THE BY-LAWS

ARTICLE I Objects and Purposes
Section 1. The LPF shall not initiate any political action in a county affiliate's political domain. except get out the vote, voter registration drives, fundraising, or establishing new county affiliates

Section 2. A county affiliate may request political information and action from the LPF.

Section 3. The autonomy of an affiliate party shall not be abridged by the LPF Executive Committee, or other officer, committee or agent of the LPF - except as provided in the Constitution and By-Laws.


ARTICLE II Membership
Section 1. The privileges and duties of membership and delegate authority shall be prescribed in the Standing Rules.

Section 2. Membership classifications, privileges, duties and dues structures shall be provided in the Standing Rules.

Section 3. County affiliated parties shall be required to ratify the Constitution and By-Laws of the LPF along with a standard petition form adopted by the Executive Committee, subject to all specifications in the Standing Rules.

Section 4. Suspension of county affiliated parties shall be reserved to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall have the power to suspend affiliate status from any organization by two-thirds vote. Such notification of suspension is subject to a written appeal within thirty (30) days of the notification of suspension. Failure to appeal shall be interpreted as an act of secession by the affiliate. The suspension shall not be made within a period of six (6) months subsequent to an Annual Business Meeting.

Section 5. The affiliate may appeal to the next Annual Business Meeting for reinstatement.

Section 6. Suspension of officers or membership shall be conducted under the rules of suspension for affiliates as outlined in Sections Four (4) and Five (5) of this Article.


ARTICLE III Executive Committee (Title revised at the Annual Business Meeting, 5-25-97)
Section 1. The Officers and Directors-at-large of the Executive Committee shall be elected at the Annual Business Meeting by the delegate assembly majority vote for a period of two (2) years. The Chair, Vice-Chair and odd numbered Directors-at-large shall be elected in odd numbered years. The Secretary, Treasurer, and even numbered Directors-at-large shall be elected in even numbered years and in 2001. Regional Representatives shall be elected at the Annual Business Meeting and shall serve for a period of one (1) year. These Executive Committee members shall take office upon the close of the Annual Business Meeting and serve thereafter until the final adjournment of the Annual Business Meeting at which their terms expire. (Revised at the Annual Business Meeting, 3-3-01)

A. No offices shall be combined.
B. The Executive Committee shall fill vacancies by appointment.
C. The LPF should be notified within seven (7) days of the resignation of an Officer or member of the Executive Committee. (Amended at the Annual Business Meeting, 6-6-93)
D. No member of the Executive Committee or Standing Committees shall serve unless and until proof and maintenance of registration to vote as Libertarians in the State of Florida has been demonstrated to the Executive Committee. (First passed at the Annual Business Meeting, 5-28-89, reworded and passed at the Annual Business Meeting, 6-6-93)

Section 2. Duties

A. The Chair shall be the head of the LPF, presiding over all meetings of the party, convention, and Executive Committee. The Chairperson is the official spokesperson for the LPF, subject to the dictates of the constituted authorities of the Executive Committee and Convention.
B. The Vice-Chair shall serve as presiding officer in the absence of the Chair; shall be responsible for the committee work of the LPF; shall represent the committees at executive sessions; and shall serve as ex officio member of all committees.
C. The Secretary shall serve as recorder for all meetings of the party, conventions, and Executive Committee. The Secretary shall be the custodian of the minutes of all meetings, correspondence, committee reports, and the Constitution, By-Laws and Standing Rules, and shall make provision for legal service to the LPF. (Amended at the Annual Business Meeting, 6-6-93)
D. The Treasurer shall be custodian of all funds, receiving and disposing of the funds at the discretion of the Executive Committee and subject to the Standing Rules.
E.

a) The Executive Committee shall be responsible for creating a committee to maintain a current contact list of experts in fields related to election issues or interest in Libertarian candidates for use as data and advisory sources.
b) The Executive Committee shall establish a legislative review committee for the purpose of identifying Florida laws for change or repeal, and for making specific wording recommendations for use by Libertarian candidates and officers. (Entire subsection E added 3-29- 08, Orlando)

Section 3. Meetings of the Executive Committee

A. The powers and duties of the Executive Committee are prescribed by the Constitution, By-Laws and Standing Rules, and by the direction of the party at the Annual Business Meeting.
B. The Executive Committee shall meet as prescribed in the Standing Rules.
C. A quorum of the Executive Committee shall be eight (8) members of the Committee.(Quorum replaced by this number from seven (7) at the Annual Business Meeting 6-6-93)
D. Notice of all Executive Committee Meetings including location and call-in or webinar information will be sent to all County Chairs at least 14 days in advance to allow general membership attendance.
E. The EC shall make readily available, through the county chairs, all records of the EC including constitution, bylaws, standing rules, meeting minutes, agendas and financial reports. Making the EC Yahoo group (or its successor) available in a read only fashion to county chairs shall be deemed to satisfy this requirement.
F. The EC shall make readily available, through the county chairs, all motions being considered by extra-meeting vote as in Standing Rules Article V, Section 2

ARTICLE IV Meetings & Conventions, Objects of Action
Section 1. Annual Convention Dates
The Executive Committee shall set the date(s) of the Convention and Annual Business Meeting of the Libertarian Party of Florida with proper notice while coordinating with the host county affiliate. The date(s) shall be within six (6) months prior to due date of Libertarian National Convention delegate list submission. (Section inserted and other sections renumbered at the Annual Business Meeting, 10-8-00, Section amended 2-6-05 and 3-29-08).

Section 2. Agenda

A. The Executive Committee shall set the agenda and business of the LPF Annual Business Meetings and conventions.
B. The order of business must include the adoption of agenda. The meeting may amend the agenda by majority vote.

Section 3. Delegates

A. Delegates shall be members as prescribed in ARTICLE II of the Constitution. Each delegate must have been a member of the LPF and a registered Libertarian voter in Florida for at least 60 days prior to the Annual Business Meeting; the 60 day rule may be suspended by two-thirds vote of the delegate assembly seated at the opening of the Annual Business Meeting who have met the 60 day requirement (Semi-colon and section after the semi-colon added at the Annual Business Meeting 2-1-03). The officers of the Party shall be the officers of the Annual Business Meeting. (Second sentence passed at the Annual Business Meeting, 6-4-94 and revised at the Annual Business Meeting, 5-24-97) (Revised at the Annual Business Meeting, 2-1-03)
B. Each delegate must sign the Libertarian Party of Florida Affirmation of Qualifications for Delegate form. (Amended at the Annual Business Meeting 3-3-01) (Reworded at the Annual Business Meeting 2-1-03)
C. Credentials: Each affiliate chair shall be responsible for submitting a list of delegates from his/her county to the Secretary of the LPF at least 45 days prior to the start of the general business meeting of the convention. Each Regional Representative of the LPF shall be responsible for submitting a list of delegates from each unaffiliated county in his/her region, to the Secretary of the LPF at least 45 days prior to the start of the general business meeting of the convention. Individual members may submit their own names to the Secretary of the LPF. The Secretary of the LPF, or his/her authorized representatives, shall be responsible for verifying the membership and voter registration requirements of each delegate. (Sections B and C passed at the Annual Business Meeting, 6-5-94; revised at the Annual Business Meeting, 5-24-97)

Section 4. Parliamentary Authority Robert's Rules of Order as most recently revised shall be the parliamentary authority for all matters not covered by the Constitution, By-Laws and Standing Rules.

Section 5. Annual Conventions

A. The Executive Committee shall APPOINT the committees and host affiliate at least one hundred eighty (180) DAYS before the date of the annual convention. (Amended at the Annual Business Meeting, 3-3-01). The Executive Committee shall also NOTIFY the state party members at least 60 DAYS before the Annual Business Meeting. (Added at the Annual Business Meeting 3-3-01).
B. The committees shall report recommendations to the floor of the convention at the Annual Business Meeting in accordance with the Standing Rules.
C. The Nominating Committee shall compile the nomination applications for delegates to the National Convention and state officers and Executive Committee. It shall present these candidates to the membership at the Annual Business Meeting without recommendation. Nominations from the floor may be made to amend this report.
D. The Platform Committee shall make recommendations for the platform and Statement of Principles.
E. The Rules Committee shall be the deliberative body in matters of dispute and its decisions may be appealed to the Executive Committee or the members at the Annual Business Meeting in assembly according to the Standing Rules.
F. The host affiliate shall serve as the Convention Committee and make all arrangements for the physical needs of the convention. Party meetings may also be hosted by affiliates.
G. The Chairperson or the Executive Committee may appoint such committees as are deemed necessary to conduct the business of the LPF and its meetings.

Section 6. Finance and Accounting

A. The fiscal year of the LPF shall begin on January 1 of each year.
B. The Treasurer shall be the chief finance officer.
C. The Executive Committee shall cause an efficient system of accounting and budgeting to be installed and maintained, including audit and legal necessities. All expenditures exceeding $25.00 shall be made by check.
D. The party checking account must be established to require two signatures per check on all checks in excess of $500. The Treasurer shall be responsible for signing checks in the normal course of business. There must be, at least, three (3) authorized signatures on the checking account. The signers will include the Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and the Treasurer. When a check is issued to a signer, other authorized signer(s) must sign and/or cosign this check.
E. The Executive Committee shall have the power to delegate the handling of funds.
F. It is essential for any growing organization to have good accounting practices. The following items shall be established as requirements for expenditure of Party funds. (Amended at the Annual Business Meeting (3-3-01)

1. Each Executive Committee member or Committee Chair, requesting, reimbursement for expenses, shall submit an expense report each month to the Chair for approval prior to being reimbursed by the Treasurer. Such a report shall list dates, items purchased, reasons, and shall be accompanied by receipts. These reports shall include only minor operating expenses unless the Executive Committee gave prior authorization.
2. No purchase shall be made or authorized by the LPF unless there are sufficient funds to recompense.
3. No one shall have the authority to contract for goods or services on behalf of the LPF without prior written approval of the Executive Committee.
4. It shall be the intent of the LPF to conduct its business affairs in a fair and honorable fashion.

ARTICLE V Adoption & Amendments
Section 1. Adoption of the By-Laws will be consistent with the adoption of the Constitution.

Section 2. Amendments may be made in the following manner:

A. When a proposed amendment is accepted by the Rules Committee and ratified by more than 50% of the affiliated Parties, or
B. When a proposed amendment is presented by the Rules Committee or from the floor at the Annual Business Meeting and is approved by a majority vote of the delegates.