BY-LAWS,, 1989-2003.

Summary: Original proposal of Sisters in Crime's by-laws, adopted in 1989 and upheld by members of the organization, and five later revisions of those by-laws. These by-laws constitute the underlying operations of the group by providing basic rules for Sisters in Crime members and officers. They include standards regarding the name, seal and purpose of the organization, membership, general management, the steering committee, officers, committees, meetings, local chapters, elections, nominations, notices, dues, discipline, amendments to the by-laws, indemnification, dissolution and rules of procedure and parliamentary authority. The by-laws state the purpose of the organization and provide information regarding different types of memberships available within Sisters in Crime. They also lay out how the steering committee is nominated and elected and describe the role of each official position. In addition, they provide rules for the local chapters to follow within the guidelines of the national organization. The minor changes within each new set of by-laws reflect the changing needs within the structure of the organization.