By-Laws

The name of this organization is the Northeast Region Biofeedback Society.

The Society is an open forum for the exchange of ideas, methods, research, clinical experience, and the results of biofeedback and related techniques. In addition, the society represents interests of biofeedback clinicians and researchers before the legislature and other governmental bodies and agencies, to promote the enactment of legislation, rules, regulations and other governmental enactments considered to be beneficial to biofeedback clinicians and researchers and to promote the repeal of any legislation, rules, regulations and other governmental enactments considered to be detrimental to biofeedback clinicians and researchers (as stated in the Certificate of Amendment of the certificate of Incorporation of BSNY, Inc.1998). Specifically, the goals are to:

1. Provide a forum for the exchange of clinical information and scientific knowledge in the area of biofeedback and related disciplines and offer opportunities for networkin.
2. Educate professionals and the public in the uses and implications of self-regulation techniques
3. Encourage collaborative clinical research in biofeedback and related disciplines as established through the Charles Stroebel Memorial Fund.
4. Establish standards for the clinical use of biofeedback including guidelines as to the ethical practice and qualifications for practice as established by the Association for Applied
5. Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB) Ethics Committee.
6. Provide a peer review function as established by the AAPB Ethics Committee.
7. Provide training programs in biofeedback for other professionals and for increasing the level of expertise of practicing biofeedback clinicians and researchers.
8. Provide assistance to other health professionals and the public in obtaining referrals to appropriate biofeedback therapists through our web site presence and Board.

1. Member: Members of the Society are members of recognized professions who are involved in biofeedback through clinical practice, education, or research. Members of the Society may vote on the affairs of the Society, hold office within the Society, serve on the Executive board, and chair committees. Applicants for Member status must either be a member of the Association of Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback or a licensed or certified member of a state health profession or the recipient of a doctorate or masters degree in a behavioral science.
2. Associate Members: Associate Members are those who have an interest in biofeedback and related disciplines but who have not fulfilled the professional or academic requirements for Members, or who are retired. Associate Members may participate in the society, attend meetings but may not vote in affairs of the Society or hold office. Associate Membership shall be granted upon application and recommendation by the Executive Board.
3. Student Member: Student Members are those who are interested in biofeedback and related disciplines and who are enrolled in an accredited institute, college or university. Student Members may not hold office or vote in the affairs of the Society. Student ID photocopy is required upon application.
4. Expulsion from Society: Any person may be expelled form the Society for cause by two-thirds vote by secret ballot of the Members present at a meeting of the Society providing a quorum (20% of the members) is present. Such votes may be taken only after a thorough investigation and recommendation of a special committee, appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Board. The Committee’s recommendation is to be submitted to the Executive Board for approval by secret ballot only after the Committee has accumulated relevant facts and given the member in question an opportunity to answer charges against him or her in writing Cause shall be defined as violation of the by-laws or violation of the guidelines as set by the ethical and professional practices committee of the society as guided by the AAPB ethical guidelines.
5. Membership may also be revoked for non-payment of dues upon recommendation of the Treasurer and with the approval of the Executive Board. Reinstatement shall be through the payment of current dues.
6. The executive board may reject any applicant for membership for any reason with cause and explanation.

The Executive Board of the Society shall consist of the officers and four Members-at-large.

1. Vacancies on the Board shall be filled by vote of the remaining members of the Board to serve out the term in question.
2. The Board shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Society and may act at meetings or by mail only with the approval of the majority of the board members. Actions of legal importance, whether initiated by the board or by the membership of the society, must be submitted to the entire membership by mail or e-mail ballot. Decision for mail or e-mail ballot may be made by the board or by a two-thirds vote of a quorum (20% of the voting membership) of the business meeting of the society.
3. The President, with the approval of the Board, shall appoint chairpersons of committees.
4. The President and the Board may appoint an Executive Director who shall handle business of the Society as directed by the Executive Board. The President and the board shall appoint an Executive Secretary who shall keep the records of all the meetings of the society, coordinate correspondence, have custody of the records of the society and handle other matters of the society as directed by the Executive Board.

1. Officers and Executive Board Members at large shall be elected by Members of the Society by mail or e-mail ballot. All Members shall be mailed ballots each year, to be returned by the due date for tabulation and verification by the Executive Board and the President.
2. The membership shall be polled prior to the election for nominations, Officers and Members at large for the coming year. The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of officers for the election.
3. There shall be provision on the ballot for write-in vote.
4. Election is by plurality of votes.
5. The nomination committee chair person shall notify the membership of the outcome of the election in the subsequent issue of the society newsletter or at the annual spring conference.
   Officers and Board Members shall assume office at the close of the annual business meeting.

There shall be a minimum of one annual business meeting of the Society.

1. Special business meetings may be called by a majority vote of the Executive Board or by petition by 25% of the voting membership, the agendas of which shall be the main items of business.
2. Action taken by members at the annual meeting shall be effective if a quorum of not less than 20% of the Members of the Society is present and voting.
3. Verification of membership may be required in the voting process.

No individual shall be liable for the collective debts and obligations of the Society. The Society shall not be liable for the collective debts and obligations of a Member.

1. The amount of annual dues shall be set by the Executive Board of Directors. Members, Associate Members and Students in arrears by more than 4 months shall be removed from the Membership list. They may be reinstated during the fiscal year by making the appropriate payment of dues, for that year. After the end of the fiscal year, they must reapply for admission to the Society.
2. Notice of dues and their collecting shall be the duty of the Treasurer

1. Membership Committee: The membership Committee shall be a committee to recruit and review prospective members of the Society. The Secretary and the Treasurer shall keep all records pertaining to members. A current member list shall be maintained on the website.
2. Ethics and Professional Practices. The Committee shall have the duty of apprising NRBS members of the Ethical Standards and Guidelines of Practice of the AAPB by which this Society abides. It shall also serve a peer review function and investigate all alleged violations of the bylaws and standards of this Society.
3. Communication and Education Committee: In cooperation with the Executive Board, this Committee shall handle the public relations of the Society, including: publicity, the dispersion of information to the membership through a newsletter and e-mail and shall coordinate and develop the program for meetings of the Society. The Committee shall also be charged with maintenance of a web site presence representing the Society.
4. Legislation Committee: The function of this Committee is to review legislation that has a bearing on the purposes and activities of the Society. Please see Amendment I, attached which legally furthers our ability to lobby on behalf of our members.
   Chairpersons of standing committees shall be Members-at-Large, elected by the Membership. Members of standing committees shall serve one-year terms from the date of appointment and may be reappointed at the discretion of the Executive board.
5. Special committees may be appointed by the approval of the Executive Board for specific purposes. The chairpersons of such special committees shall report to, but may not sit on, the Executive Board unless already a Member. The term of a special committee shall coincide with that of the Executive Board of the Society under which it was appointed.
6. In the absence of a chairperson or a committee member the Executive Board may assume the duties of that committee.

Amendments to these by-laws may be proposed and submitted in writing by Members of the Society to the President. Amendments must be approved by a majority of the Members of the Society by a mail or e-mail ballot. The Executive Board shall prepare a ballot containing the proposal and send it to all Members

Procedures of the Society in the conduct of all meetings shall be determined by the current revision of Robert’s Rules of Order unless otherwise specified herein.

The President and the Executive Board may grant Member Emeritus standing to an individual of unusual accomplishment in the field of biofeedback.

Subject to and in accordance with Sections 1001 and 1002 of the New York Not-for-Profit Corporation Law (NYNFPCL), any plan of dissolution and distribution of assets to be adopted by the Board and/or the members shall provide that, after paying, or providing for the payment of its liabilities, and to do all other acts appropriate to liquidate its business, the remaining assets of the corporation shall be distributed in the following manner: All remaining cash shall be distributed to another non-profit Biofeedback organization, to be determined at the time of dissolution.