Overview
APTA PA is presenting to our members an amendment to the current bylaws. Please take a moment to review but what follows is an overview of the amendment.
- APTA changed the time period for voting for national offices
- This change would affect the current elected delegates for voting purposes as the delegates terms end September 31, 2024 and the actual national vote will occur November 2024
- The bylaw amendment would increase the current term and allow for the completion of work for the 2023-24 APTA PA Delegates
- The change will put us into compliance with bylaw changes from APTA related to delegates
- There is also an editorial change associated with this amendment.
- The PTA caucus will change names to the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Council
- This is mandated by the APTA and will take effect immediately
What can you do?
- The bylaw change needs to be posted for 30 days, please review the support statement as well as the updated language
- In 30 days, you will see an announcement that APTA PA will be hosting a meeting regarding the member vote
- A meeting is a requirement of our bylaws
- The only topic that will be discussed is the opening of member voting.
- As soon as this is approved the official vote will be opened to members
- The plan is to host a 72-hour voting window
- It is important to vote as we are required to have 120 voting members to meet our quorum
APTA PA thanks you in advance for your consideration
2024 Bylaw update
Support statement: Each year, APTA Pennsylvania has delegates represent our chapter in the APTA House of Delegates, the representative governance body of APTA. The role of delegates is to debate and vote for policies and positions for APTA and to elect the APTA Board of Directors and Nominating Committee. The president and chief delegate of APTA PA are two of our delegates with the remaining delegates being elected by district. Delegate terms are for two years with new delegate elections being conducted every other year.
Historically, the APTA House of Delegates was held as a three day in-person meeting during the Summer. APTA Pennsylvania’s bylaws currently reflect the traditional timing of the APTA House of Delegates and require delegates to be elected by October 1st. The bylaws also state that delegate terms run from October 1st to September 30th. However, this year APTA has moved toward a year-round governance structure. The 2024 House of delegates began on April 13th with a virtual meeting of the House of Delegates, will convene in Kansas City, Missouri on July 21st, and 22nd for motion debate, and will end on November 7th with a virtual meeting. The purpose of the November virtual meeting will be to conduct elections for APTA national offices.
Our bylaws, as currently written, mean that our current delegates would have their terms end between the second and third meetings of the House, and therefore they would not be able to vote in the national elections in November. In addition, we would have new delegates starting their terms midway through the national election cycle with very little time to catch up prior to voting on November 7th. The same is true for our elected PTA Representative who represents Pennsylvania in the PTA Council.
The proposed amendments remove specific dates from the bylaws and instead tie delegate elections and terms to the House of Delegates schedule. Instead of delegate elections needing to be complete by October 1st, delegates would be elected, at the latest, 60 days before the House of Delegates that they would serve in. Delegate terms would begin upon election or at the close of the previous House of Delegates if the election occurs before the end of the House.
If approved, the bylaws would go into effect as soon as voting closes. Meaning that our current delegates would be able to finish serving in the 2024 House of Delegates and vote in the national elections in November. Removing specific calendar dates and instead tying the start and end of delegate terms to the House schedule also provides flexibility for the future if further changes to the House of Delegates are made.
By removing the specific date as a deadline for delegate elections, the proposed amendments also allow APTA PA greater flexibility in the timing of our delegate elections. This would mean that delegate elections could be done at the same time as elections for other chapter offices instead of needing to have elections twice in one year. This would help APTA PA to achieve a quorum in elections and help to prevent election fatigue for members.
This amendment also contains an editorial change to the name of the PTA Engagement Group from Physical Therapist Assistant Caucus (PTA Caucus) to Physical Therapist Assistant Council (PTA Council). This change has been mandated by APTA and will be made regardless of the passage of this motion.
MOTION
AMEND: THE BYLAWS OF APTA PENNSYLVANIA TO ALIGN THE TERMS OF OFFICE OF DELEGATES AND THE PTA REPRESENTATIVE WITH THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES CALENDAR.
Note: Triple asterisks (* * *) indicate language that is not being amended and therefore has not been included in order to make the document more concise.
Note: This is a motion with 2 conforming amendments – Parts A – B.
PART A
That Bylaws of the American Physical Therapy Association Pennsylvania, Article IX. Delegates to the Association House of Delegates, Section 2: Selection or Election, part 3, be amended to align delegate elections and terms of service with sessions of the House of Delegates instead of the annual calendar.
SECTION 2. SELECTION OR ELECTION
* * *
B. All delegates shall be selected by October 1 of the year preceding the term at least sixty (60) days prior to the session of the House of Delegates in which they are to serve, except where persons who serve by virtue of their office have not yet been elected. These delegates shall be appointed as soon as their appropriate term of office begins.
C. The term of delegate shall be for two years two annual sessions of the House of Delegates. Terms of all delegates, except that of the Chief Delegate and President, shall be from October 1 (1st Year) to September 30 (2ndYear) begin immediately following the conclusion of the preceding session of the House of Delegates, or upon election if the election occurs after the session of the House of Delegates has ended. Delegates serve until their successors take office. Those terms met by virtue of office held shall coincide with their terms of office.
PART B
That Bylaws of the American Physical Therapy Association Pennsylvania, Article XI. Representative to the Physical Therapist Assistant Caucus (PTA Caucus), Section 2. Election and Term, be amended to align the election and term of service of the PTA Representative with sessions of the House of Delegates instead of the calendar.
[Note: This amendment also contains an editorial change to the name of the PTA Engagement Group from Physical Therapist Assistant Caucus (PTA Caucus) to Physical Therapist Assistant Council (PTA Council). This change has been mandated by APTA and will be made regardless of the passage of this motion.]
ARTICLE XI. REPRESENTATIVE TO THE PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT CAUCUS COUNCIL (PTA CAUCUS COUNCIL)
* * *
SECTION 2. ELECTION AND TERM. The nominating committee of the chapter will solicit names of members of the chapter. The representative to the PTA Caucus Council from the chapter will be elected by mail or electronic ballot by the Physical Therapist Assistant, Retired Physical Therapist Assistant, and Life Physical Therapist Assistant members of the chapter. The Pennsylvania representative to the PTA Caucus Council shall be elected for a two-year term two annual sessions of the House of Delegates. The runner-up in the election shall serve as the alternate. The term becomes effective the first of October, following the election immediately following the conclusion of the preceding session of the House of Delegates, or upon election if the election occurs after the session of the House of Delegates has ended. The representative serves until their successor takes office.
SECTION 3. DUTIES OF THE REPRESENTATIVE
A. To attend the annual and special meetings of the PTA Caucus Council.
B. To present to the PTA Caucus Council such matters as are suggested by the Board of Directors, Executive Committee, or Chapter delegation.
C. To vote at meetings of the PTA Caucus Council in accordance with policies of the chapter.
D. To attend all meetings of the Chapter Delegation unless otherwise specified by the Chief Delegate.
Support statement: Each year, APTA Pennsylvania has delegates represent our chapter in the APTA House of Delegates, the representative governance body of APTA. The role of delegates is to debate and vote for policies and positions for APTA and to elect the APTA Board of Directors and Nominating Committee. The president and chief delegate of APTA PA are two of our delegates with the remaining delegates being elected by district. Delegate terms are for two years with new delegate elections being conducted every other year.
Historically, the APTA House of Delegates was held as a three day in-person meeting during the Summer. APTA Pennsylvania’s bylaws currently reflect the traditional timing of the APTA House of Delegates and require delegates to be elected by October 1st. The bylaws also state that delegate terms run from October 1st to September 30th. However, this year APTA has moved toward a year-round governance structure. The 2024 House of delegates began on April 13th with a virtual meeting of the House of Delegates, will convene in Kansas City, Missouri on July 21st, and 22nd for motion debate, and will end on November 7th with a virtual meeting. The purpose of the November virtual meeting will be to conduct elections for APTA national offices.
Our bylaws, as currently written, mean that our current delegates would have their terms ended between the second and third meetings of the House, and therefore they would not be able to vote in the national elections in November. In addition, we would have new delegates starting their terms midway through the national election cycle with very little time to catch up prior to voting on November 7th. The same is true for our elected PTA Representative who represents Pennsylvania in the PTA Council.
The proposed amendments remove specific dates from the bylaws and instead tie delegate elections and terms to the House of Delegates schedule. Instead of delegate elections needing to be complete by October 1st, delegates would be elected, at the latest, 60 days before the House of Delegates that they would serve in. Delegate terms would begin upon election or at the close of the previous House of Delegates if the election occurs before the end of the House.
If approved, the bylaws would go into effect as soon as voting closes. Meaning that our current delegates would be able to finish serving in the 2024 House of Delegates and vote in the national elections in November. Removing specific calendar dates and instead tying the start and end of delegate terms to the House schedule also provides flexibility for the future if further changes to the House of Delegates are made.
By removing the specific date as a deadline for delegate elections, the proposed amendments also allow APTA PA greater flexibility in the timing of our delegate elections. This would mean that delegate elections could be done at the same time as elections for other chapter offices instead of needing to have elections twice in one year. This would help APTA PA to achieve a quorum in elections and help to prevent election fatigue for members.
This amendment also contains an editorial change to the name of the PTA Engagement Group from Physical Therapist Assistant Caucus (PTA Caucus) to Physical Therapist Assistant Council (PTA Council). This change has been mandated by APTA and will be made regardless of the passage of this motion.
