Article I

NAME

There is hereby established in the State of California, the Fresno County and City Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee, hereinafter called  “THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC”. 

Article II

LOCATION

The principal office of THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC is located at 2331 Fresno Street, Fresno, California.

 Article III

ORGANIZATION

THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC is a voluntary, nonprofit, unincorporated political action committee registered with the California Secretary of State.  THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC state identification number is 820-784.  THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC is independent of any political party, candidate or political organization.

 Article IV

PURPOSE 

The purpose of THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC is to enhance and support the Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce’s ability to participate in the electoral process.  THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC shall accomplish this goal by:

 (1)        educating its members on issues affecting the electoral process, and government in general;

 (2)        providing political endorsements, in the form of financial contributions and/or other election support, to local, state, and federal candidates who have voiced and demonstrated an understanding of, and support for, the business community;

 (3)        when appropriate, supporting city, county, or state issues which enhance the business operating environment or opposing those detrimental to the business environment; and

 (4)        when appropriate, actively recruit and identify qualified candidates to run for offices at the state and local levels.

 THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC shall always support and encourage, through its participation, an ethical and competitive electoral process. 

Article V

MEMBERSHIP

The membership shall be those Greater Fresno Area Chamber members who contribute or pledge to THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC during each calendar year an amount equal to or more than $99, not to exceed the legal limits imposed by the State of California, County and City of Fresno, and the officers and trustees of THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC. 

Article VI

OFFICERS AND TRUSTEES

 SECTION 1.      The management of THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC shall be vested in seventeen (17) Trustees.  The Trustees shall be representative of the membership and shall include eight (8) designated members, and nine (9) members-at-large.  The designated members are the:

            (1)        Immediate Past Chairperson;

            (2)        Vice Chairperson of Business Vitality;

            (3)        Vice Chairperson of Water and Environment;

            (4)        Vice Chairperson of Governmental Affairs;

            (5)        Chairperson of the Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee.

            (6)        Chair of the Chamber

            (7)        Chamber Chief Executive Officer

            (8)        Vice Chairperson of Land Use and Ag

Should any at large Trustee also serve in one of the designated member positions, the Immediate Past Chairperson may designate another member of the Chamber’s Board of Directors or other committee representative to represent the appropriate group on THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC. The eight designated members shall comprise the PAC Executive Committee to manage the PAC By-laws and operational issues.

The nine at-large members must be Chamber members in good standing.  Should the Immediate Past Chairperson of the Chamber also serve in one of the designated member positions, he or she may designate another active member to represent the appropriate Chamber group on THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC.

SECTION 2.  Trustee-at-Large.  Vacancies shall be filled by the Chairperson of THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC and ratified by the Executive Committee.  Terms of office for these nine (9) at-large Trustees shall be three (3) calendar years.  Terms will be staggered among the nine (9) at-large Trustees.  Trustees may serve two (2) consecutive three-year terms.  No Trustee who has served two (2) consecutive three-year terms is eligible for election to a third term.  A period of one (1) year must elapse before eligibility is restored for election. The nine Trustees at-large will be made up of varying Chamber Cluster Representatives as determined by the PAC Executive Committee.

SECTION 3.  The Trustees shall elect officers in January of each year.  The Chamber Immediate Past Chairperson shall be the Chairperson of THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC.  Other officers to be elected include Vice Chairperson, Treasurer, and other officers as deemed necessary.  The trustees shall arrange for such management as they determine necessary to carry out the purpose of THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC.  The Vice Chairperson responsible for the Governmental Affairs Division or someone designated by a majority of the seventeen (17) THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC Board of Trustees shall serve as Secretary of THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC and act at the direction of the Board of Trustees. The Trustees shall sign a letter of confidentiality that they will not disclose the PAC endorsement prior to the Chamber public announcement. All discussions are confidential and at no time are to be shared with anyone outside of the PAC. Any violation will be subject to immediate sanctions, up to and including expulsion. The Trustees shall not endorse candidates prior to the PAC endorsement. Once the trustees have endorsed a candidate, the trustees are bound by that endorsement and cannot publicly endorse another candidate.

SECTION 4.  All THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC trustees shall make or pledge the minimum annual membership fee of $99 to the treasury.

SECTION 5.  The duties of officers shall be as follows:

 (1)        Chairperson  - The Chairperson shall be the chief officer of THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC, shall be a trustee, and will preside at all meetings of the Board of Trustees.  The Chairperson is responsible for the promotion of the purpose of THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC.  The Chairperson shall be empowered to appoint individuals to fill any vacancies subject to the provision of Article VI, Section1.

 (2)        Vice Chairperson  - The Vice Chairperson shall be a trustee and shall serve as acting Chairperson of THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC in the absence of the Chairperson.

 (3)        Treasurer - The Treasurer shall be a trustee or someone designated by a majority of the seventeen (17) THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC Board of Trustees and shall (a) perform all responsibilities and take all actions required by applicable law and regulation, including, but not limited to, approval of expenditures and filing of reports; (b) keep an account of all monies received and expended and shall make contributions and expenditures authorized by the trustees; and (c) keep and maintain adequate books and accounts.

 SECTION 6.  A majority of seventeen (17) of THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC trustees shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.  The trustees may act by unanimous written consent by mail ballot or conference telephone call.

 SECTION 7.  A CHAMBER PAC trustee who shall be absent from any three (3) consecutive regular meetings or four (4) regular meetings in a 12 month period shall automatically be dropped from membership on the Board of Trustees.  Based on good cause for the absences, this may be appealed and the trustee restored if approved by a majority vote of those voting at any meeting thereof.

 SECTION 8.  The trustees shall be responsible for the control, supervision, and direction of the affairs of THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC, shall execute policies and decision consistent with THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC’S purpose, and authorize the making of expenditures and political contributions.  It may adopt such rules for the conduct of its business as it deems advisable and may in execution of powers granted appoint committees or agents to work on specific problems or reports.

SECTION 9.  Any loans or political contributions to THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC made on behalf of a candidate or issue shall have received a majority vote of THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC Board of Trustees present.

Article VII

 OPERATIONS

SECTION 1.  The operating year for THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC shall be the calendar year.

 SECTION 2.  There shall be at least four (4) meetings annually for THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC trustees.  Other meetings shall be held at times and places set by the Chairperson.

SECTION 3.  Four times a year, THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC Chairperson, or appointed representative, will present before the Chamber’s Board of Directors a report concerning THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC’s: (1) financial status; (2) membership; (3) status of campaigns THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC is involved in; (4) status of other projects THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC is working on; (5) future campaigns THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC has identified as important; and (6) any other issue or item the Chairperson deems appropriate.  THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC will present one report during the first meeting of the year of the Chamber Board of Directors and one report during the last meeting of the year.  The two (2) remaining quarterly reports will be presented during the balance of the year.

SECTION 4.    At the beginning of the year, or prior to election day in the city and/or county, the Board of Trustees will forward its recommendations to the Chamber Board of Directors with regards to the candidates and/or issues THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC should, or should not, support, and its work plan for the year. The PAC Chairperson shall review with The Chamber Board of Directors the PAC recommendations and the justification for their recommendation at the monthly Board Meeting. The Chamber Board of Directors has the option to agree or disagree with the PAC endorsement prior to a public announcement. If the board disagrees with the PAC recommendation, a super majority (60%) of the Board in attendance is required to overturn the PAC recommendation. If overturned, the endorsement decision will go back to the PAC committee to review. If the PAC committee recommends a revised endorsement, The Chamber Board shall review the new PAC recommendation within 24 hours by special conference-call meeting. Chamber Board members may attend PAC interviews, but not ask questions or vote.

At the county and city level, THE FRESNO CHAMBERPAC will be authorized to participate in the financing of candidates running for: