Kentucky Osteopathic Medical Association
KENTUCKY OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
BYLAWS
(REVISED 6/2013)
Additional Revision 9/2013
Additional Revision 05/2015
Article I - Name
Section I: This Association shall be known as the Kentucky Osteopathic Medical Association.
Section II: This Association is a divisional society of the American Osteopathic Association and shall be subject to American Osteopathic Association, and also of the Kentucky Osteopathic Medical Association, now in effect or as hereafter adopted.
Article II - Purpose
Section I: The purpose of this Association shall be to promote and improve high standards of osteopathic medicine through education and advocacy.
Article III – Membership
Section I: Membership in the Kentucky Osteopathic Medical Association, a nonprofit voluntary organization, shall be considered a privilege and not a right. Final authority concerning membership privileges rests with the Board of Trustees of the Kentucky Osteopathic Medical Association.
The members of this Association shall consist of the present members and others as shall be selected in the manner described by the bylaws and classified as:
· Active members
· Honorary members
· Life members
· Associate members
· Student members
· Resident and intern members
· Out-of-State members
· Retired members
Section II: Membership Requirements
Active membership shall be a graduate from a college or university of osteopathic medicine accredited by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation and licensed to practice medicine in Kentucky.
Honorary membership may be bestowed by the Board of Trustees on anyone who has rendered outstanding service to the profession at the state or national levels, upon official recommendation. Honorary members may have voice but no vote in the business matters of the Kentucky Osteopathic Medical Association (KOMA).
Life membership may be granted by the Board of Trustees to any regular member who has reached the age of 70, or who has completed 40 years of practice, and has been a member in good standing in the osteopathic medical Associations, with 10 consecutive years immediately preceding the time of the award as a member in good standing of this Association. Life members shall have the privileges and duties of regular members but shall not be required to pay dues or assessments.
Associate membership may be granted by specific action of the Board of Trustees. Associate members shall have neither voice nor vote, and may not hold office. The associate member will receive publications of the Association and may attend the state convention at the regular member fee. Associate membership dues shall be set by the Board of Trustees.
Osteopathic medical students may be granted membership upon application and by specific action of the Board of Trustees. Student members may have voice but no vote nor hold office. Students shall have representation on the Board of Trustees as delineated in these bylaws.
Residents and interns may be granted membership upon application and by specific action of the Board of Trustees. Residents and Interns may have voice and vote but may not hold office. Resident and Interns shall have representation on the Board of Trustees as delineated in these bylaws.
Out-of-State membership shall be granted to a graduate of a college or university accredited by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation, and licensed to practice medicine in a state outside of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The Out-of-State member must be an active or life member in good standing with his/her AOA-affiliated state society. Out-of-State members shall have no voice or vote, and may not hold office. Out-of-State members shall receive publications of the Association, and may attend the annual state convention at the regular member fee. Out-of-State members who practice in the Commonwealth of Kentucky will be considered as active members.
Section III: Application for Membership
Applicants for Membership shall complete application provided by the Association. Applicants shall provide the information called for by those forms fully and completely, stating their qualifications. The completed applications shall include a signed agreement the applicant, if accepted, will abide by the by-laws, Rules and Regulations of the Association. The Executive Director shall determine that the applicant holds a valid unrestricted license to practice osteopathic medicine. The Board of Trustees shall then vote on the acceptance of the membership application at the next regularly scheduled Board meeting.
Section IV: Resignation
Any member desiring to resign his/her membership in this Association shall present his/her resignation in writing to the secretary. The resignation shall then be presented to the Board of Trustees for action, but no member’s resignation shall be accepted until his/her financial and other obligations to the Association are fulfilled to the satisfaction of this Board.
Article IV – Dues
Section I: The annual dues for all membership categories of this Association shall be established by the Board of Trustees, and payable on January 1 of each calendar year.
Section II: New members transferring into the Commonwealth of Kentucky after July shall have prorated dues for that portion of the year remaining until January 1 of the following year.
Section III: Non-payment of dues for any year shall prohibit that person from attending any business meeting of the Association and shall be considered grounds for termination of membership in the Association.
Section IV: The dues shall be used to meet the budgeted needs of the Association and dispersed according to such rules or procedures as are adopted and approved by the membership of this Association upon the recommendation of the Board of Trustees.
Article V – Code of Ethics
Section I: The Code of Ethics to be used by this Association shall be the same Code of Ethics as adopted by the American Osteopathic Association.
Article VI – Disciplinary Action
Section I: Any violation of the Code of Ethics of this Association shall be reported to the Board of Trustees.
Section II: Suspension of Membership
If a member’s license to practice medicine and/or surgery has been suspended, restricted or revoked, that physician will be suspended from membership in this Association. Such suspension shall be concurrent with the suspension of license. If a member has been adjudged guilty of a felony, membership shall be revoked automatically.
Section III: Reinstatements
In any case involving revocation of Membership or privileges or refusal to renew Membership on grounds other than that of non-payment of dues and/or assessments, a reinstatement shall be possible only upon submission of a new application and full proceedings ordinarily connected with a new application. A member who has been suspended has the right to appeal to the Board of Trustees.
Final authority concerning Membership privileges rests with the Board of Trustees of the Kentucky Osteopathic Medical Association.
Article VII – Board of Trustees
Section I: The Board of Trustees of the Kentucky Osteopathic Medical Association shall consist of the President, President-elect, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, immediate Past President, three (3) Trustee Members, one resident/intern representative from a postdoctoral training program within the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and one student member from the COCA approved college of osteopathic medicine within the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Section II: The term of office shall be the following: Officers will serve for a term of two years.
Each Trustee shall serve for a term of three years. Terms will be staggered so no two Trustees’ terms shall end on the same year.
Section III: Ex-officio members of the Board of Trustees shall include the Osteopathic Representative(s) to the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure AND the Dean of University of Pikeville School of Osteopathic Medicine.
Section IV: A quorum for business of the Board of Trustees shall consist of 50% of the voting members of Board of Trustees.
SECTION V: All members of the Board of Trustees are expected to attend 50% of all scheduled meetings. Persons not complying with this attendance policy will be reviewed by the Board of Trustees for corrective action.
Section VI: Code of Conduct: Members of the Board of Trustees will abide by the Kentucky Osteopathic Medical Association code of conduct.
Article VIII –Duties of the Officers
Section I: The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association and of the Board of Trustees and shall perform such other duties as generally pertained to the office of President.
SECTION II: The President may appoint Committees as are authorized by the Board of Trustees.
Section III: The President-elect must have been a member of the Kentucky Osteopathic Medical Association for three (3) years and have held the office of Vice President or Board of Trustees.
Section IV: The Vice President shall perform the duties of the President-elect, should that individual be unable to fulfill the position and any duties assigned by the President.
Section V: The Secretary shall be responsible for all minutes and business communications associated with the Association.
Section VI: The Treasurer shall be responsible for the financial matters of the Association.
Article IX – Duties of the Board of Trustees
Section I: The Trustee shall act as a representative voice of osteopathic physicians in the Commonwealth of Kentucky to the Kentucky Osteopathic Medical Association.
Section II: The Board of Trustees shall authorize and supervise all expenditures of this Association.
Section III: The Board of Trustees shall exercise general supervision over the affairs and business of the Association and shall meet at such time and place as their duties require.
Section IV: The Board of Trustees may assist in maintaining the legal rights and privileges of the members when expedient, and when such action may lead to the general good of the profession.
Section V: In the event of a vacancy on the Board of Trustees, an eligible member of the Association shall be selected by the Board of Trustees within thirty (30) days to fill the unexpired term.
Article X – Delegates and Alternate Delegates to the AOA House of Delegates
Section I: Delegates and alternate delegates to the House of Delegates of the American Osteopathic Association shall be elected by the Board of Trustees at least ninety (90) days before the annual meeting of the American Osteopathic Association House of Delegates.
Section II: Delegates and Alternate Delegates must be members in good standing.
Article XI – Elections
Section I: Election of officers, Trustees, Delegates and Alternate Delegates to the House of Delegates of the American Osteopathic Association shall occur at the Annual Scientific Seminar and Business Meeting.
Section II: Election to office shall be at a majority vote of the active and life membership present at the annual business meeting.
Section III: Notification of the Annual Business Meeting and elections of officers will be no later than 30 days prior to the scheduled event.
Article XII – Executive Director
Section I: An Executive Director shall be employed by the Kentucky Osteopathic Medical Association on a part-time or full-time basis as needed.
Section II: The Executive Director shall serve under the direct supervision of the President and the Board of Trustees and shall perform such duties usual to the position and as outlined in an approved contract.
ARTICLE XIII -COMMITTEES
This Association shall have the following:
SECTION I: NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Three (3) available Past Presidents of this Association and the current President-elect shall act as a Nominating Committee, and shall meet at the call of its Chairman, the most immediate Past President, sixty (60) days prior to the Annual Meeting of the Kentucky Osteopathic Medical Association. It shall nominate candidates for each office to be filled at the next Annual Meeting of the Kentucky Osteopathic Medical Association. The Nominating Committee shall choose its nominees by majority vote of its members and shall report its nominations to the Kentucky Osteopathic Medical Association through the office of the Past President at least thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Meeting of the Kentucky Osteopathic Medical Association.
Additional nominations for any and all offices (with the exception of the President) of this Association of the American Osteopathic Association may be made from the floor of the Annual Meeting of the Kentucky Osteopathic Medical Association.
SECTION II: FINANCIAL COMMITTEE
The Financial Committee shall be made up of one Officer, the Treasurer, one member of the Trustees, and at least one member of the Association who does not sit on the Board. The Financial Committee shall meet within 30 days of the year-end to review financial reports, audits and reviews. Financial Committee shall review tax filing prior to IRS filing deadline.
SECTION III: ADDITIONAL COMMITTEES
The President may appoint Ad Hoc Committees as are authorized by the Board of Trustees.
Article XIV– Annual Meeting
Section I: For the purpose of business activity, a quorum for the annual meeting of this Association shall consist of those members present at the Annual Meeting.
Section II: The Annual Meeting of the Kentucky Osteopathic Medical Association shall be in conjunction with the annual scientific seminar. Notification of the scientific seminar and business meeting will occur no less than 30 days prior to the scheduled event.
Article XV – Rules of Order
Section I: The meetings of this Association shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order, revised, except in such instances as are specifically provided for in the Constitution and Bylaws of this Association.
Article XVI– Assets
Section I: The Board of Trustees shall have complete control of the management of all assets of this Association. They shall have the power to make loans to students in any of the osteopathic colleges. They are expressly authorized to those who agree to practice osteopathic medicine in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Any loans will be on terms and conditions as delineated by the Board of Trustees.
Section II: The Board of Trustees shall have the power to accept gifts of money, property, or any other things of value on behalf of this Association and shall be empowered to invest funds or property thus received or the proceeds of any property thus received, as in the honest exercise of their judgment they determine to be safe and proper investments.
Article XVII– Amendments
Section I: Bylaws of this Association may be amended by a majority vote at any regular or called meeting, a quorum being present; provided that the proposed amendments be filed with the Secretary at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting.
Article XVIII – Dissolution of the Association
Section I: Upon the dissolution of this organization, assets shall be distributed to an organization or organizations in the state of Kentucky that provides education to osteopathic physicians, students or the public, and that qualifies within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.