The bylaws of Maryland NOW have not been revised for quite some time. Compared with the early 1970s we live in a very different world. Not only has technology changed much of what we do, but it has also resulted in the need to shift various officer responsibilities among members of the Executive Committee. For example, the old bylaws make no mention of social media or our website, and those things are now a major part of what we do. The way we work with endorsed legislation has changed with our close work as a coalition partner of the Maryland Legislative Agenda for Women (MLAW). We use more email to communicate with our members today, but it’s unclear whether we are actually connecting with members as we inform them of events and news of importance to NOW.
The bylaws are included in the folder of conference materials as they are now written (May, 2022) and are also posted in their current form on Maryland NOW’s website. They can be accessed here:
A bylaws committee is planned for the 2021-2022 Program Year to work on these needed changes, but meanwhile what is written below attempts to outline the positions as they have evolved over time and as officers are performing these jobs today.
The Duties of Maryland NOW Officers
President – The president of Maryland NOW is the organization’s primary spokesperson, serves as our liaison with other entities within NOW’s national structure, i.e., the State President’s Caucus. The president also represents Maryland NOW to other organizations and coalitions in the state. The president develops the agenda and presides at State Council meetings, appoints with the approval of the council Task Force and Committee chairs, develops with the task forces, committees, and council most state functions and actions. One of the committees established must be a Budget Committee.
Executive Vice President – coordinates the administrative functions of Maryland NOW, which presently also includes communications (website, social media, and mail to members), membership, and publicity for the organization. This officer also serves as liaison to the state’s committees. This office presides at state meetings in the absence of the president, and assumes the position of President in event of a vacancy in that position. The officer assists the President with any work delegated to them.
Action Vice President – coordinates statewide action programs including state and national legislative initiatives and writing testimony for legislation during the legislative session. This officer organizes our lobbying efforts in Annapolis, including any Lobby Days done with coalition partners or just with Maryland NOW members. Encouraging Maryland NOW’s presence at action events here in Maryland and at national gatherings in Washington, DC is important and helps us with visibility to attract prospective members. This person serves as a liaison with the chapters and state task forces.
Secretary – Records and Communications – For many years since our founding, this position mirrored the traditional roles of an organization’s secretary. Last year (2022) the State Conference voted to amend our bylaws to change the duties of this position to reflect various electronic communications and media, and to also include duties working with our membership lists and welcoming new members. To date, we have not had anyone interested in taking the position. Please review it as it appears in our bylaws in this folder of materials and contact us if you have questions.
Treasurer – manages the financial records of Maryland NOW and makes regular reports to the council, receives all income and deposits these funds into the appropriate state accounts. The treasurer must make sure all accounts are, if necessary, changed over to the names of current officers and that the required online access to Maryland NOW accounts is established to create the transparency necessary. This officer disperses any funds in accordance with the state’s budget, coordinates the filing of our IRS 990 Tax Form and makes a full financial accounting to the council, including account statements, each year immediately prior to the State Conference. This officer works with the Executive Committee and the Budget Committee to develop a state budget which must be approved by the council prior to Dec 31 or Maryland NOW’s fiscal year.
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It is the practice of Maryland NOW’s Executive Committee to shift any designated responsibilities among themselves, based on each officers’ skills and expertise, as well as time availability. The PAC officers can also be shifted for any reason, including an individual’s need to satisfy compliance with the Hatch Act.
One issue that has been a problem in past years and continues is that many of our coalition partners, and even entities within NOW have leadership for whom this work is a full-time paid position. We do not currently pay our officers a salary and these women and men are frequently balancing family responsibilities, NOW responsibilities, and job responsibilities. Meetings with these groups often occur during a business day and can span time zones. Representing NOW at these meetings and events may be one of the responsibilities that the officers must juggle amongst themselves.
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If you are considering serving as a member of Maryland NOW’s Executive Committee as a state officer, please contact our Nominations Chair, our state president, or one of the officers currently serving in the role. We are always looking for people to work on our Task Forces or Administrative Committees. If any of these interest you, please get in touch with one of the MD NOW officers following the conference.
