WCDHH: Bylaws

Article I: Authority

The Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (hereinafter “Council”) is a governmental body established by statute, in the Wis. Stat. § 15.197 (8).

Article II: Name

The name of this organization shall be the Wisconsin Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, hereinafter referred to as the Council.

Article III: Purpose

There is created within the Department of Health Services (hereinafter “department”) a council for the deaf and hard of hearing for the purpose of advising the department, making recommendations, advancing policy alternatives aimed at improving the health and well-being of individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing and deafblind in Wisconsin. The Council works closely with the Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ODHH).

Article IV: Membership

The Council shall consist of nine (9) members appointed by the governor to serve staggered four- year terms. Membership of the council shall represent the diverse demographics, identities and experiences of the people of Wisconsin. (Race, disability status, socioeconomic status, religion, gender identity, etc.)

• The members shall be appointed from residents of the state who have demonstrated professional or personal interest in the experiences of people with hearing loss.
• At least three (3) members shall be considered Deaf.
• At least three (3) members shall be considered Hard of Hearing.
• At least one member shall be considered DeafBlind.

Ex-officio members, or organizational representatives, may be appointed by majority vote of the Council and may serve on the Council, workgroups and ad-hoc committees. Ex-officio members may not vote but may participate in all discussions.

The Director of the Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing or a designee of the Office together with any others the Department desires, shall serve on the Council (Ex Officio).

Per Wis. Stat. § 15.09 (6), members of a Council shall not be compensated for their services but shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

Roles and responsibilities of Council members

Council member conduct

All members shall follow the expectations for Council members as outlined in the Roles and Responsibilities of Council Members document provided on appointment to the Council.

If a member requires an accommodation(s) to fully participate in Council meetings including, but not limited to, an interpreter, captioning, accessible meeting materials, food allergies, or other reasonable accommodation requests, they must submit a timely request to Council Chairperson or designated staff.

Members and guests may, at their personal discretion attend meetings either in-person, by telephone, electronically, or by other means.

All members of the Council are expected to regularly attend meetings and to prepare for and actively participate in discussions.

Code of ethics

Voting and ex-officio members of the Council shall be bound by the Code of Ethics for State Officials, Wis. Stat. Chapter 19, except that they are not required to file a statement of economic interest. Ex-officio members are not required to file an Oath of Office.

Conflict of interest

Members shall abstain from voting on any issue in which they have an actual or perceived conflict of interest (i.e., a vote resulting in a member’s personal or financial gain).

Any Council member may raise the question of a conflict of interests with respect to any Council member present (self-included) and the question so raised shall be decided by a majority vote of all Council members present.

Attendance

All Council members are expected to attend all meetings of the Council.

Members will notify the Council Chairperson or designated staff prior to Council meetings to obtain a formal excuse from the meeting.

Council members may be excused from Council meetings by serving written or verbal notice to the Council Chairperson or designated staff in advance of a scheduled meeting. Council members that do not obtain a formal excused absence will be considered absent.

A Council member absent from two consecutive meetings, including ad-hoc committee meetings, should receive a formal communication from the Council Chairperson concerning the member’s desire/ability to remain on the Council.

In order for the Council to be successful, it needs all members to fully participate in Council meetings and to serve on workgroups. To ensure full capacity of the Council all members must be active. Therefore:

• A member absent from three consecutive Council meetings, including ad-hoc committee meetings, shall be expected to voluntarily submit their resignation from the Council.
• A member excused from three consecutive Council meetings may be expected to voluntarily submit their resignation from the Council.

Voting authority

Voting members shall remain on the council until the effective date of their resignation, or removal by the Governor, or until their successors are named and appointed by the Governor. Voting members may resign from the Council at any time by submitting a letter of resignation to the Governor and/or Council Chairperson.

Voting members may be removed from the Council for cause by the Governor.

Each member of the Council shall have one vote on matters brought before the Council.

Voting by proxy shall not be allowed.

Term of service

Members of the Council are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Governor.

The Council, acting through its Executive Committee, may submit to the Governor, a list of candidates for all vacancies along with recommendations regarding appointment.

In accordance with Wis. Stat. § 15.197 (8), Council members shall be appointed for staggered four-year terms.

All meetings of the Council shall comply with Wisconsin’s Open Meetings law and Department policy.

Note: For statutory requirements relating to Open Meetings of Governmental Bodies, see Wis. Stat. ch. 19, subch. V. 

Resignation and removal

If a member of the Council is unable to serve for any reason, the member needs to submit a letter of resignation to the Governor’s Office. The letter does not need to give a reason, but the letter does need to include an effective date of resignation from the Council. If the letter does not include an effective date of resignation, it will be assumed that the resignation will be effective as of the date the letter is received by the Council. The Council requests that a copy of the letter also be sent to the Council Chairperson.

Any member missing three (3) consecutive meetings without due cause, or a leave of absence approved in advance by the Chairperson, as outline in the Attendance section of these by-laws, shall be contacted by the Chairperson to determine their interest in continuing to serve on the Council.

The Council may recommend to the Governor that a member be removed. Such a recommendation requires a two-thirds (66%) majority vote of those members present at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Council.

Article V: Meetings

Regular and special meetings

The Council shall meet no fewer than four times a year.

The Council Chairperson shall give a minimum of 14 days written notice for all Council meetings. An agenda shall accompany all meeting notices. Public notice shall be given in advance of all meetings as required by Wisconsin’s Open Meetings Law. If a meeting date is changed, sufficient notice shall be given to the public.

Special meetings may be called by the Chairperson in consultation with the Executive Committee when there are compelling reasons to do so.

All meetings of the Council, it’s Executive Committee, workgroups and ad-hoc committees shall be governed by the appropriate provisions of Wis. Stat. Chapter 19 and Wisconsin’s Open Meetings Law [Wis. Stat. § 19.81 (a)] as described in the Wisconsin Open Meetings Law Compliance Guide, published by Attorney General Brad D. Schimel (November 2015) and as updated in Executive Order No. 235 (3/12/2017).

Notice of meetings of the Council, its Executive Committee, workgroups, and ad-hoc committees shall, at a minimum 10 business days in advance, be given in accordance with the provisions of Wisconsin Open Meetings Law Compliance Guide, published by Attorney General Brad D. Schimel (November 2015) and as updated in Executive Order No. 235 (3/12/2017). The open meeting notice will include the meeting agenda. The agenda must provide sufficient detail to identify the subject of the discussion. If a subject or topic was not identified on the agenda, it may not be discussed.

Notification of meetings will be sent via email to the email address provided by the member and will be posted to the Council’s website. This shall be deemed adequate notice. If a member requires notification of meetings in another format, a member would request this accommodation from the Council Chairperson or designated staff.

Minutes of all meetings shall be provided to the members as soon as reasonably possible following the conclusion of each meeting. Currently minutes are required to be posted to the Department of Administration’s website within 30 days of the meeting.

Conduct of meetings

Meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, unless otherwise provided herein.

The Council year shall begin at the same time as the state fiscal year, which is July 1.

The Council shall meet no fewer than four times per year. Council meeting dates will be determined by majority vote of the Council.

Meetings are open to the public.

Time shall be reserved at each meeting for public comment on issues affecting people who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing or DeafBlind. The Council may choose to respond to public comment it has received in writing as it deems needed and appropriate.

The Council and its Executive Committee reserve the right to meet in closed session for personnel and other confidential matters as outlined in Wisconsin State Statutes (Wis. Stat. § 19.81 through 19.85). 

Agendas

Prior to every regularly scheduled Council meeting, an agenda shall be distributed to each Council member and other interested persons.

Public comment and presentations shall take place after all Council business has been completed unless, in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, another arrangement is made.

Requests for items to be included on the agenda shall be submitted to the chairperson no later than three weeks prior to the regularly scheduled meeting.

Requests for items to be included on the agenda of a specially called meeting shall be submitted to the Chairperson no later than three days prior to the meeting.

Quorum

The presence of a simple majority (51%) of the voting members of the Council, excluding vacancies, constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business. When a quorum is not present the meeting will not occur.

A simple majority of the voting membership, excluding the number of vacancies due to resignation or removal, shall constitute a quorum to transact business. A majority of a quorum may act in any manner within the Council’s jurisdiction except for the adoption or amendment of Council bylaws, which shall require a 2/3 vote of a quorum.

Reimbursement of travel expenses

Reasonable travel expenses incurred by members shall be reimbursed for attending Council meetings, Executive Committee meetings, workgroup meetings, ad-hoc committee meetings, or other meetings or conferences attending on behalf of the Council as authorized by the Council, based on the in-state travel rates for lodging, meals, and mileage as outlined in the state’s travel guidelines.

Only travel expenses incurred while conducting official state business can be reimbursed.

Article VI: Officers

Officers

The Officers of the Council shall include a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and Secretary.

Tenure

Officers shall serve a term of two (2) calendar years and shall take office immediately following adjournment of the meeting in which they were elected. The tenure of Officers may extend beyond two calendar years should the Council agree by majority vote to postpone elections. Officers may be re-elected to serve successive terms.

Duties of the Chairperson

The Chairperson is the presiding Officer and is responsible for carrying out the Council’s business in an orderly and expeditious manner and assuring that the rights of the members are recognized. The Chairperson is also responsible for organizing the work of the Council through its committee structure, scheduling Council meetings, and setting the agenda in concert with the Executive Committee. The Chairperson shall represent and speak for the Council before the Legislature, Governor, and other public and private organizations unless such responsibilities are specifically delegated to others by the Council or Chairperson. The Chairperson shall designate a Council member to serve as the Council representative on the Governor’s Committee for People with Disabilities (GCPD).

The Chairperson shall conduct meetings in accordance with Article V, Meetings.

The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the Council and of the Executive Committee and can be a member of the Council’s workgroups and ad-hoc committees.

The Chairperson shall be the official representative of the Council but may delegate this responsibility when appropriate and necessary.

The Chairperson shall submit an annual report on the activities of the Council to committee members and to the Governor when requested. Additionally, the Chairperson will ensure meeting minutes and Council records are maintained and are available to the public.

The Chairperson shall perform all duties incident to the office of the Chairperson including following up on all actions taken at meetings.

If the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and Secretary are absent from a committee meeting, the Chairperson shall assign another committee member to preside over the meeting.

Member resignations made in the absence of the Chairperson shall be made to the Executive Committee following the procedure as outlined in Article IV, Membership, Resignation and Removal.

Duties of the Vice-Chairperson

The Vice-Chairperson shall preside in the absence of the Chairperson and shall automatically succeed to the chair should it become vacant through resignation or removal of the Chairperson until a new Chairperson is elected.

In the absence of the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson shall perform the duties of the Chairperson, and when acting in this capacity shall have all the powers and responsibilities of the Chairperson.

The Vice-Chairperson shall perform such other powers and duties as may be assigned by the Chairperson or by the Council.

Duties of the Secretary

The Secretary shall preside at Council meetings in the absence of the Chairperson and the Vice-Chairperson.

The Secretary is responsible for outside communications as directed by the Executive Committee and the full Council. The Secretary has the leadership role of welcoming new members and leading membership recruitment and Public Relations.

Resignation, vacancies, and removal of officers

Any Officer (elected, appointed, or succeeding) wishing to resign from the position they hold shall submit a letter of resignation to the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, or Executive Committee with an effective date of their resignation.

If the position of Chairperson becomes vacant for any reason, the Vice-Chairperson shall assume the position of Chairperson until the next election of Officers.

If the position of Vice-Chairperson becomes vacant for any reason, the vacancy shall be filled by the Secretary. If the Secretary is unable to fill this role, an appointment will then be made from the membership of the Executive Committee.

The Chairperson and/or Vice-Chairperson who fails to discharge the duties fully and faithfully may be removed from office by a two-thirds (66%) majority vote of those members present at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Council.

Official positions of the Council and member actions

Official positions of the Council related to legislation, programs, policies, and recommendations on issues affecting people who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing or DeafBlind will only be adopted upon a majority vote.

A Council member shall only represent a Council position if directed to do so my majority vote of the Council or as directed by the Chairperson.

Article VII: Executive Committee

Composition

There shall be an Executive Committee consisting of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and Secretary of the Council.

Duties

The Executive Committee shall provide overall direction to Council activities, make recommendations on administrative and organizational matters as appropriate, may act on behalf of the Council.

Executive Committee meetings

The Executive Committee will schedule regular meetings of the Council at least four times each calendar year.

The Executive Committee will meet at least four times per year in the month preceding the full Council quarterly meetings. Additional meetings can be scheduled with majority vote of the Executive Committee members.

All members of the Executive Committee shall be sent notice prior to Executive Committee meetings.

The Executive Committee reserves the right to meet in closed session for personnel and other confidential matters as outlined in Wisconsin State Statues (Wis. Stats. § 19.81 through 19.85).

Article VIII: Elections

Election of officers and Executive Committee members

Timeline

At the first meeting of the council on odd numbered years, the Council shall hold elections for officers.

Resignation of an officer

Upon any resignation, removal, or replacement of an Officer, the Council shall hold an election at its next full meeting to fill that vacancy.

Article IX: Committees

Ad-hoc committees

The Council, through its Chairperson, may establish ad-hoc committees as deemed essential. Appointment of a Chairperson to head each ad-hoc committee and committee members shall be made by the Chairperson of the Council in consultation with the Executive Committee.

Committee membership

Ad-hoc committees may be composed of both Council voting members and ex-officio members along with members of the public as appropriate.

Council committees shall consist of no fewer than two Council members.

Duties

All ad-hoc committees shall regularly report to the Council Chairperson on all activities of the committee and to the full Council for approval and further discussion.

Article X: Staff

Staff support shall be provided to the Council by the Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing within the Bureau of Aging and Disability Resources.

The Council will be assigned at least one staff member. Staff services shall be provided to all Council committees and workgroups.

The staff member will assume the following responsibilities:

• Consult with the Council and/or Committee Chairperson and make meeting arrangements.
• Prepare announcements of meetings and agendas and notify members of meetings.
• Arrange for auxiliary staff, consultants, or resources persons to attend meetings.
• Attend all Council meetings.
• Arrange for the taking on minutes and preparation of committee reports and assure that members are fully informed on issues under discussion.
• Provide analysis of pending legislation and current policy and program issues; preparation of special reports and other materials pertinent to Council business as instructed by the Council Chairperson.

Article XI: Parliamentary Authority

All meetings of the Council shall be conducted, and decisions reached by consensus whenever possible. When consensus is not achieved, business shall be conducted in accordance with the most recent edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, in the absence of specific provisions delineated in these by-laws.

Article XII: Amendments

The by-laws may be amended, repealed, or restated during any regular or special Council meeting by a two-thirds vote (66%) of the Council members present.

Any proposed amendment should be sent to the Executive Committee for review, and then move onto a meeting of the full Council at which a quorum is present. An amendment may also be submitted in writing to the Chair. The amendment will be presented to the Council a minimum of 10 days before the full Council meeting via email.

The amendment shall be distributed to all Council members 10 days in advance of the next full meeting of the Council.

The amendment shall then be voted on and adopted by a quorum and written notice of proposed amendment will be distributed to all members ten days prior to the meeting.

Article XIII: Effective Date

1. Adopted June 30, 1981
2. Revised March 1992
3. Revised term “Office for Hearing Impaired” to “Wisconsin Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing,” April 1996
4. Revised May 1996
5. Revised October 1997
6. Revised March 1998
7. Revised May 1998
8. Revised June 2000; Wisconsin Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing” became “Bureau of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.”
9. Revised March 2008; “Bureau for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing became “Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing”
10. Revised December 2012
11. Revised December 2017
12. Revised draft in July 2021 and approved in September 2021