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FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS OF AMERICA MISSISSIPPI CHAPTER
BYLAWS (revised 2009)
Article I. Name
The name of the organization shall be the Mississippi Chapter of Future Business Leaders
of America and may be referred to as FBLA.
Article II. Purpose
Section 1. The purpose of FBLA is to provide as an integral part of the instructional
program additional opportunities for secondary students (grades 7-12) in business and
office education to develop vocational and career supportive competencies and to
promote civic and personal responsibilities.
Section 2. The specific goals of FBLA are to:
 Develop competent, aggressive, business leadership Strengthen the confidence of
students in themselves and their work
 Create more interest in and understanding of American business enterprise
 Encourage members in the development of individual projects which contribute to
the improvement of home, business, and community
 Develop character, prepare for useful citizenship, and foster patriotism
 Encourage scholarship and promote school loyalty
 Assist students in the establishment of occupational goals
 Facilitate the transition from school to work
Article III. Membership
Section 1. Mississippi FBLA membership hall consists of those FBLA members
attending a middle level or secondary school in the state of Mississippi.
Section 2. Mississippi FBLA shall be open for membership to these classes of members:
Active Members shall be middle school or secondary students who are enrolled in
business and office education and/or related courses which may be taught in other
departments, such as economics, or who have been enrolled in business and office
education and/or related courses, who accept the purposes of FBLA, subscribe to its
creed, demonstrate willingness to contribute to good school-community relations, and
possess qualities for employment. Active members shall pay dues as established by
Mississippi FBLA and secondary students may participate in state events in accordance
with the guidelines of the State Awards Program, serve as voting delegates of the State
1eadership Conference, hold state office in accordance with Article VI, and otherwise
represent their local chapter as approved by their respective local advisers. Professional
Members shall be persons associated with or participating in the professional
development of FBLA as approved by local chapters. Such members may include local
chapter advisers, business teachers, business teacher educators, state supervisors of
business and office education, employers or supervisors of cooperative work- training
students , advisory council members,
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business persons and other persons contributing to the growth and development of FBLA
Professional members shall pay dues as established by FBLA, but shall not participate in
events, serve as voting delegates, or hold office.
Honorary Life Members may be elected to a state or local chapter by a majority vote.
They shall be persons who are assisting in the advancement of business and office
education and/or who are rendering outstanding service to FBLA.
Honorary Life Members shall not vote or hold office and shall not be required to pay
dues.
Section 3. In order to become Mississippi FBLA members, qualified students must pay
National FBLA dues in addition to Mississippi FBLA dues.
Article IV. Dues and Finance
Section 1. State dues, based on fiscal reports by the state office and on
recommendations by the State Executive Board, shall be determined by a majority vote of
the local voting delegates at the State Leadership Conference. Membership dues shall be
submitted to the FBLA state office by December 1 in order to compete at the State
Leadership Conference.
Section 2. Annual dues shall be $4.00, with one dollar being automatically placed in the
Mississippi FBLA-PBL Foundation.
Section 3. An itemized financial report of revenue and disbursements shall be presented
at each regular State Executive Board meeting and shall be made available to the
members
Section 4. State officers must have approval from the state office before travel in order
to be reimbursed.
Section 5. The fiscal year of FBLA shall be July I through June 30.
Article V. Organization
Section I . FBLA shall be an association of 1ocal chapters, each operating in accordance
with a charter granted by FBLA-PBL, Inc. Only chapters which have
received charters and numbers issued by FBLA-PBL, Inc. and which are currently in
good standing shall be referred to as Future Business Leaders of America or FBLA.
Section 2. The State Executive Board shall serve at the policy-making body of this
organization and shall act within the framework of the State Bylaws.
Section 3. The State Chairman is appointed by the State Department of Education with
approval by the national association and serves as, a liaison officer between the national
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association and the State Executive Board. An FBLA state adviser, executive secretary,
and consultant will be appointed by the State Chairman with approval of the State
Executive Board.
Article VI.
Officers and Elections
Section 1. State Officers. The elected state officers of FBLA shall be a president, three
district vice-presidents, a secretary, and a reporter.
Section 2. Qualifications for state office.
A. Only active members are eligible to hold state office.
B. A candidate must have at least one full year of secondary school remaining.
C. A test will be given at each District Conference to prospective officer candidates to
determine eligibility to run for all elected state offices. These qualifying nominees will
make an introductory speech at their respective district conferences.
D. Applications for all elected state offices are due in the state office by the designated
district deadline registration deadline date set by the state chapter.
E: The candidate’s local chapter MUST be a member of the FBLA Foundation.
Section 3. Each chapter will be allowed to enter only one candidate for any of the
elected state offices.
Section 4. Nominations and Elections.
A. Nomination and acceptance speeches for each candidate for District Vice-President
will be given at the candidate's respective district meeting at the State Conference.
The allotted time for nomination speeches is one minute; the allotted time for acceptance
Speeches are two minutes. Elections will follow a caucus period.
B. Candidates for President, Secretary, and Reporter will give nomination and
acceptance speeches at the First General Session of the State Conference. Nomination
speeches will be limited to one minute. Acceptance speeches for President will be limited
to three minutes. Acceptance speeches for Secretary and Reporter will be limited to two
minutes.
C. Nominations cannot be made from the floor under any circumstances. In case there
are no nominees for an office any student may apply for the vacant position in the fall of
that year by a designated deadline. (The application must be submitted; located in the MS
guidelines).
D. Each candidate for state office will be required to set up a campaign booth. A thirtyminute booth preparation time for campaigns will be noted in the program; no more than
five people may set up the booth. Banners, posters, and any other promotional materials
are to be displayed in the campaign area only .Campaigning will begin when the
campaign booths open and continue for the allotted time in the program.
Section 5. Term of office. State officers shall be elected for one year or until their
successors are elected or appointed, and their term of office shall begin at the close of the
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State Leadership Conference at which they were elected or appointed.
Section 6. Appointment of Parliamentarian.
The student who scores the highest on
the written parliamentary procedure test at the State Conference shall be appointed to the
office of State Parliamentarian. This individual shall have at least one year of school
remaining before graduation.
Section 7. Vacancy in Office. Should the office of president become vacant, the State
Staff shall appoint the president from the three vice-presidents. The State Staff shall then
appoint a current vice-president to serve. The appointed president shall fulfill the
responsibilities of both positions.ere are no nominees for an office, any student may
apply for the vacant position in the fall of that year by a designated deadline. (The
application must be sumitted; located in the MS guidelines).
Section 8. National Officer Application. Intent to run for a national FBLA office must be
declared in writing to the state chapter by the candidates’ respective district conference
deadline date. The candidate must take the state officer's test at District Conference and
submit an application for national office which may be obtained from the National FBLA
Handbook. A Screening Committee made up of the State Staff, three state officers, and
three local advisers appointed by the State Adviser will conduct an interview at the State
Conference.
The endorsement decision will be based upon the application and-the interview.
Article VII. Duties of FBLA State Officers
Section 1. The president shall:
A. presides over and conducts meetings according to accepted parliamentary procedure;
B. keep members and discussions on track;
C. appoint committees and serve as ex-officio member;
D. represent the state chapter at special events and other organizations;
E. coordinate state chapter activities by keeping in close touch with officers', the
membership, and the State Adviser;
F. call special meetings as needed;
G. carry out any 'other duties deemed necessary by the State Adviser.
Section 2. The district vice-presidents shall:
A. assist the president in the discharge of duties;
B. preside at meetings in the absence of the president; (The vice-president to preside will
be appointed by the state Staff.)
C. prepare to assume the duties and responsibilities of the president should the need
arise;
D. serve as ex-officio member on chapter committees;
E. oversee all committee work and management of assignments;
F. preside at district conferences;
G. preside at respective district meeting at State Conference;
H. carry out any other duties deemed necessary by the State Adviser.
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Section 3. The Secretary shall:
A. prepare and read the minutes of meetings;
B. provide the president with an -agenda for each meeting;
C. count and record votes when taken;
D. prepare state chapter reports;
E. keep permanent records of the chapter;
F. cooperate with the State Adviser in keeping accurate roll of membership;
G. read communications at meetings;
H. provide reference materials for each meeting;
1. prepare and mail a copy of board meeting minutes to all state officers, advisers, and
state staff;
J. carry out any other duties deemed necessary by the State Adviser.
Section 4. The treasurer shall:
A. receive and act as a custodian of state chapter funds
B. keep financial records neat and current, preferably using a financial program on a
microcomputer;
C Devise with the assistance of the membership and the State Adviser, appropriate
fund-raising activities;
D. pay out chapter funds as authorized by State Advisor;
E assist in preparing statements of estimated receipts and expenditures;
F. protect the financial reputation of the chapter by seeing that its obligations are met
promptly;
G. carry out any other duties deemed necessary by the State Adviser.
Section 5. The reporter shall:
A. gather and classify chapter news;
B. prepare news releases and articles for publication after national, southern regional,
district, and state conferences;
C. prepare and collect news and feature stories of
state chapter activities for the state newsletter and for TOMORROW'S BUSINESS
LEADER.
D. prepare two state camera-ready newsletters;
E. develop slide presentations for district and state conferences;
F. carry out any other duties deemed necessary by the State Adviser.
Section 6. The parliamentarian shall:
A. assist chapter members in understanding the basic purpose of parliamentary
procedure;
B. prepare to advise the presiding officer and other chapter members on parliamentary
procedure;
C. have reference material pertaining to parliamentary procedure available for each
meeting;
D. watch for significant irregularities in
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parliamentary procedure and call them to the attention of the chair;
E. prepare to explain any irregularities and the effect on the rights of all chapter
members;
F. carry out any other duties deemed necessary by the State Adviser.
Article VIII. State Leadership Conference
Section 1. A State Leadership Conference will' be held each year. The State Adviser will
arrange the date and location of the State Leadership Conference.
Section 2. Each local chapter in good standing shall be entitled to send two voting
delegates from its active membership in order to-elect state officers.
Section 3. Voting .Voting delegates shall be entitled to vote on all matters which come
before the general session.
Section 4. The quorum for all business meetings of the State I.eadership Conference
shall be a majority of the registered delegates.
Article IX . State Executive Board
Section 1. The state officers of FBLA, the advisers of state officers, the State FBLA
Chairman, the State FBLA Consultant, the President or representative of the State
Alumni Chapter, the State FBLA Adviser, and the State Executive Secretary shall constitute the State Executive Board.
Section 2. Duties. The State Executive Board shall;
A. Conduct the business of the state chapter in accordance with the State Bylaws.
B. Hold meetings for planning and governing the activities of the state chapter.
Section 3. Meetings. The State Executive Board shall meet in regular session twice
each year--once in the fall and once in the summer. Special meetings may be called by
the State Adviser or State President when needed.
Section 4. Minutes. Proceedings of each board meeting shall be recorded and reported
by the State Secretary. The Secretary shall write the minutes and mail a copy to the state
office. The minutes will be reviewed by the State President and State Adviser before
mailing to the State Executive Board members.
Section 5. Voting by Mail or Email. Business of the State Executive Board may be
conducted via mail or Email at the discretion of the State President upon prior approval
by the State Adviser .For adoption, action by mail shall require a three- fourths vote of
the members eligible to vote and shall be recorded in the minutes of the next regular
meeting.
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Article X. Committees
Section 1. A Screening Committee composed of the State Staff, three state officers, and
three local FBLA advisers, shall be appointed by the State Adviser. The Screening
Committee shall approve/disapprove applicants for national
office, based on the interview and application.
Section 2. Committee business may be conducted by mail or email at the discretion of
the chairman, with prior approval from the State Adviser. Adoption by mail or email
shall require a three- fourths vote of the members eligible to vote and--shall be reported
to the committee members not later than the next regular meeting.
Section 3. The President of FBLA, with the approval of the State Executive Board, shall
establish Committees, appoint their members for a period not to exceed his/her term of
off ice, and assist these committees in their activities.
Article XI. Hall of Fame
Members of the Mississippi FBLA Hall of Fame shall consist of first-place winners at the
National Leadership Conference in individual and team or chapter events and national
officers. Induction into the Hall of Fame shall be held at the first State Leadership
Conference following the National Conference where the student(s) received first-place
award(s) or served as a national officer.
Article XII. Parliamentary Authority
The rules contained in ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER NEWLY REVISED shall govern
FBLA in all cases of which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent
with the rules of FBLA-PBL, Inc., these Bylaws, or any special rules of order that FBLA
may adopt.
Article XIII. Amendments
Proposed amendments of these Bylaws shall be submitted in writing no later than January
15 to the State FBLA Adviser by local chapters or by a state officer. Notice of proposed
amendments shall be sent to local chapters two weeks prior to State Conference.
Proposed amendments shall be reviewed by the State Executive Board before they can be
submitted to the conference delegates. The State Executive board shall present approved
proposed amendments, with recommendations, to the voting delegates at the State
Leadership Conference. A two-thirds vote of the voting delegates present and voting is
required for adoption.
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