Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

Snowmobile and ATV Advisory Council

BYLAWS
of the
Snowmobile and ATV Advisory Committee
December 4, 2001

Article 1. Name: The name of this Committee is the Snowmobile and ATV Advisory Committee (“Committee”).

Article 2. Authorization: This Committee is authorized under Section 7717 of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code to advise the Secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (“DCNR”) on matters concerning the implementation of Chapter 77 (the Snowmobile and All-Terrain Vehicle Law) of the Vehicle Code.

Article 3. Membership: The Committee consists of 17 members.

  1. Four members represent the General Assembly.
    1. Chairman and Minority Chairman of the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee of the Senate
    2. Chairman and Minority Chairman of the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee of the House of Representatives
  2. Five members represent other governmental bodies.
    1. One member from the Pennsylvania Game Commission
    2. One member from the Allegheny National Forest
    3. One member from the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors
    4. One member from the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs
    5. One member from the Pennsylvania State Association of County Commissioners
  3. Eight members of the public are appointed by the Secretary of DCNR (“Secretary”).
    1. Two members from the Pennsylvania State Snowmobile Association
    2. Two members from the Pennsylvania Off-Highway Vehicle Association
    3. One member from the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau
    4. Two members from conservation or non-motorized recreation organizations
    5. One member from the Pennsylvania Travel Council
  4. Alternates

  5. A member may designate an alternate from the same body or organization to serve in his stead. A member shall notify the Secretary in writing of this designation.
  6. Term of Appointees
    1. Members representing the General Assembly shall serve in an ex-officio capacity.
    2. Members representing other governmental bodies shall serve at the discretion of the organization they represent.
    3. Public members shall be appointed by the Secretary for a term of three years. A member may be re-appointed for additional terms. An individual appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term and be eligible for reappointment.
    4. At least 60 days prior to the end of the term of an appointment, or within 60 days of the resignation of an appointee, organizations required by law to be represented on the Committee and organizations that desire and are eligible to be represented on the Committee shall submit to the Secretary a list of candidates for the position.
    5. In the absence of a qualified candidate, the current Committee member may continue to serve until a successor has been appointed.
    6. A public member, including a designee, who misses three consecutive meetings without good cause acceptable to the Committee chairman may be replaced by the Secretary.

Article 4. Officers of the Board
Members of the Committee shall annually elect a chairman, vice chairman and secretary from among the public members of the committee at the first meeting after September 1.

  1. Chairman: The Committee chairman shall preside at Committee meetings, call special meetings, prepare a draft agenda at least two weeks in advance of regular meetings, develop subcommittees when needed, sign any recommendations approved by the Committee and perform such other duties appropriate to the office.
  2. Vice-Chairman: The vice-chairman shall preside at meetings if the Committee chairman is absent. At the discretion of the Committee chairman, the vice-chairman may assist the Committee chairman or act in his stead.
  3. Secretary: The secretary shall ensure that appropriate minutes of Committee meetings are recorded, maintained and distributed to Committee members. The secretary shall keep a record of attendance at meetings.

Article 5. Meetings

  1. This Committee shall meet at least once annually. At the Committee’s discretion, it may hold additional meetings as deemed necessary up to a maximum of six per year.
  2. Meetings of the Committee shall comply with the Sunshine Act.

Article 6. Voting

  1. Each member or alternate will have one vote.
  2. Business of the Committee may be conducted when eight voting members are present, if at least four of the eight are public members.
  3. Official action may be taken by a simple majority voting at a meeting or by a simple majority of the total membership when voting by mail with paper ballots or electronically by e-mail.

Article 7. Parliamentary Authority: The rules in the Modern Edition of Roberts Rules of Order shall govern the Committee unless they are inconsistent with these bylaws and any special rules of order the Committee may adopt.

Article 8. Subcommittees

  1. The Committee chairman may appoint subcommittees as the Committee chairman deems necessary for the operation of the Committee and shall designate the chairman of each subcommittee.
  2. Subcommittees may consist of any number of Committee members.
  3. The Committee chairman may appoint non-Committee members to serve on a subcommittee as technical advisors as the Committee chairman deems appropriate.

Article 9. Committee Representation: The Committee shall act as a body in all matters and only the Committee chairman shall sign written communications by the Committee to the Secretary or written communications to third parties on behalf of the Committee.

Article 10. Amendments: Subject to Article 7b, these bylaws may be amended, repealed or suspended at a meeting of the Committee by a two-thirds vote of the members present at the meeting provided that written notice of such proposed action shall have been mailed under the signature of a Committee officer to each member at least three weeks prior to the meeting.


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