At the last Department Convention, a Department Bylaws change was implemented requiring everyone on all levels to update or rewrite their Bylaws every 7 years or less. If your Post Bylaws are dated 2016 or earlier, we need to start working on getting them updated… Starting with the Posts.
Over the past three years, a lot of hard work has gone into preparing for this moment. Go to the Department website (calegion.org) and click on the “Resource Library” link. Next click on “Bylaws and Resolutions”. Here you will find the Sample Bylaws, a “Guide to Wring Post Bylaws”, and a “Guide to Writing Amendments” along with a lot of other resources. We’ve tried to make the sample very basic and easy to follow. For most Posts, you shouldn’t need to make very many changes, but you can do so with limitations. For Posts with businesses, you should try to keep as much of the nitty-gritty out of the Post Bylaws using operational procedures and such.
To All District Commanders: About 70% of the Posts in California will have to either update or rewrite their bylaws before June and have them reviewed by the Constitution and Bylaws Commission. Please guide your Posts to the resource page in helping them do this.
Please understand that Districts are there to assure that each Post meets its obligations in order to maintain its nonprofit status and eligibility to attend convention and to provide support as needed. However, Districts cannot tell a Post what to put in or remove from their bylaws. They may advise and assist, but what goes into them is up to the individual Post. Only the Constitution & Bylaws Commission can do this and it is limited mostly to what is in the Department and National Bylaws. Districts are not part of the approval process for Post bylaws.
Once a Post votes on their bylaws or amendments and the document is certified by the Post Commander and Adjutant, they become law for the Post on a temporary basis until reviewed by the Commission and approved for entry into the Department Record. Then they go into permanent effect.
To All Posts: Copies of the most recently approved bylaws for your Post can now be found on the Department website at calegion.org/post-bylaws/ (there is also a link on the Bylaws Resource Page). You can either update them with amendments or rewrite them (the better way to go if they’re that old) and submit to the Commission at bylaws@calegion.org. Please use the reference materials provided online such as the sample or guide provided by the Department. Doing this will make things much easier for everybody and help assure your new bylaws will not be in conflict with Department or National Bylaws. If you need help, contact either your District Judge Advocate or the Constitution and Bylaws Commissioner for your Area. The Commission is Customer Service oriented, and our purpose is to help everyone establish Bylaws that will best serve their individual Post. Sometime in the next couple of months, a new training video will be made to help you do this. Until then, you should find the Guide for Writing Post Bylaws very helpful.
Mark L. Rice
Constitution and Bylaws Commission Chairman,
Department of California
Author: Web Team
Rick is a veteran of the Marine Corps and served during the Vietnam War era. He serves as a Technical Advisor to the Media and Communications Commission. He is a member of the Department Web Team. Rick received the Otto Hasse Legionnaire of the Year Award in 2016, Department of California Award for work on the department website in 2019, and in 2023 Rick received The American Legion Medal of Merit from the Department of California.
