Proposed Change to SLMMS Bylaws; Member Comments Due by November 8
At their September meeting, the SLMMS Council accepted a proposed change to the SLMMS bylaws brought forward by the SLMMS Bylaws Committee. The change affects the delinquency date for member dues payments and the subsequent drop date for members who do not renew, and will correct an existing discrepancy in the bylaws.
Currently, Chapter II. Section 12. Delinquency of the SLMMS bylaws reads as follows:
Members in arrears for the current year shall, after April 1, forfeit the right to vote, to hold office, and to enjoy all benefits of the Society until dues are paid in full for the current year. Any member in arrears after June 1 shall be dropped from Membership in the Society. The Council may forgive the dues of a member for one year in case of prolonged illness or other serious cause.
The Committee has proposed the following changes (in bold):
Members in arrears for the current year shall, after March 31, forfeit the right to vote, to hold office, and to enjoy all benefits of the Society until dues are paid in full for the current year. Any member in arrears shall be dropped from membership in the Society at a date corresponding to the final drop date of the Missouri State Medical Association. The Council may forgive the dues of a member for one year in case of prolonged illness or other serious cause.
This change will enable the Medical Society to shorten the collection period for the payment of dues and better align with MSMA for the joint billing of membership dues. It also will agree with the March 31 delinquent date as listed in Chapter X. Dues and Assessments. Section1.
The member comment period regarding the revision will remain open through November 8, 2019. Member comments should be directed to David Nowak, Executive Vice President, at dnowak@slmms.org. Pending member feedback, the Council will vote on the final change in November and it will become effective in 2020.