BY LAWS of the York/Adams Chapter of PIAA- Registered Track & Field Officials
Version Control:
By-laws Adopted May 16, 2018
Chapter Addendums 1-4 adopted May 10, 2021
PIAA Updates of August 9, 2022
Chapter Addendum 1 Revisions adopted March 27, 2023
ARTICLE I NAME
The name of this organization of registered PIAA Sports Officials shall be the York/Adams Chapter of PIAA- Registered Track & Field Officials.
ARTICLE II PURPOSE
To unite under a common bond, and in various chapters dedicated to a particular sport throughout the PIAA, all Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Inc. registered Sports Officials into a unified statewide organization.
To study the appropriate Contest rules and to discuss their intent for uniform interpretations, and to progressively improve the quality of sports officiating through the study of approved mechanics.
To establish, promote, and maintain a code of officiating ethics, and to conduct each athletic contest as an instrumentality in the development of character, good sportsmanship, and a high level of American citizenship.
To cooperate with the appropriate National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Rules Committee in the advancement of that sport as a recognized and wholesome form of physical development and recreation.
To progressively improve and elevate the officiating standards of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, Inc., and to maintain the integrity of the highly competitive ideals of the Association.
To render a more efficient service to the member schools of the Association through cooperative efforts, and development of professional attitudes towards their athletic programs.
ARTICLE III ORGANIZATION
Local Chapters of Registered Sports Officials of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, Inc. shall be organized by the PIAA Office in all districts where deemed necessary, in order to meet the service demands of prescribed areas on a statewide basis. Chapters must meet the minimum requirement of fifteen (15) members to start a chapter. The Executive Director shall have sole discretion to approve or reject proposed chapters. The Executive Director may consider recommendations of the District Committee and District Officials’ Representatives from the District.
Upon the completion of all necessary conditions and procedures, the Executive Director may issue an official charter to each Chapter, signed by the President and the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, Inc
The chapter shall specify the sport to be administered, and chapter activity shall be confined to the sport so authorized and designated.
Charters may be revoked when a chapter (1) fails to fulfill one or more of the purposes set forth in ARTICLE II herein and/or (2) does not show growth within 18 months from the time charter was issued, when said charter is granted solely upon the possibility of growth. Chapters who fall below 15 members will be requested to merge with the nearest chapter.
ARTICLE IV MEMBERSHIP
All registered PIAA officials, in good standing, shall be required to affiliate with one of the established chapters of their own choice in the sport of their official registration.
All PIAA officials’ applicants shall be required to affiliate with an appropriate chapter within fifteen (15) days after notification by PIAA.
Transfer of membership to another similar chapter may be affected by mutual agreement of the chapters concerned if the official is moving out of the official’s geographical area. The PIAA Office, with written approval of the Executive Director, must approve all other transfers. In order to ensure that a transfer is properly executed by an official, a letter of release from the chapter the official is transferring from as well as a letter of acceptance from the chapter the official is transferring to should be obtained by the official requesting the transfer with a copy of same being forwarded to the PIAA Office.
Upon written application, honorary membership may be granted, by chapter action, to any official who voluntarily ceases to be active, provided however, the official has served a minimum of fifteen (15) years on active status.
Chapter By-Laws Addendum 4 -The chapter treasury will pay all or a portion of the annual liability insurance premium for active members who do not have other liability coverage that meets PIAA requirements.
ARTICLE V REGISTRATION FEES
1. There shall be no fee attached to the issuance of any charter.
2. Fees for officials, payable to the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, Inc. (PIAA), shall be as follows:
a) Initial registration fee ...................................................... $40.00
b) To maintain registration in each sport.............................. $55.00
3. Annual registration fee(s) are due and payable to the PIAA, postmarked on or before February 28 or February 29 in a leap year, for the subsequent school year. Any official not remitting annual registration fee(s) by the above stated deadline, will be assessed a penalty charge of $25.00. In addition, any official not remitting annual registration fee(s) and penalty, postmarked by March 31, will be suspended for one year.
4. The individual chapter in each locality, by a majority vote, may assess its affiliate’s annual registration fees, payable to the chapter treasurer, for operating expenses of that chapter.
5. Chapter secretaries are permitted to recommend, in writing, to the Executive Director, the suspension of officials for non-payment of chapter registration fees.
ARTICLE VI RULES AND REGULATIONS
The PIAA Office shall codify and promulgate the various rules and regulations in accordance with the PIAA Constitution and Board of Directors decisions governing the organization of all chapters.
All new rules and subsequent changes shall be binding upon all chapters the season immediately following their adoption by the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, Inc.
ARTICLE VII OFFICERS AND DUTIES
The officers of each chapter shall be registered PIAA officials who are on active status with their chapter and shall be: President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer, or Secretary- Treasurer, and Interpreter.
The term of each office shall be for one year. Each officer must be elected for a one-year term.
The duties of each officer shall be those pertinent to the office and ordinarily performed by each officer, or as may be directed by the President of the Chapter.
Chapter By-Laws Addendum 1 – Chapter Voting: Nominations for chapter officers will be accepted at the second from last meeting held during each season (Nominations Meeting). Voting will be conducted at the next to last chapter meeting (Voting Meeting). Results will be announced at the last chapter meeting (Business Meeting). Voting procedures, including the use of absentee voting, will be defined and administered by chapter officers.
Chapter By-Laws Addendum 2 - Officers and Duties: Chapter Officers may be elected to serve a second, consecutive one-year term provided the current officer is nominated to serve a second term, the current officer accepts the nomination, and this nomination is approved by the vote of the majority of the chapter membership at the annual Nominations Meeting. If an officer is not elected to a second term by this process, nominations and voting will be conducted as described in Article VII - Chapter By-Laws Addendum 1.
ARTICLE VIII EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
There shall be an Executive Committee consisting of all the elected officers, and at least two other members of the chapter elected at the annual business meeting of the chapter.
The Executive Committee shall conduct all necessary business of the chapter between the annual business meeting and the next successive meeting of the chapter.
The Executive Committee shall authorize and direct the President to appoint such standing and special committees as it may deem necessary or desirable for the efficient operation of the chapter.
An officer shall incur no financial obligations relative to chapter activities or any committee thereof, except as may be specifically authorized by the Executive Committee of the chapter.
Chapter By-Laws Addendum 3 - The Executive Committee shall consist of the immediate past-president and two at-large members who shall be elected at the annual voting meeting of the chapter.
ARTICLE IX MEETINGS
A chapter, in order to maintain its charter, shall meet no less than six (6) times (Board of Directors’ July 23, 2014) during its specific sport season to accommodate the needs of their affiliates. This number shall be regarded as the minimum in any sport season. Chapters are permitted to hold the annual mandatory rules interpretation meeting and regular chapter meetings on the same day.
Chapters must hold meetings, minimally, from the first Practice date through the last Regular Season Contest date, within the months established by the PIAA per sport season.
Meetings are to be held between the following dates specified below:
Fall sports meetings are to take place between July 1st and November 30th
Winter sports meetings are to take place between October 1st and March 31st
Spring sports meetings are to take place between February 1st and June 30th
It is recommended that each meeting be scheduled for minimally ninety minutes in length for chapters to handle attendance, approve previous meeting minutes, handle old and new business, and spend a quality portion on officiating mechanics and rules interpretations.
Scrimmages, clinics, or similar functions cannot count as a meeting unless the entire chapter membership can attend and it is advertised to the chapter well in advance of the date of occurrence.
Each chapter must conduct at least one (1) meeting between the annual mandatory rules interpretation meeting and the first Regular Season Contest date of that sport. Officials cannot get credit for more than three (3) chapter meetings before the first regular season play date. It is highly recommended that officials attend their own chapter meetings for their continuing educational component (Minutes, Board of Directors meeting, July 26, 2012).
All officials involved in volleyball with dual seasons, must attend one (1) PIAA annual mandatory rules interpretation meeting in the summer and must attend a minimum of four (4) chapter meetings during the fall sports’ season. In addition, it is recommended that all officials who officiate in the spring attend one (1) "review" rules interpretation meeting before the start of the spring sports’ season, which shall be conducted by the chapter interpreter prior to the second Monday in March (Minutes, Board of Directors, PIAA Summer Workshop, July 19, 2017).
ARTICLE X ATTENDANCE
At the beginning of each sports’ season, all chapter secretaries shall review their chapter rosters online for completeness, which should include a complete roster, including names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the affiliates of the chapter. Any discrepancies should be reported to the PIAA Office.
All chapter secretaries shall maintain an accurate record of attendance of officials at all chapter meetings.
Eligibility for maintaining membership, as a PIAA registered official, shall depend upon actual attendance of a minimum of four (4) meetings of any number of meetings conducted during a particular sport’s season, and attendance at the Annual Mandatory Rules Interpretation Meeting.
When the operation of Section 3 of this Article would impose an undue personal hardship on any individual the provisions thereof may be set aside for that particular official, by specific action of the Executive Director, or the Executive Director’s designee.
The secretary will enter meeting attendance online for the Rules Interpretation and Chapter meetings, preferably within 24 hours of the meeting, but no later than seven (7) days.
At the close of each sport’s season, each chapter secretary shall submit to the PIAA Office an End of Year Chapter Summary Report showing any changes which have taken place in the chapter membership for the current sports’ season. If there are no changes to the chapter officers, the form must still be submitted listing the officers for the coming season. In addition to the End of Year Chapter Summary Report, each chapter will enter the next sports’ season chapter meeting dates into the PIAA website.
All chapter interpreters, in conjunction with their chapter secretaries, will enter the date of the annual mandatory rules interpretation meeting into the PIAA website listing the date, site, and time of their next sports’ season annual mandatory rules interpretation meeting along with all other required reports upon conclusion of the previous sport season meetings.
Certified attendance at an annual mandatory rules interpretation meeting in baseball, basketball, field hockey, football, girls' gymnastics, girls' lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, track and field, volleyball, and wrestling conducted by a PIAA chapter is mandatory for all officials registered in those sports. Attendance at the annual mandatory rules interpretation meeting shall not count towards the minimum requirement of attending four (4) chapter meetings.
ARTICLE XI REINSTATEMENT OF SUSPENDED OFFICIALS
The exclusive procedure by which an official, who has been suspended for any length of time and for any reason, may be reinstated as a PIAA-registered official is as follows:
A suspended official must send a new application for registration to the PIAA Office.
A fee of forty dollars ($40.00) must accompany the application.
The suspended official must take the examination in the sport in which reinstatement is requested and earn a grade of seventy percent (70%) or better on the examination.
The annual registration fee for the sport or sports in which reinstatement is requested must be paid.
ARTICLE XII VOTING
Each member of a chapter shall have one vote on all questions, and the vote of the majority shall prevail in all matters.
Provided a quorum is present for the purpose of conducting business, a majority shall be one vote more than one-half of the number of members present.
ARTICLE XIII REPRESENTATION ON DISTRICT COMMITTEES
Pursuant to ARTICLE IX, Section 1, of the PIAA Constitution, officials in each district are entitled to two voting members on each District Committee. One member shall represent male officials in the District and the other member shall represent female officials in the District. The term of office for these positions (the “District Officials’ Representatives”) is for two years, with privilege of re-election. The odd-numbered districts (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11) elect their representatives in the odd-numbered years. The even-numbered districts (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12) will elect their representative in the even-numbered years. Nominations for District Officials' Representatives may come only from officials’ chapters located within the respective districts. An official may be nominated only in the district in which he/she resides. An official is not prohibited from being elected or serving as a District Officials’ Representative merely because that person also serves as an assignor. Nominations must be sent to the Executive Director no later than November 10. Ballots will then be transmitted electronically by the Executive Director or his/her designee to all officials registered in the district.Where there is only one (1) nominee for a District Officials' Representative in a district, an election will not be conducted, and the nominee will be deemed elected to the position.
Nominations from a chapter for the District Officials’ Representative shall be made at a regularly scheduled PIAA officials’ chapter meeting. A chapter is not required to submit a nomination. If there is more than one nominee proposed within a chapter, the chapter shall conduct a vote at the meeting, with the winner being the individual receiving the majority of ballots cast. If no majority is reached, no nominee shall be presented by the chapter.
Incumbent District Officials' Representatives are not required to obtain chapter nomination and may seek re-election by notifying the respective district chairman of their intention to be re-elected.
In the election of the District Male Officials’ Representatives, each PIAA registered male official (active, inactive and military) may cast one ballot online for a candidate for District Male Officials’ Representative in the district of the official. In the election of the District Female Officials’ Representatives, each PIAA registered female official (active, inactive and military) shall be privileged to cast one ballot online for a candidate for District Female Officials’ Representative in the district of the official. Multiple registrations by the official do not increase the right of franchise beyond the single vote. Executive staff will determine the method or system to tabulate voting. Voting will occur during the month of December and shall close at 11:59 pm on December 31. Votes shall be tabulated by the PIAA Office and reported to the PIAA Board of Directors, which shall certify the winner. The elected official shall take office the next succeeding July 1.
Although an official may officiate in multiple PIAA Districts, the district of an official, for purposes of election of District Officials’ Representatives, is the PIAA district in which he/she resides. Officials who do not reside in any PIAA District are not eligible to vote for a District Officials’ Representative.
The Chairman of the District Committee may appoint alternate District Officials’ Representatives, who shall assume the duties of a District Officials' Representative in the absence of a District Officials’ Representative. Upon the death, withdrawal, resignation or removal of a District Officials’ Representative, the District Committee may elect a replacement to fill the remainder of the term.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES OF DISTRICT OFFICIALS’ REPRESENTATIVES
The District Officials’ Representatives may:
Represent the interests of officials in his/her District on the District Committee by attending meetings of the District Committee and voting on matters presented to the District Committee.
Provide advice to applicants seeking to become PIAA-registered officials.
Provide general advice and assistance to officials in the District who request it. The District Officials’ Representatives are not, merely by virtue of their position, authorized or empowered to represent any official in any proceeding before a District Committee or the Board of Directors or in any negotiations with any league or member school.
Forward to the PIAA Executive Director, or the Assistant Executive Director, any accusation that (1) a PIAA member school or official has violated the terms of a contract to officiate a Contest; and/or (2) an official has been discriminated against, in violation of applicable PIAA policies, by an assignor or evaluator. The District Officials’ Representatives have no authority to resolve any such disputes but may offer to mediate the dispute. If mediation is refused or is pursued but is not successful, the dispute shall then be resolved by the PIAA Assistant Executive Director.
Provide assistance to the PIAA Office in recognizing any official being recognized by PIAA for 30 years of service but who cannot, for health reasons, attend the annual PIAA banquet to be recognized.
Make recommendations to the Executive Director as to an application for the formation of a local officials’ chapter.
Recommend, to the District Chairman, officials to officiate District Championship tournaments. District Chairmen have sole authority to make said assignments and may request and consider recommendations of others.
Recommend, to the District Chairman, officials to officiate PIAA Inter-District Championship tournaments. District Chairmen have sole authority to make recommendations to PIAA’s executive staff and the District Chairmen may request and consider recommendations of others.
Utilize a system of evaluations for officials in their District.
Coordinate, either directly or through arrangements with the PIAA Districtappointed site manager, the evaluation of officials during District championship tournaments in conjunction with District Chairman or his/her designee.
Cooperate with the PIAA Assistant Executive Director in arranging for evaluations of officials during PIAA Inter-District Championship Contests held within the District.
ARTICLE XIV REPORTS
The chapter secretary, immediately following the annual election, (to be held at last scheduled meeting) shall forward to the PIAA Office via the End of Year Chapter Report, the names of all duly elected officers, the members of the Executive Committee and the rules interpreter for the ensuing year.
The chapter secretary, when specifically requested by the PIAA Office, shall be required to submit a report on any matter of chapter business, or the status of any of its members.
Each member, when requested by the PIAA Office, shall be required to submit a written report of his official conduct in any game in which he participated as a game official.
An official may report an alleged violation of the nondiscrimination policies of PIAA to the Officials’ Representative(s) of the PIAA District in which the official resides, or to the Assistant Executive Director of PIAA, in writing, describing the alleged violation in such detail as is available to the official.
ARTICLE XV NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF GENDER
The chapter, and any officers, agents, and employees thereof, who participate in the evaluation of officials or the assignment of officials to regular season games involving a PIAA member school or post-regular season PIAA contests, shall not refuse to assign an official based on the gender of the official or the gender of the participating student-athletes, shall not discriminate against any official on the basis of gender with respect to the level, quality, or number of assignments, and shall not otherwise discriminate against any official on the basis of gender.
If the chapter, or any officer, agent, or employee thereof, creates or maintains a system of evaluating officials for the purpose of influencing the assignment of officials to regular season games involving a PIAA member school or post-regular season PIAA contests, the evaluation system must be fair and equitable, must use gender-neutral evaluation criteria and procedures, and must include women among the persons performing the evaluations wherever it is practicable to do so. No person or entity listed in the immediately preceding sentence may participate in any such evaluation system if the person or entity knows that such system is not fair and equitable, does not use gender-neutral evaluation criteria, or does not include women among the persons performing the evaluation wherever it is practicable to do so.
ARTICLE XVI AMENDMENTS
This Constitution may be amended at any time by majority vote at any meeting of the PIAA Board of Directors.
ARTICLE XVII INTERPRETATION
The final interpretation of any article or section of this Constitution shall rest with the PIAA Executive Director, and the subsequent concurrence of the PIAA Board of Directors.
ARTICLE XVIII BY-LAWS
The Chapter By-Laws are to be formulated and adopted by each individual chapter to guide local administration. They shall not however, supersede nor conflict with any provision of this Constitution.