According to Robert's Rules of Order, there are two ways to change your bylaws: amendment and revision. An amendment opens only specific section(s) to change. The amendment can be inserted into the original document, with date approved noted. A revision is a review and update of the entire document. The result of a revision is a completely new, dated document, though not every section is necessarily rewritten.

Whenever a change to the bylaws is being considered (whether an amendment or a revision), the members must receive prior written notice of the proposal. The notice should be as specific as possible, ideally including the current bylaw, along with the proposal. When it comes time to vote, the amendment cannot be changed beyond the scope of the written notice. Bylaw changes require a 2/3 vote of members present, assuming there is quorum, to approve (as opposed to simple majority). Bylaw changes become effective immediately and cannot be recondsidered at that same meeting.

If you are considering a revision, it is wise to appoint a Bylaws Committee made up of several experienced PTO members. They do their work,intereact with the Exec Board, provide proper notification, then present the entire revision to the members for approval. If you are voting on a revision, you are voting on the entire package - not individual points. Assuming the committee has done its job properly, there should be little disagreement.

If your PTO is a 501 c3 (and probably if you are incorporated in your state), you need to send a new set of bylaws to the IRS any time make a change.

My comments above come from "Robert's Rules" by Doris P. Zimmerman, a handy little $5 reference book I picked up at Borders.

This is a great topic and it is something that I haven't been able to find specific enough information that satisfies me! I have never understood how to amend our bylaws. My understanding is that we are NEVER to touch the original document; rather amendments are to be added at the end of the document. I would assume we would refer to the section being amended, the date of the amendment, etc. Can anyone give me a good "step by step" guide? I've looked all over the internet and have never been able to find any guidance!

Thank you very much!!

The proper way is to incorporate the changes into the old document thus creating a "new and improved" version. The minutes from the meeting should state what was changed and what the new portions of the document are.

That is what we did too. We just "over rode" what was written and then got it approved by the general members.

Well, I guess I'm not sure what the "correct" way is to do it, but we just changed where they were already in the bylaws...

At our PTOs last meeting, we voted to make a few changes to our bylaws. We want to change the number of officers needed for a quorum, and also the amount of time required to post an agenda.

Do these changes need to appear at the end of the bylaws under amendments, or do we just change them where they are currently written?