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Bylaws

Bylaws

Article I—Name

The name of this organization shall be the Ethical, Legal, Forensics, and Societal Issues Specialty Section of the Society of Toxicology hereinafter designated at the Ethical, Legal, Forensics, and Societal Issues Specialty Section (ELFSI).

Article II—Objectives

The objectives of the Ethical, Legal, Forensics, and Societal Issues Specialty Section are:

To serve as the focal point for interaction of members of the Society of Toxicology interested in Ethical, Legal, Forensics, and Societal Issues related to toxicology.

To develop, propose, and conduct programs and educational activities that emphasize the latest developments in Ethical, Legal, Forensics, and Societal Issues related to toxicology.

To relate those developments to the activities of the Society of Toxicology and to stimulate new growth in Ethical, Legal, Forensics, and Societal Issues as they relate to the science of toxicology.

To act as a resource to the Society in the area of the Ethical, Legal, Forensics, and Societal Issues related to the science of toxicology with a particular emphasis on the bioethical issues raised by advance in the toxicological sciences.

Article III—Membership

All members in good standing of the Society of Toxicology shall become members of the Ethical, Legal, Forensics, and Societal Issues Specialty Section upon payment of Specialty Section dues. A member of the Ethical, Legal, Forensics, and Societal Issues Specialty Section will be dropped from membership if dues are not paid on an annual basis or if they are not a member in good standing of the SOT.

Article IV—Officers and Councilors

The Ethical, Legal, Forensics, and Societal Issues Specialty Section Officers shall be President, Vice President, Vice President-Elect, and Secretary-Treasurer. There shall be three Councilors. The Vice President-Elect shall be elected annually and the Secretary-Treasurer biannually by the Specialty Section members. They shall serve until their successors are installed. Officers and Councilors shall take office on May 1.

Article V—Election of Officers and Councilors

Section 1. The office of the Presidency shall be for a term of one year. The President, after serving one year, shall be designated immediate Past-President for one year. The President shall preside at all meetings.

Section 2. The Vice President shall become the President of the Specialty section after serving one year as Vice President. The Vice President shall serve in the absence of the President.

Section 3. A Vice President-elect shall be elected by a majority vote of the ballots cast, and shall become the Vice President of the Specialty Section after serving one year as Vice President-elect. The Vice President-elect shall serve in the absence of the President and Vice President.

Section 4. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be chosen by vote of the membership for a term of two years.

Section 5. There shall be three Councilors, who, together with the officers, will comprise the Executive Committee. One shall be elected each year. The third Councilor shall be the immediate Past President.

Section 6. A Nominating Committee consisting of not less than three members shall be appointed by the Executive Committee of the Specialty Section (i.e., the officers plus Councilors), within two months following installation of officers. The Committee shall provide a slate of candidates for each election.

Section 7. Elections shall be held annually by mail ballot or electronic ballot. Ballots shall be sent to all SOT Members who have paid Ethical, Legal, Forensics, and Societal Issues section dues as of January 1 of the election year. The SOT or secretary of the Specialty Section will mail ballots or sent electronic ballots, any costs will be charged to the Ethical, Legal, Forensics, and Societal Issues Section.

Section 8. In the event of a vacancy in the Presidency, the Vice President accedes to that office. Similarly, the Vice President-elect accedes to the office of the Vice President should that office become vacant. A special election must be held to fill the Vice President-elect vacancy, but the Executive Committee may make an appointment to fill the vacancy until such time that an election can be conducted.

Article VI—Administration

Section 1. The Specialty Section shall be governed by the Executive Committee.

Section 2. The Executive Committee shall consist of the four elected officers plus the three Councilors. The President of the Section shall be the chairperson of the Executive Committee. Four members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Section 3. The President will preside at all meeting of the Specialty Section and of the Executive Committee and shall perform such other duties as may be directed by the Executive Committee. In the President’s absence, the Vice President shall act for the President.

Section 4. The Specialty Section shall comply with provisions for continued authorization by the Society of Toxicology.

The Specialty Section shall provide annual reports of the activities and finances for the current year as well as plans of programs, activities, and finances for the following year. Annual reports shall be submitted to the SOT Executive Director by August 31 of each year.

The SOT Council shall review annual reports and plans.

The SOT Committee shall consult with the Specialty Section as necessary concerning continued authorization of the Specialty Section.

Society of Toxicology authorization shall be withdrawn from the Specialty Section if it fails to comply with the provisions for continued authorization.

Specialty Section policy statements must be reviewed and approved by the Society of Toxicology in advance.

Section 5. The Secretary-treasurer shall pay authorized bills incurred by the Specialty Section as directed by the Executive Committee. Dues and all other funds will be collected and held by SOT for use exclusively by the Specialty Section. The successor to the Secretary-treasurer shall receive all property of the section following installation of office. The Secretary-treasurer shall record all transactions of all meetings of the Section and the Executive Committee, and shall be responsible for the correspondence of the Section, and shall maintain a list of members and their status.

Section 6. Any Specialty Section funds or other property remaining at the time of termination or abandonment or dissolution of the Section shall be turned over to the Society of Toxicology and shall become a part of the Society’s general funds; no part of any such funds or property shall inure to the benefit of any member or officer of, or person associated with, the Section.

Article VII—Meetings

Section 1. Meetings shall be held at least annually and as dictated by the scientific and educational programs of the Section. The time and place of each meeting shall be established by the Program Committee and communicated to the membership at least two weeks before each meeting.

Section 2. Special meetings may be called by the president at any time with the approval of the Executive Committee or by presentation to the President of a petition signed by 20% of the membership in good standing.

Section 3. A quorum shall consist of 20% of the members in good standing.

Section 4. Executive Committee meetings shall be held at the discretion of the President provided that each of the members of the Committee is notified at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting.

Article VIII—Dues

Dues will be established and charged by the SOT Council.

Article IX—Committees

Section 1. The Vice President shall be the Chairperson of the Program Committee whose members are appointed by the Chairperson. The Program Committee shall develop scientific and educational programs consistent with the objectives of the Ethical, Legal, Forensics, and Societal Issues Specialty Section, and provide copies of the material to the Secretary-treasurer who will, in turn, notify the SOT Council prior to developing the program. The Program Committee shall coordinate its activities with the SOT Program Committee and with other appropriate Specialty Sections.

Section 2. The President shall appoint other committees as required and shall automatically act as an ex-officio member of such committees. Members of such committees shall serve at the discretion of the President.

Article X—Amendments

Section 1. Amendments to these Bylaws may be presented by any member of the Specialty Section in good standing at any regular meeting of the Section or at any special meeting called for that specific purpose. They shall be presented in writing and shall be offered to the membership present at that meeting on motion for consideration and circulation to the membership. A simple majority shall be necessary to pass the motion.

Amendments accepted for future consideration and circulation shall be printed and circulated with a ballot to all members in good standing. A two-thirds affirmative vote of the ballots returned within 30 days shall be necessary for adoption of any amendment.

Section 2. Amendments to these Bylaws must be approved by the Council of the Society of Toxicology before they become effective. This is done to insure the Section that future changes in these Bylaws will have the same force as the original, which was so approved.