RESCUE MUNI Bylaws

As amended 5/11/98 and 11/5/98

Note: This version supersedes RESCUE MUNI's original bylaws, included in
our archive for your reference.

I - NAME AND PURPOSE

1. The name and purpose of this organization shall be RESCUE MUNI (Riders
for an Efficient, Safe, Consistent, Utilized, and Expeditious Muni), an
independent, San Francisco, transit riders association.

II - MEMBERSHIP

1. Membership is open to any natural person who has paid the regular or
reduced dues.

2. Members are encouraged to participate on at least one Committee

3. A Member is any natural person whose RESCUE MUNI dues are current.

4. An Active Member is any Member who serves on at least one Standing
Committee.

5. Membership data shall not be released for external use without a
member's authorization.

III - SUPPORT

1. Donations from supporting businesses or organizations are acceptable,
but such donations shall not entitle the donor to voting rights.
Donations from businesses or organizations having direct financial
interests with Muni shall not be accepted.

IV - STEERING COMMITTEE

1. The Steering Committee (Steercom) shall include: Excom members,
Committee representatives and up to ten additional members elected
annually by the Membership. Initially there shall be no additional
members elected. The membership of Excom members in the Steercom is a
matter of right, except that Excom must name at least three Excom members
to the Steercom.

2. The Steercom is responsible for the formulation and implementation of
RESCUE MUNI policies to promote the Purposes. The Steercom shall
annually elect their own officers. The Chair of the Steercom shall be the
Chief Spokesperson of RESCUE MUNI and shall select the official
spokespersons for each policy area.

3. Steercom endorsements of candidates for public office or ballot
initiatives shall not be final until ratified at a General Membership
meeting by a vote of no less than two thirds of the Members voting in
accordance with VIII - 3.

4. A quorum shall be at least 50% of Steercom members. Steercom members
who miss three consecutive meetings shall automatically be removed from
the Steercom and not be countered for the quorum requirement. The
Steercom may reinstate a member by a majority vote. A minimum of two
thirds of those present are required for action. The Steercom shall not
change a Committees' recommendation without the consent of the
Committees' representative.

V - EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

1. The Executive Committee (Excom) of RESCUE MUNI shall be elected
annually for staggered two year terms by the Membership and shall consist
of nine members. The Excom shall annually elect or designate for its
membership the following RESCUE MUNI officers: Chair, Vice-Chair,
Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, Membership
Secretary, First Coordinator, Second Coordinator, and Third Coordinator.
No individual Excom member may serve in more than one of these positions,
except as an interim officer when the Excom has vacancies.

2. Five Excom members shall be elected in odd-numbered years, beginning
with 1999, and four Excom members shall be elected in even numbered
years, beginning with 1998. In the event of a vacancy the Excom may
select a replacement member from the Steercom to complete the departing
members term.

3. In 1997, nine Excom members shall be elected. The five candidates with
the most votes shall serve two-year terms and the four candidates with
the next highest number of votes shall serve one-year terms.

4. The Excom shall provide administrative leadership and establish
Standing Rules, administrative structure and procedures for RESCUE MUNI
in order to facilitate the Purposes. The Excom shall handle all
administrative business within the approved budget limits. The Excom
shall set annual and reduced level dues. The Excom shall collectively
coordinate the efforts of RESCUE MUNI Committees to minimize conflict and
ensure support of the Purposes. The Excom shall meet to plan the agenda
for the Steercom. The Excom shall take no policy positions for RESCUE
Muni. The Excom shall set the agenda for General Membership Meetings.
The Excom shall establish the number of additional Steercom members to be
elected.

5. The Excom quorum shall be six members. A minimum of five votes are
required for action.

6. The Chair shall: oversee the administration of RESCUE MUNI; assure
responsibility for continuity and communication; preside at General
Membership, and Excom meetings; and appoint the publication Editor,
Web Master and other communication officers, with the approval of the
Excom.

7. The Vice-Chair shall serve as chair in the absence of the Chair and
assist other Excom members.

8. The Recording Secretary shall: write the minutes for General and
Excom meetings; provide the minutes to the Editor and Web Master for
distribution; and maintain RESCUE MUNI records including Standing Rules
and past positions. Upon vacating the service, the Recording Secretary
shall transfer all records to his or her replacement.

9. The Corresponding Secretary shall be responsible for the collection,
distribution and filing of internal and external correspondence. Upon
vacating the service, the Corresponding Secretary shall transfer all
records to his or her replacement.

10. The Treasurer shall: be responsible for current financial
transactions; maintain financial records; provide a monthly report to the
Excom; and prepare an annual budget and financial report for the
Membership.

11. The Membership Secretary shall: maintain Membership records; prepare
the Membership mailing list; and lead Membership recruiting efforts.

12. The First, Second and Third Coordinating Excom members shall
coordinate the work of the separate Committees and support the work of
the Excom.

VI - COMMITTEES

1. Standing Committees may be created by the Excom or the Steercom.
Committees may only be dissolved by the creating body. Generally, the
Excom shall create administrative Committees and the Steercom shall
create policy issue Committees. A Committee may also be formally or
informally created by the Membership. A Committee is any group of three
or more Members who have regularly met together, at least four times
during the past year, to discuss any Muni or RESCUE MUNI subject or
issue, and have advised the Excom in writing that that they have formed a
committee. A Committee may request full Standing Committee status after
two meetings.

2. Committees and Standing Committees may recommend RESCUE policies to
the Steercom.

3. Committees and Standing Committees may recommend RESCUE
organizational and administrative procedures to the Excom.

4. Standing Committees may name any one of their members to the Steercom.
Standing Committees may nominate any RESCUE MUNI member as a candidate
for elected Excom and Steercom seats.

5. Committee policy recommendations, Steercom names and nominations shall
require signature support of at least three members of that Committee.
Recommendations shall be submitted in writing or electronically, with
sufficient time, before scheduled consideration by the Steercom, for
distribution among all Active Members. Committees shall generally comply
with Robert's Rules and establish their own procedures and select their
own officers. Committees shall participate in the implementation of
their policies after they become RESCUE MUNI policy.

6. All Committee meetings including Excom and Steercom, except the first,
shall be noticed in the RESCUE Web page and publications for at least one
week. Excom, Steercom and General Membership meeting notices shall
include all known agenda items proposed for consideration and action.
Other Committee notices should include agenda items. Meetings shall be
open to all. Members must be present to vote at Committees; proxies
shall not be permitted. Committee and Standing Committee chairs shall
provide a list of current members to the Membership Secretary and shall
notify the Membership Secretary of any changes to the list.

VII - ELECTIONS

1. Nominations shall be made at least one month prior to the General
Membership meeting at which elections are held. All candidates shall be
listed with resumes in the meeting notice. Elections shall be by secret
ballot; first selecting up to nine candidates for Excom and then
selecting up to ten candidates for Steercom.

2. Current Members may vote by mail-in ballot or at the meeting for Excom
and Steercom members and Bylaw Amendments. In the event of a tie the tied
candidates will all be considered as elected.

3. Terms of office for elected Excom and Steercom members shall begin at
noon on the first day of the month following the first election.
Election shall be held thereafter at a general Membership Meeting before
the expiration of terms of office of elected Excom and Steercom members,
no later than one week before and no sooner than two months before the
expiration of terms.

4. The first election for Excom members will be at a General Membership
Meeting in May 1997. Members may be nominated in any manner that allows
time for inclusion of their resume in the meeting notice. Any Member
present at the May meeting may vote.

5. For the Executive Committee elections held in May 1998, Members in
good standing as of the distribution of the Spring 1998 newsletter will be
considered eligible to vote by a mail-in ballot to be distributed and returned
no later than May 23, 1998. This provision will apply retroactively to the
General Meeting on May 11, 1998 if it is ratified in accordance with
Section X by July 1, 1998.

VIII - GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS

1. Regular General Membership Meetings shall be held at least quarterly
at varied times, days, and places. Committees should provide written
reports before each meeting.

2. The Excom and Steercom shall provide a written report of all of their
actions taken during the last quarter, as a consent calendar, before each
meeting. All actions of the Excom and Steercom are subject to override
at the next General Membership meeting if a majority of those eligible
to vote, in accordance with VII - 2., object.

3. Current, present Members may vote. Active Members may vote by mail-in
ballot or at the meeting.

IX - PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

1. These Bylaws shall become operative after approval by two-thirds of
those attending a RESCUE meeting called with Bylaws approval on the
agenda, after two weeks notice including printed or electronic
distribution of draft Bylaws.

2. Meetings shall be conducted according to Robert's Rules of Order,
current edition, except when in conflict with these Bylaws.

X - AMENDMENTS TO THESE BYLAWS

1. After adoption, these Bylaws may be amended by the following
procedure:

a. Any Active Member may submit a proposed Amendment for consideration to
the Excom. the Excom shall make their recommendation to the Membership
for consideration at the next General Membership meeting, except that
there may be no consideration of an Amendment without a vote of at least
40% of the Steercom to consider.

b. As an alternative a proposed amendment must be considered if it is
recommended for consideration by a petition signed by at least 10% of the
number of Active Members and received by the Excom before their regular
meeting that sets the General Membership Meeting agenda.

c. The proposed Amendment shall be adopted after approval by two-thirds
of the Members voting in accordance with VII - 2., at a
General Membership Meeting called with the published Amendment on the
agenda, after two weeks notice, including printed or electronic
distribution.