Census

Bylaws (Revised: July 1, 1993)

ARTICLE I. Name

The name of the organization shall be the State Data Center Program Steering Committee.

ARTICLE II. Objectives

To represent the interests of the member agencies of the State Data Center and Business and Industry Data Center Programs.
To advise the Bureau of the Census on the administration and operation of the State Data Center Program.
To assist the Bureau of the Census in planning the operations, subject content and data products of future decennial censuses, economic censuses, agriculture censuses, censuses of governments and various surveys and other programs of the Bureau of the Census.
To plan and conduct the Annual Meeting of the State Data Center Program.
To improve cooperation among the individual member agencies and between the member agencies and the Bureau of the Census.

The existence of the State Data Center Program Steering Committee shall in no way discourage, hinder or preclude direct contact between individual member agencies and the Bureau of the Census or any other organization.

ARTICLE III. Eligibility, Term, Election and Nominating Committee

Section 1 - Eligibility

The State Data Center Program Steering Committee shall consist of nine (9) members elected at large from the member states, and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the territories. Membership in the State Data Center Program shall mean that an executed Joint Statistical Agreement for participation in the State Data Center or Business and Industry Data Center programs is on file at the Bureau of the Census.

Representatives of State Data Center and Business and Industry Data Center Lead and Coordinating Agencies shall be eligible for nomination to and service on the State Data Center Steering Committee.

Section 2 - Term

Elected members of the State Data Center Program Steering Committee shall serve a term of three (3) years, with a subsequent required leave of two (2) years following two (2) consecutive terms. After those two years, a member shall be eligible to run for election again. Current Steering Committee members elected under the original By-Laws shall be eligible to run for a new term under the new rules following the expiration of their current term.

Three (3) member positions are open for election each year. In transition, for the 1993 election, the top three vote recipients will receive full three-year terms, while the fourth highest vote recipient will receive a special two-year term. For the 1994 election, the top three vote recipients will receive full three-year terms, while the fourth and fifth highest vote recipients will receive special one-year terms. Members elected under these special two and one-year transition assignments will be eligible to seek election to full three-year terms following their completion. Beginning in 1995, all three three-year terms awarded in each election are to the highest vote recipients.

Steering committee terms end and begin as the first order of business at the Steering Committee meeting immediately preceding, and on the same day as, the commencement of the Annual Meeting of Members.

Vacancies occurring before the expiration of term shall be filled by the Chairperson of the Steering Committee who shall appoint an eligible member to serve until the next general election. The selection of an eligible member shall be ratified by majority vote of the members of the Steering Committee.

At the general election, the highest vote recipient not gaining a full term, or a transition term as described above, shall be selected to complete the vacated original term. The member fulfilling this term shall be eligible to compete for a full term immediately following the completion of this term.

Section 3 - Election

Election to the State Data Center Program Steering Committee shall be by mail or facsimile (fax) ballot. Each member state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the territories shall be eligible to cast one (1) vote each for each vacancy on the Steering Committee. Ballots shall be distributed only to Lead Agencies of all State Data Centers not fewer than thirty (30) days prior to the opening session of the Annual Meeting and Lead Agencies shall have not fewer than fifteen (15) working days to return the ballot. Ballots shall be tabulated and the results transmitted in writing to the Chairperson of the Steering Committee prior to the opening session of the Annual Meeting. Ballots shall be prepared, distributed and tabulated by a Nominating Committee appointed annually by the Chairperson of the State Data Center Program Steering Committee. Steering Committee vacancies will be filled in descending order of the number of votes received. Tie votes for the final vacancy shall be decided by majority vote of the Steering Committee.

The State Data Center Lead Agency representative responsible for voting in each state or area shall be encouraged to directly contact other State Data Center and Business and Industry Data Center Lead and Coordinating Agencies for input on voting for that state.

Section 4 - Nominating Committee

The Chairperson of the State Data Center Program Steering Committee shall appoint a Nominating Committee of three (3) persons, one of whom shall be a member of the Steering Committee in the first year of his/her term. Such appointment shall be made during the business portion of the Annual Meeting and the powers of the Committee shall begin at the time of appointment and terminate with the transmittal of election results to the Steering Committee Chairperson prior to the next succeeding Annual Meeting.

The Nominating Committee shall distribute information about the duties and obligations of Steering Committee service to all eligible agencies and shall solicit volunteers to stand for election to the Steering committee. The names of volunteers must be mailed (postmarked) or faxed (date-stamped) to the Nominating Committee on or before August 1st. The Nominating Committee shall prepare a ballot from the list of volunteers and shall transmit the ballot in writing to the Chairperson not later than the first day of September. The ballot shall contain at least as many names as there are vacancies to be filled. In the event, but only in the event, of there being an insufficient number of names to fill the vacancies, the Nominating Committee may extend the period of solicitation or accept late postmarked or date-stamped volunteer applications.

The Nominating Committee shall distribute the ballot to all State Data Center Lead Agencies, under the provisions of article IV, Section 3, above, with instructions for voting.

ARTICLE IV. Officers

The members of the State Data Center Program Steering Committee shall choose annually from among their number a chairperson, a vice-chairperson and a secretary. These offices shall be filled as the second order of business at a Steering Committee meeting immediately preceding, and on the same day as, the commencement of the Annual Meeting. The terms of officers will begin at this order and will conclude upon this order at the next succeeding Annual Meeting.

The Chairperson shall preside at Steering Committee meetings and at the Annual Meeting of State Data Centers. The Chairperson shall sign all Steering Committee correspondence and may appoint any member of the Steering Committee to specific tasks or projects as necessary. The Vice-chairperson shall perform the duties of the Chairperson in the absence of the Chairperson and shall succeed the Chairperson should the office be vacated.

The Secretary shall record the minutes of Steering Committee meetings and shall report the proceedings to the membership. The outgoing Secretary shall provide an Annual Review of Steering Committee activities to the membership during the business portion of the Annual Meeting.

ARTICLE V. Annual Meeting

The Chairperson of the State Data Center Program Steering Committee, in cooperation with the bureau of the Census, shall convene the membership of the Program at least once per calendar year to conduct the necessary business of the Program. Such meeting shall be held during the month of October if practicable.

ARTICLE VI. Committees

The Chairperson of the State Data Center Program Steering Committee may appoint temporary or standing committees as deemed necessary and appropriate to accomplish the goals of the Program. Representatives of the State Data Center and the Business and Industry Data Center Lead Agencies, Coordinating Agencies and Affiliates are eligible to serve on committees.

ARTICLE VII. Issues and Actions

Individual member agencies may bring any issues before the Steering Committee by directing written correspondence to any member of the Steering Committee. Such correspondence shall be circulated to all Committee members and the individual member originating the correspondence shall be informed in writing what action, if any, the Committee has taken.

ARTICLE VIII. Amendments

Amendments to these By-Laws shall be adopted by two-thirds of the members of the State Data Center Program Steering Committee subject to ratification by a majority mail or fax vote of member State Data Centers. For purposes of ratifying Amendments, each State, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the territories shall cast one (1) vote each.