Section I: Stated Purpose - The purpose of the Association includes, but is not limited to, the following provisions:

A. To provide a statewide association designed to advance, educate and improve the efforts of state and local governments with regard to their child support procedures;

B. To develop, promote and conduct regional town hall meetings and annual conferences that enable the personal and professional development of its members and individuals involved with family support; and provide a means whereby state and county officials, resource groups and organizations may exchange information, ideas and experiences to learn of best practices;

C. To exchange information, publish and disseminate newsletters and other professional materials;

D. To solicit and accept funding and contributions from public and private entities, agencies and others to support the Association’s programs.

Section II: Membership - Membership dues of this Association shall be ten dollars ($10.00) per year per member, unless otherwise changed by the Board of Directors. The yearly membership period is defined as January 1 through December 31. Membership fees are waived for members who are elected or appointed to the Board of Directors for the duration of their term. Membership cards will be issued by the Missouri Child Support Enforcement Association.  Dues shall be included as a part of conference registration and shall expire at the end of each succeeding calendar year.

Section III: President - The President shall be the presiding officer. It shall be the duty of the President to: preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and at the annual Association conference; appoint all committee chairpersons not otherwise provided for in these Bylaws; make appointments to all committees both special and standing; serve as ex officio member of all committees; appoint any member to the Board of Directors to replace a position left vacant with an expired term; and speak on behalf of the Association when so instructed by the Board of Directors.  The President shall have the responsibility of the Conference Site Selection Committee and along with the Treasurer, the President shall sign all contracts pertaining to the hotel selected as the site for conference to be held the year following the President’s current term.  It shall be the duty of the President to appoint a qualified person to make a complete audit of the financial records of the Treasurer. At a minimum, the records of the Treasurer shall be audited annually, and a final report of the completed audit shall be presented to the Board of Directors no later than the second meeting of each newly elected Board in conjunction with the presentation of the annual operating budget.  It shall be the duty of the President to represent the association at one of the national conferences. The President may attend one of the following conferences: National Child Support Enforcement Association (NCSEA) annual training conference, Western Interstate Child Support Enforcement Council (WICSEC), or Eastern Regional Interstate Child Support Association (ERICSA) annual training conference. Expenses are to be paid out of the administrative costs of running the organization. It also shall be the duty of the President to preside over the Nominations and Elections Committee and to negotiate with the selected conference site hotel personnel for the annual conference.  The President and President Elect shall meet with each committee chairperson to discuss the particulars of each committee and their goals for the next year.  In the event of a vacancy occurring in the office of the President, his/her duties shall be assumed by the President Elect who shall fill the unexpired term of the Presidency.

Section IV: President Elect - The President Elect shall perform the official duties of the President in the event of the President’s absence or inability to perform his/her duties. It shall be the duty of the President Elect to plan and preside over the Conference Committee, and to perform such other duties as may be delegated to him/her by the President and/or Board of Directors. The President Elect shall develop the agenda for the annual conference and provide a copy of the agenda to the Secretary for MCSEA archives.  The President Elect shall be elected annually at conference. In the event of a vacancy occurring in the office of President Elect, it shall be filled by Presidential appointment with the approval of a simple majority vote of the Board of Directors.

Section V: Vice President - The Vice President shall preside over Region Director activities and provide written guidelines approved by the Board of Directors by the first full board meeting. The Vice President shall also preside over the Public relations Committee, which includes publicity, resolutions, promotional items and coordinating the silent auction at conference. It shall be the duty of the Vice President to perform such duties as may be delegated to him/her by the President and/or Board of Directors. The Vice President is responsible for appointing an individual to be responsible for coordinating all promotional merchandise for sale. This individual will maintain inventory control over these items, and will be responsible for reporting all proceeds and revenue received to the Treasurer.  The Vice President and the individual designated to coordinate the promotional merchandise must follow the guidelines and procedures set forth in the Treasurer's manual pertaining to promotional merchandise for sale and exhibitors.  The Vice President shall be elected in odd-numbered years at the annual conference. In the event of a vacancy occurring in the office of the Vice President, it shall be filled by Presidential appointment with the approval of a simple majority vote of the Board of Directors.

Section VI: Secretary - The Secretary shall keep true and accurate minutes of all meetings of the Board of Directors and of the annual business meeting held at the annual conference. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to prepare and distribute minutes of these meetings as directed by the President and/or Board of Directors, to respond to any correspondence regarding the Association, and to compile and disperse information for the Association's newsletter. The secretary shall supply a list of current members within (30) days of the annual conference to the Board of Directors. Member records, as maintained and held by the Secretary or any member of the Board, shall not be released to any entity, business or individual, for the purpose of direct mailings, contact letters or any other purpose not stipulated by the Board of Directors. The Secretary shall oversee the Constitutions and Bylaws Committee, and shall maintain current stationery. The Secretary shall share the responsibility for conference registration with the Treasurer. Both shall coordinate on-site conference registration at the annual conference. The Secretary shall be elected in even-numbered years at the annual conference. In the event of a vacancy occurring in the office of the Secretary, it shall be filled by Presidential appointment with the approval of a simple majority vote of the Board of Directors.

Section VII: Treasurer - The Treasurer shall receive, disburse and account for all monies received by the Association and provide an annual report as to the finances of the Association to the membership. The Treasurer shall provide detailed reports of receipts and expenditures at each board meeting and provide any other such reports as may be designated by the Board of Directors. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to surrender the ledger books to the designated auditors for the purpose of an audit. The Treasurer shall present a report in writing of receipts and disbursements of the annual conference to the Secretary within thirty (30) days after the board meeting for inclusion in the Secretary's minutes. The Treasurer shall maintain an annual accounting period of January through December. The Treasurer shall serve as chairman of the Finance Committee.  Other duties to be performed by the Treasurer shall include deposit of all monies and securities in the name of the Association in such depositories designated by the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall be responsible for filing an annual tax return and filing annually for non-profit status with the Secretary of State. The Treasurer shall share the responsibility for conference registration with the Secretary. Both shall facilitate and coordinate on–site conference registration at the annual conference.  The Treasurer shall receive a true and accurate copy of any contract, business or otherwise, entered into by any board member on behalf of the Association and for which Association monies will be paid. The Treasurer does not hold authority to deny entry into an agreement, but shall monitor budgetary compliance and ensure that any audit trail is complete and accurate.  The Treasurer will have a Treasurer's Manual available to him/her. This manual contains the guidelines and procedures for maintaining financial documentation for the Missouri Child Support Enforcement Association, as well as other instructions outlining the appropriate performance of other duties related to the position. The Treasurer shall operate in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the manual. The Treasurer will also be responsible for maintaining this manual and making the appropriate updates/changes. These changes will be proposed to and voted on by the Board of Directors before being adopted.  The Treasurer, along with the President, shall sign all contracts pertaining to the hotel selected as the site for conference to be held the year following the President’s current term. The Treasurer shall be elected in odd-numbered years at the annual conference. In the event of a vacancy occurring in the office of the Treasurer, it shall be filled by Presidential appointment with the approval of a simple majority vote of the Board of Directors.

Section VIII: Immediate Past President - The Immediate Past President shall have the responsibility of the MCSEA Achievement Awards and Scholarship Committee, and the Website Committee.  The Immediate Past President shall also be responsible for soliciting and selecting vendors for conference.  In the event of a vacancy occurring in the office of the Immediate Past President, the President shall assume the responsibilities of the Immediate Past President and shall delegate as necessary.

Section IX: Region Directors - Each region shall elect its own Region Director, and only members from that region shall vote for this office. It shall be the duty of the Region Director to encourage membership in the association; to encourage attendance at the annual conference; to serve as liaisons and represent members from their region at meetings of the Board of Directors; to serve on the Activities Committee; to serve on the Conference Site Selection Committee; to handle regional membership matters; to nominate candidates for offices; and to solicit and provide door prizes for the annual conference.  Region Directors shall make MCSEA information available to all present and potential members of the association. The Region Director shall plan, schedule and coordinate region activities in accordance with the region guidelines administered by the Vice President. Each Region Director will be allocated a budget as determined by the Board of Directors at the first meeting of the calendar year. This budget may be modified on an individual basis, as needed, with approval by the Board of Directors. Region Directors must adhere to region guidelines set out and approved by the Board of Directors.  Except as set forth below, Region Directors for odd-numbered regions shall be elected in odd-numbered years at the annual conference; and Region Directors for even-numbered regions shall be elected in even-numbered years at the annual conference. A vacancy in any Region Director position shall be filled by Presidential appointment with approval of a majority vote of the Board of Directors.  The Association will be comprised of twelve regions in Missouri. These regions shall be the City of St. Louis and the counties, as follows:

Region I - St. Louis City;

Region II - Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Dunklin, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Scott, Stoddard, and Wayne;

Region III - Lincoln, Pike, St. Charles, St. Louis County, and Warren;

Region IV - Adair, Clark, Knox, Lewis, Linn, Macon, Marion, Putnam, Schuyler, Scotland, Shelby, and Sullivan;

Region V - Camden, Cole, Crawford, Gasconade, Laclede, Maries, Miller, Moniteau, Morgan, Phelps, Pulaski and Osage;

Region VI - Barry, Barton, Cedar, Christian, Dade, Dallas, Greene, Hickory, Jasper, Lawrence, McDonald, Newton, Polk, Stone, Taney, Vernon, and Webster;

Region VII - Clay, Jackson, and Platte;

Region VIII - Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Caldwell, Clinton, Daviess, DeKalb, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Holt, Livingston, Mercer, Nodaway, and Worth;

Region IX - Franklin, Iron, Jefferson, Madison, Perry, St. Francois, St. Genevieve, and Washington;

Region X - Audrain, Boone, Callaway, Chariton, Cooper, Howard, Monroe, Montgomery, Ralls, and Randolph

Region XI - Bates, Benton, Carroll, Cass, Henry, Johnson, Lafayette, Pettis, Ray, Saline, and St. Clair

Region XII - Carter, Dent, Douglas, Howell, Oregon, Ozark, Reynolds, Ripley, Shannon, Texas, and Wright.

 Section X: Historian - The Historian shall have the responsibility of storing MCSEA historical items and providing a written report of activities and inventory at least annually, or at the request of the Board of Directors. The Historian shall organize special conference events for every fifth year within that year. The office of Historian shall be filled by presidential appointment with the approval of a simple majority vote of the Board of Directors. The Historian should be a past president and shall serve a three-year term. There shall be an approved budget for the cost of storage and display of historical items. The Historian shall be accountable to the three presiding officers of the executive board. 

Section XI: Standing Committees - There shall be eleven standing committees; each presided by a member of the Executive Board:

1.  Nominations and Election Committee-Presiding Officer: President

2.  Conference Committee-Presiding Officer: President Elect

3.  Public Relations Committee-Presiding Officer: Vice President

4.  Newsletter Committee-Presiding Officer: Secretary

5.  Constitution and Bylaws Committee-Presiding Officer: Secretary

6.  Registration Committee-Presiding Officers: Secretary and Treasurer

7.  Finance Committee-Presiding Officer: Treasurer

8.  Conference Site Selection Committee-Presiding Officer: President

9.  Advisory Council Committee-Presiding Officer: President

10. Achievement Awards/Scholarship Committee-Presiding Officer: Immediate Past President

11. Website Committee-Presiding Officer:  Immediate Past President

 MCSEA COMMITTEE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES - The presiding officer for each committee shall appoint a chairperson for the committee. The chairperson of each committee shall be included as a member of that same committee for the following year. Duties for each committee are as follows.

Nominations and Election Committee: It shall be the duty of this committee to meet as required and; solicit nominations from the membership at large and accept and/or recommend nominations for all elected board positions, to place nominations on a slate, to see that a list of candidates for office is distributed to all members at the annual conference, to make absentee ballots available to voting members, to provide voting polls at the annual conference, and to count election returns and notify the President of the results.

Conference Committee: It shall be the duty of this committee to assist the President Elect in preparation for and organization of the annual conference and soliciting advertisers and exhibitors for the conference. The President Elect shall serve as chairperson of this committee.

Public Relations Committee: It shall be the duty of this committee to inform the general public, Division of Child Support Enforcement staff, Prosecuting Attorney and Circuit Clerk staff, and other entities of the mission and goals of the Association. The committee is also responsible for informing the membership and potential members of the annual conference. This committee shall propose and recommend promotional items to the Board of Directors for approval. The MCSEA membership pamphlet shall be reviewed and updated as needed by this committee. Additionally, this committee will accept, review, recommend and prepare in writing, proposed resolutions from the membership for Board approval. During conference, this committee shall be responsible for managing the silent auction.

Newsletter Committee: It shall be the duty of this committee to produce and distribute the MCSEA newsletter quarterly. Production includes the writing or soliciting of the articles that are of interest to MCSEA members, the layout of the newsletter, and the reproduction and distribution of the newsletter. The first, second and fourth issues will be distributed to the MCSEA membership. The third quarter issue, which will carry the upcoming conference information, will be distributed to the MCSEA membership and to an extended list of individuals as directed by the President. The Secretary will retain one copy of the newsletter for MCSEA archives.

Constitution and Bylaws Committee: It shall be the duty of this committee to meet as required to review the current Constitution and Bylaws, to propose needed revisions, to make changes approved by the Board of Directors, and to ensure that proposed revisions are made available to the general membership for review, comment and incorporation into the document at the annual conference.

Registration Committee: It shall be the duty of this committee to facilitate and coordinate on-site conference registration at the annual conference. The Secretary and Treasurer shall serve as co-chairpersons of this committee.

Finance Committee: It shall be the duty of this committee to assist the Board of Directors in all financial matters, as requested by the Board. The committee shall also assist the Treasurer and Auditor in the fulfillment of their duties. The committee shall prepare and submit an annual operating budget to the Board no later than the second meeting of each newly elected Board. The committee shall assist the Board in the conference-planning budget. The committee shall research and cultivate additional revenue sources of the association, including contributions and purchases by vendors and other business and industry. The committee shall assist the Board with promotional sales revenue. The committee shall assist in the preparation of the annual audit, as directed by the Board.  The Treasurer shall chair it. The auditor (appointed by the President pursuant to Section IV of these Bylaws) shall be a member. Two region directors shall be members, elected annually by a majority vote of the Region Directors at the first meeting of the newly elected Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may, at any time, adjust the number of members on the Finance Committee by nominating additional people (who need not be members of MCSEA) and approving such nominations by majority vote.

Conference Site Selection Committee: It shall be the duty of this committee to solicit proposals from potential site candidates for the annual conference site, to visit such sites to determine suitability, and to make recommendations to the Board of Directors prior to the annual conference. The committee shall evaluate the site proposals and the President shall submit to the Board of Directors a written report of the committee’s recommended site selection.

Advisory Council: It shall be the duty of this committee to serve in an advisory/consulting capacity for the members of the Board. It shall be a non-voting voluntary group of not more than two persons who are appointed by the current President. These persons shall have in the past been elected and served as President of MCSEA; the employment restrictions that apply to members of MCSEA shall not apply to the Advisory Council.

Achievement Awards and Scholarship Committee: It shall be the duty of this committee to recommend award categories to the Board of Directors for approval and to solicit and review nominations from the membership at large for annual awards. The committee shall select award winners and acquire plaques, certificates, trophies, and related items, in keeping with the approved budget allocation, for presentation to the winners at the annual conference. This committee shall solicit and review nominations for MCSEA scholarships and select winners. It shall also maintain guidelines, which shall be approved by the Board of Directors. Committee members shall be a cross representation of the membership, both professionally and geographically. The Committee Chair and/or members shall not be eligible as a nominee or nominator for any achievement awards. Nominations and scholarship applications shall be a part of the MCSEA historical record.

Website Committee:  It shall be the duty of this committee to assist the Immediate Past President in the maintenance of the MCSEA website.  The committee shall consist of the President, one region director from an even-numbered region and one region director from an odd-numbered region.  The region directors shall be members of the committee for both years of their term.  The committee vacancies shall by appointed by the Immediate Past President who serves as the chairperson of the Website Committee.

Section XII: Annual Conference - A conference of the Association shall be held annually. The Board of Directors shall set the conference dates and locations in advance, as necessary to guarantee acquisition of an appropriate conference site. The Treasurer shall give a report at a general session of the conference. The President shall give an annual report on the activities of the Association. Resolutions may be presented to the membership. Discussions and workshops on child support enforcement and related issues shall be emphasized. Other activities may be arranged at the instruction of the membership of the Board of Directors.  Registration fees to be charged for conference attendance shall be set by the Board of Directors. Honorary Life Members and Past Presidents shall be granted registration for conference each year. The Executive Board shall recommend a monetary budget for the use of committee members in terms of waiving full fare or registration fees. The proposed budget shall be discussed and approved by the Board of Directors.

 Section XIII: Elections - The Board of Directors of the MCSEA hereby declares that it is vital to the welfare of the Association that elections of board members be conducted in a fair, judicious, and civil manner; so that the goals of encouraging active participation in the Association’s elected offices and ensuring voting member confidence in the election process are both fulfilled.

Nominations: Any voting member in good standing may nominate a person for any elected office within the MCSEA. Nominations for elected offices shall be made in writing to either the President or the Nominations and Election Committee no later than 15 days prior to the annual conference in the year immediately preceding the commencement of the nominated officer’s term, which shall be January 1 of each year. Any nominated person must be a voting member in good standing or become a voting member prior to accepting the nomination, which shall not be later than 15 days prior to the annual conference.

Write-In Candidates: A person may be elected as a write-in candidate provided the nomination is made at the opening session of the annual conference. Any such nomination must be made either orally during the opening session, or delivered in writing to the Chairperson of the Nominations and Election Committee. No such nomination for a write-in candidate shall be effective unless the person so nominated has consented in writing before the opening of the voting polls on the following day. The nominee must be a voting member of the Association at the commencement of the annual conference.

Constitutional Amendments: Proposed Constitutional amendments and any other matters to be put before the vote of the entire membership shall conform to all other requirements of the Constitution and these Bylaws, and shall be submitted in writing to the President 60 days prior to the annual conference at which the proposal is to be submitted. The President shall thereafter report to the Board of Directors and refer the matter to the Chairman of the Nominations and Election Committee for inclusion on the ballot or as directed by the Constitution, Bylaws or the Board of Directors; and shall take other necessary action regarding the proposal. The above notwithstanding, a majority of the Board of Directors may submit a proposal to the entire membership for inclusion in the election at any time prior to the opening of the polls.

Voting Presence and Absentee Ballots: A voting member may vote in present at the conference; or may vote by absentee ballot. Absentee ballots shall be received by the Chairman of the Nominations and Elections Committee from fifteen days prior to the conference until the polls close. All absentee ballots must be originally signed by the voting member, and shall be deemed received only upon physical receipt of the original ballot. Copies of originally signed ballots or facsimile transmissions thereof, shall not qualify as a valid absentee ballot and shall not be counted.

Campaign and Polling Place Conduct: The President, Immediate Past President, and the Chairman of the Nominations and Election Committee shall monitor all elections and ensure the directives of these Bylaws are implemented, and that the voting process is conducted properly. To that end, the following guidelines shall control:(1) A member shall be assured that his vote is made privately, and confidentially. (2) Nominations and Election Committee members and designated personnel shall take any reasonable action necessary to ensure any voting member’s confidentially is respected. (3) No campaign literature or partisan communication of any type shall be posted or disseminated within 20 feet of any polling place. However, upon unanimous concurrence by the President, Immediate Past President and Chairman of the Nominations and Election Committee, or upon a majority vote of the Board of Directors, this radius may be reasonably altered from time to time as necessary due to the physical accommodations of the polling place facility. (4) A person seeking election, or any person engaged in support of or campaign for any candidate, shall not remain near the polling place for any extended period of time, or take any other action to cause any voter concern over the confidentiality of a vote. For purposes of this guideline, the phrase “near the polling place” shall mean the physical radius established in the immediately preceding sub-section. (5) To the extent required by the conference facility, all candidates shall adhere to any campaign literature and communication restrictions imposed upon the Association by the conference facility. This includes, but is not limited to, restrictions on the posting of literature in certain places throughout the facility. The Nominations and Election Committee and its designated agents may assist the conference facility in this regard. All Board members and the Nominations and Elections Committee and its agents shall strive to ensure maximum availability of campaign space and allocated physical resources for posting of material and other communication throughout the conference facility, including but not limited to negotiating for such resources with facility personnel. (6) The polling place shall be open in accordance to a schedule that shall be predetermined by the Board of Directors and publicized to the general membership during conference. No ballots shall be counted prior to the closing of the polls on the last full day of conference. The results shall be announced and posted at a designated time that evening. (7) The Chairman of the Nominations and Election Committee shall at all times be charged with the care, custody and control of all ballots, until such time as the election is complete pursuant to these Bylaws. (8) Upon completion of the voting and closure of the polling place, the Chairman of the Nominations and Election Committee, with the assistance of the President and Immediate Past President, shall count the ballots and prepare an accurate report of the election results. If requested in writing and delivered to the President by any candidate prior to final closure of the polls, a candidate may designate a person (other than the candidate) who is a member of the MCSEA to witness the ballot count on behalf of that candidate.

Recount Requests: Any candidate, or any voting member of the Association in the case of a proposal or constitutional amendment, may request a recount of the votes under the following circumstances: (1) All requests for a recount must be made in writing directed to the President; (2) All requests for a recount must be made within 24 hours of the announcement and posting of the election results; (3) to qualify for a recount, a candidate’s vote total must be within ten votes of the candidate with the highest vote total; or a proposal must have passed or failed by ten votes or less.

Ties and Special Elections: An election resulting in a tie on a vote for a constitutional amendment or proposal shall be deemed a rejection by the Association to approve the proposal. An election resulting in a tie on a vote for an office shall require a special election to break the tie. In this event, the Nominations and Election Committee shall forward new ballots to all members eligible to vote in the election, which resulted in the tie. The ballots shall be mailed within 20 days after the conclusion of the conference. Eligible members shall have 10 days to cast their ballot in the special election by returning it, as directed, to the Nominations and Elections Committee. The above notwithstanding, all ballots shall be received by the Nominations and Elections Committee within 30 days after the conclusion of the conference, or shall be invalid in the special election. Only originally signed ballots mailed by the Nominations and Elections Committee shall be valid. No special election shall be challenged by reason of failure of the U.S. Mail or of a person not associated with the MCSEA causing a lost mailing: A voter may ensure receipt of his ballot by confirmation with the Nominations and Election Committee. Upon expiration of the time to receive ballots in a special election, the Committee shall tabulate the votes and forward the information to the President, who shall report the results to the Association. Upon written request made to the President within 5 days of the date upon which the President announces the results, any candidate may appear in person at a place designated by the Committee to inspect the ballots in the presence of a Committee member. Any election, which again results in a tie following a special election as set forth above, shall be determined by a majority vote of the current Board of Directors.

Section XIV: Removal - Any member of the Board of Directors may initiate a request for removal of any board member for non-fulfillment of their duties. Such requests must be made in writing to the President, who shall thereafter investigate the request. By majority vote of the Board of Directors, a board member may be removed from office for failure to attend two meetings of the Board, in any one year, when the absence is unexcused by the President. A board member may also be removed for failure to perform or carry out assigned duties, or frequent and/or extreme unexcused tardiness at the board and/or committee meetings. A meeting is defined as the entire length of a board and committee session. A board member may also be removed for inappropriate behavior or actions that could adversely affect the Association. Definition of such failures shall be set by the Board of Directors.

Section XV: Meetings  - Meeting procedures shall be determined by Robert’s Rules of Order. A copy shall be maintained by the President.