings inure to the benefit of any private individual.

3.01 Membership Eligibility
Membership is open to any individual (voting) or organization (non-voting) that supports the mission, beliefs and values of BISC-MI.  There shall be no limitation to the maximum number of memberships the organization may have at any one time.

3.02  Individual Membership Privilege and Eligibility
Individual members subscribe to the mission, values and ends of the organization and are current in their payment of annual dues.  They have full voting rights and may serve on any committee and/or the Board of Directors.

3.03  Associate Membership Privilege and Eligibility
Associate members are non-voting members.  Organizations are associate members and employees of associate members are encouraged to serve on BISC-MI committees.  Associate member organizations receive registration discounts for employees who attend BISC-MI functions.  Associate members must meet the following qualifications:
A. Hold an interest in ending domestic violence or whose purpose is to provide services related to batterer intervention or to provide comprehensive domestic violence services.
B. Must operate a place of business in the state of Michigan.
C. Support the mission, beliefs and values of BISC-MI.
D. Are current in payment of annual dues.

3.04  Membership Dues
Annual dues are established by the Board of Directors who also has authority to:
A. Levy special assessments for restricted purposes.
B. Annual dues are waived for domestic violence service providers who do not operate batterer intervention programs.
C. Delinquency of dues shall result in suspension of membership and forfeiture of rights and privileges of membership.
D. No dues shall be refunded.

3.05   Application for Membership
All applicants for membership must complete and sign the application form provided by the organization and submit the application to the principal office of BISC-MI.

3.06   Revocation of Membership
Membership may be revoked by a by a 2/3 vote of the Board for violation of our mission and/or values.

4.01 Board Job Description
A. The Board, as the governing body of BISC-MI, will develop and monitor policies of the organization that are consistent with its stated philosophy.  In doing so the Board will value in its deliberations the voices of BISC-MI committees and community partners that reflect the diverse communities in Michigan.  Input from these groups will be an integral part of the Board process.
B. Each Board member shall serve on Board Committees and/or Operational Committees in addition to their governing duties.

4.02 Composition of the Board
A. Membership of the Board shall be limited to 10 regular members with at least 6 who are currently providing batterer intervention services.
B. The board shall represent geographic, demographic and organizational diversity.
C. Potential Board members shall be subject to an application process approved by the Board.
D. The Board shall be elected by the voting membership at the annual meeting.

4.03 Term of Office
A. Board terms shall be staggered so that only 3 or 4 members are elected annually.
B. Each Board member shall be elected to a three-year term of office.
C. Board members may serve a maximum of two consecutive three-year terms.

4.04  Owner Accountability of the Board.
The Board shall hold itself accountable to individuals and agencies that we define as those who support the BISC-MI mission, philosophy and values and are invested in social change to end domestic violence.

4.05 Officers
Immediately after the election the Board shall elect the following officers:
A. Board Chair.
B. Secretary.
C. Treasurer.

4.06 Removal of Board Membership
A Board member can be removed for reason by a 2/3 vote of the Board.

4.07 Resignation
Any Board member may resign at any time by delivering a written resignation to the Board.

4.08 Filling a vacant Board Position
A. The Board may fill the vacancy with candidates who are recommended from the Leadership Committee.
B. The individual filling the vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the term in the position vacated.
C. The individual in this position is eligible to be elected and serve two additional terms.

5.01  Types of Committees

A. There shall be two types of committees, Governance and Operational.
B. All committee appointments shall be recommended by the Board Chair and approved by the Board for a specified length of time.
C. Non-Board members may serve on committees.
D. Committees will report to the Board at specified intervals.
E. Board members shall serve as active liaisons to operational committees; however, committee chairs of operational committees shall not be Board members.

5.02   Governance Committees

A. Executive Committee

1.   Shall consist of the Board Chair, Secretary and Treasurer.
2.   Shall be responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations of the organization until such time as the organization hires an Executive Director, and shall be accountable to the full Board for actions taken.
3. May not incur expenses outside of the normal operations of the Board.
4. Prepares an annual budget for Board approval prior to the start of the fiscal year.
5. Has final authority to hire administrative help, i.e. database and website maintenance, membership renewal billing and grant writing to advance the organization, not to exceed allocations in the annual budget.

B. Leadership Development Committee

1. Shall consist of a minimum of three members of the Board.
2. Is charged with:

a.  Identifying leaders in the field to serve on committees and on the Board.
b.  Identifying individuals to fill vacancies left on the Board.
c.  Developing the leadership capacity of those identified, orienting them to the work of the Board, prior to taking a leadership role on the Board.
d.  Developing and nominating a qualified slate of directors for election at the Annual Meeting of the organization.

3. Must operate within the established annual budget.

C.  Bylaws & Policy Committee

1. Shall consist of a minimum of three members of the Board.
2. Is charged with:

a.  Overseeing an annual Bylaws review process to assure the Bylaws are relevant to the needs of the organization.
b.  Monitoring the Board’s behavior in alignment with the current bylaws.
c.  Gathering data and developing proposed policy language for Board consideration in all areas of the organization at the request of the Board.

3. Must operate within the established annual budget.

D.  Board Education Committee

1. Shall consist of a minimum of three members of the Board, including two Board members and the Secretary of the organization
2.  The Board Education Committee is charged with:

a.  Building the governing capacity of the Board members through education and orientation.
b.  Determining the optimal contacts for the Board in the area of Ownership Linkage and see to it that the Board hears the voice of the diversity of owners.

3. Must operate within the established annual budget.

5.03 Operational Committees

A. Education Committee

1. Shall consist of a minimum of three members, at least one of which shall be a Board member.
2. Is charged with the achievement of education.
3. Shall have two sub-committees, Training & Conference.

a.  Conference Sub-Committee

1. Shall be responsible for planning and organizing the Annual Conference under the advisement of the Board.
2. Must operate within the annual budget set by the Board, using reasonable and credible projections of revenue and expense.

b.  The Training Sub-Committee

1. Shall be responsible for planning and organizing all training events held in diverse regions of the State.
2. The committee is charged with developing alternative delivery systems for training in batterer intervention as well as collaborating with other committees in creation of training.

B.  Public Relations Committee

1. Shall consist of a minimum of three members, with at least one being a Board member.
2. Is responsible for:

a.  Content and maintenance of public domain website.
b.  Driving the achievement of all general public relations.

3. Must operate within an established annual budget.

C.  Membership Committee

1. Shall consist of a minimum of three members, with at least one being a Board member.
2. Is responsible for recruiting and orienting new members to the organization, for organizing the annual membership renewal campaign each October prior to the Fall Training, for retaining membership in the organization.
3. Must operate within an established annual budget.

D.  Standards Review & Education Committee

1. Shall consist of a minimum of three members, with at least one being a Board member.
2. Is responsible for:

a.  Reviewing current standards for relevance.
b.  Education of the community in those standards.
c.  Developing a standards assessment process for agencies who claim to abide by the standards.

3. Must operate within an established annual budget.

E.  Public Advocacy Committee

1. Shall consist of a minimum of three members, with at least one being a Board member.
2. Is responsible for:

a.  Providing expert testimony on legislative and regulatory matters.
b.  Linking with social change agents to nurture relationship and trust.
c.  Identifying and implementing opportunities for advocacy.

3. Must operate within an established annual budget.

6.01   Annual Meeting

A. The Board will determine the date, time and location of the Annual Meeting.
B. At the annual meeting.

1. The Board Chair, or designee, shall report on the activities and financial condition of the organization.
2. Elections of new Board Members shall be held.
3. Bylaws amendments may be considered.
4. Any other business that properly comes before the Board will be addressed.

C. Only voting members in good standing shall have the right to vote at the Annual Meeting. Supporting members may attend meetings and may not vote.

A. The Board shall meet at least bi-monthly to attend to governance and
operations of the organization.
B. Notice of Board Meetings:

1. All Board members will be notified of regularly scheduled meetings at least one (1) month prior to the meeting.
2. Notice of Special Meetings will be sent to the Board no less than two (2) weeks before the scheduled date.
3. For emergency meetings of the Board, no prior written notice is necessary.

C. Quorum: A 2/3 majority of the Board then in office shall constitute a quorum
for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Board.
D. Manner of Acting:

1. Except as otherwise expressly required by law, the Articles
of Incorporation of the Corporation, or these Bylaws, the affirmative vote of a majority of the Board present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board.
2. Each Board member shall have one vote.
3. Voting by proxy shall not be permitted.

6.03  Action by the Board without a Meeting
Any action required or permitted to be taken by the Board may be taken without a meeting if a 2/3 majority of the Board shall individually or collectively consent in writing to the action.  The written consent or consents shall be filed with the minutes of the subsequent Board meeting and the action taken shall have the same force and effect as a majority vote of the Board.

6.04   Conduct of Meetings
The conduct of all Board and Annual meetings shall be according to Robert’s Newly Revised Rules of Order unless the Board has defined specific rules for conduct of its proceedings.

6.05   Committee Meetings
Meetings of all the organizational committees will be held as deemed necessary by the committee members in order to complete the committee’s charge in a timely way.

7.01   Compensation
The Board members shall serve without salary. The Board members may be reimbursed by the organization for reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their duties and may be paid a reasonable compensation for special service rendered for operational functions performed.

7.02   Indemnification
Unless otherwise prohibited by law, the organization shall indemnify any director or officer, current or past, and may, by resolution of the Board, indemnify any employee, against any and all expenses and liabilities incurred by him/her in connection with any claim, action, suit or proceeding to which he/she is made a party by reason of being a director, officer or employee.  However, there shall be no indemnification in relation to matters to which he/she shall be adjudged to be guilty of a criminal offense or liability to the organization arising out of gross negligence in the performance of an organizational duty.

8.01   Amendment or Repeal of Bylaws
These bylaws may be amended or repealed by a 2/3 vote of the members present at any Meeting of the membership.  All members will be notified of any changes proposed in the bylaws, one (1) month prior to the meeting at which the bylaws change or repeal are presented to the membership for the vote.

8.02   Corporate Records
The financial records, membership list and all other corporate records, including minutes of the Annual Meeting, Board meetings and committee meetings, shall be kept at the central office of the organization.  They shall be open for inspection upon written request of any member at reasonable times, and for the purpose reasonably related to the interest as a member of the organization.

8.03   Dissolution of the Organization
If for any reason the membership determines to dissolve the organization, all assets of the organization will be distributed to an IRS identified 501c3 organization with similar goals.

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