Policies (Standing Rules)

HFBWA Policies (Standing Rules) as a PDF

STANDING RULE Table of Contents
(Click a topic to scroll to that section.)

 

Standing Rule No. 1: OFFICERS

  1. Only the officers and auditors as listed in Article V, Section 1, of the Bylaws of the HHMHFBWA shall be elected at-large.
  2. These officers and auditors shall not be included in the count of prorated directors representing the United BWAs.

Issued 8/31/96

Standing Rule No. 2: REPRESENTATION

  1. Proration of directors representing United BWAs shall be as defined in the Bylaws.
  2. Presidents of the United BWAs shall not be included in the count of prorated directors representing the United BWAs.

Issued 8/31/96

Standing Rule No. 3: DUES

  1. Assessment dues is based on the membership count ending December 31st of the year before.
  2. A minimum of 50% of dues from each United BWA shall be submitted annually to the HHMHFBWA at the spring meeting and the remaining balance by April 30th.
  3. Dues and distribution thereof for active and associate members shall be determined by the HHMHFBWA.  Included in the dues will be $1.00 for each active and associate member which will be donated to the Ministerial Training Fund.

Issued 8/31/96
Amended 10/8/11
Amended  and approved 3/15/14

Standing Rule No. 4: GENERAL FUND

  1. Necessary round trip air fares to regular and special Representative Assemblies shall be provided for the United BWA’s President, the minister advisors of the districts and officers and directors of the HHMHFBWA.
  2. Necessary round trip air fares to the Annual Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii Legislative Assembly shall be provided for the President of the HHMHFBWA.
  3. Registration fees for the Annual Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii Legislative Assembly shall be provided for the President of the HHMHFBWA.
  4. Lunches and snacks shall be provided for persons attending regular or special Representative Assemblies.
  5. Payments shall be made from the General Fund for the maintenance and administration of the HHMHFBWA to include but not be limited to all office supplies, equipment, postage, long distance phone calls, FAX, copying costs, printing and the distribution of the Newsletter.
  6. Non-budgeted public relations costs for the HHMHFBWA President shall be approved by the Executive Board.
  7. Year-end gifts shall be presented to the HHMHFBWA’s Minister Advisor, the webmaster and to Hawaii Kyodan scholarship students in ministerial training in Japan and at the Institute of Buddhist Studies (IBS).

Issued 8/31/96
Amended 10/8/11
Amended and approved 10/6/12

Standing Rule No. 5: STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM

  1. For the Hawaii student(s) traveling to Japan, the HHMHFBWA shall provide from the General Fund, monies for the round trip air fares, gifts for the Lady of the Monshu, and gifts appropriate for ceremonial and other specified events.
  2. For the Japan student(s) coming to Hawaii, the HHMHFBWA shall provide for inter-island airfares along with meals and lodging on the arrival day and the day prior to departure. Host United BWA shall be responsible for other expenses.
  3. The rotation schedule for the non-hosting of the Japan Students are Maui, Hawaii Island, Oahu, Honolulu and Kauai.

(FYI ROTATION : 2014 Maui, 2016 Hawaii island, 2018 Oahu, 2020 Honolulu, 2022 Kauai)

Issued 8/31/96
Amended 10/11/08
Amended and approved 3/15/14

Standing Rule No. 6: STATE MEMBERSHIP CONFERENCE*

  1. A State Membership Conference shall be held every four years in the year prior to the World Buddhist Women’s Convention. The order of business shall include any preparations for the world convention. The date, time and place of the Conference shall be determined by the host unit. The host rotation shall be: Honolulu, Hawaii Island, Kauai, Maui and Oahu.
  2. The host United BWA shall be provided with $2000.00 advance funding from the Federation general fund. The advance and any excess shall be returned to the treasurer of the HHMHFBWA in a timely manner following the conclusion of the State Membership Conference. The host United BWA shall also receive all monies in the State Membership Conference account of the HHMHFBWA.
  3. All expenditures for the State Membership Conference shall be paid for from registration fees charged to each participant.  Expenditures include but not limited to paper supplies and related essentials, printing, flowers, honoraria to speakers and the program booklet.
  4. Monetary sponsorships and other donations may be solicited by the host United BWA.
  5. Registration fees shall be provided from the host conference fund for the Chairperson of the State Membership Conference, HHMHFBWA President, Honorary HHMHFBWA President, spouse of Honorary President, and HHMHFBWA Minister Advisor.
  6. Necessary coach roundtrip air fare(s) and lodging expenses shall be provided from the Federation general  fund for the HHMHFBWA President, Honorary HHMHFBWA President and spouse, HHMHFBWA Minister Advisor.
  7. Following the conclusion of the State Membership Conference, all excess monies shall be deposited into the HHMHFBWA State Membership Conference Fund.
  8. The Finance Committee shall be informed should Conference expenses exceed income. The Executive Board shall determine the resolution of this deficit problem.

Issued 8/31/96
Amended 3/7/09; 10/8/11; 10/6/12
Amended and approved 3/15/14
*See secretary’s minutes & Jean Fukumoto’s notes of 3/15/14 meeting

Standing Rule No. 7: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

  1. With the exception of Hawaii, each United BWA shall receive $300.00 for its Annual Education Workshop. Hawaii United BWA shall receive $500.00 for its Annual Education Workshop. Should any United BWA elect not to have an educational workshop for any year, the stipend shall be forfeited for that year only.
  2. Grants for registration fees and appropriate lodging expenses shall be provided to HHMHFBWA members who are active Dharma School teachers, for the Biennial State Dharma School Teachers Conference, according to the following:
    • Two (2) grants each for the United BWA of Oahu, Maui, Kauai and Honolulu.
    • Four (4) grants for the Hawaii United BWA.
  3. Pacific Buddhist Academy shall be allocated $1,000 annually by the month of May to be used to grant tuition waivers.
  4. Hongwanji Mission School shall be allocated $1,000 annually by the month of May to be used to grant tuition waivers.
  5. The Education Committee shall oversee all requests for grants

Issued 8/31/96
Amended 10/01; 10/25/03; 10/14/06; 10/11/08; 10/6/12; 3/15/14
Amended and Approved 10/1/22

Standing Rule No. 8: WORLD FEDERATION OF BUDDHIST WOMEN’S CONVENTION

  1. Round trip air fares and per diem costs for the pre-convention preliminary meetings shall be provided for the HHMHFBWA President, HHMHFBWA Honorary President, First Vice President, and the HHMHFBWA Minister Advisor, not to exceed (NTE) $2,500.00 per person.
  2. Registration fees, round trip air fares and per diem costs for the official convention period shall be provided for the HHMHFBWA President, First Vice President, the Honorary President and Minister Advisor.
  3. Registration fee and per diem costs for the official convention period shall be provided for the Bishop.
  4. Registration fee(s) shall be provided for officially designated speaker(s) who has/have been invited or selected by the HHMHFBWA.
  5. Appropriate gifts to the Host Country shall be provided by the HHMHFBWA. Appropriate gifts shall be presented at designated ceremonies and/or other official events as determined by the HHMHFBWA President in consultation with the Minister Advisor.

Issued 8/31/96
Approved 2/25/99
Amended 3/30/02; 3/7/09

Standing Rule No. 9: PROXIES

  1. Proxy(ies) may be designated by any authorized officer, auditor, United BWA president, director, and/or minister advisor, to act on her/his behalf provided that the primary person presents through the designated, a written authorization, duly signed and dated and with the description of actions the named proxy can take on behalf of the primary person.
  2. Proxies must fill out the designated proxy form and present it to the Chair of the meeting/conference before the convening of that particular gathering.

Issued 8/31/96
Amended and Approved 10/6/12

Standing Rule No. 10: MEMBERSHIP COUNT

Every single member of the BWA is truly valued. The following method of reporting membership will be followed to get an accurate count of the total BWA membership. Only the Unit’s active members will be counted to pay the regular dues assessment to the United and Federation levels. The Unit’s associate members will be counted separately and will be  assessed $1.00 per member which will be directed to the Ministerial Training Fund.

Definition

Active BWA Member

  • Pays regular dues to Unit
  • Generally, participates at Unit/United/Federation level
  • Is counted in annual United and Federation dues assessment

Associate Member

  • Previously active but now is unable to regularly participate at Unit/United/Federation level activities, primarily due to being homebound, in a care, retirement or nursing home
  • No longer pays any dues to Unit
  • Approximate age: 80+ years old
  • Is not counted in United or Federation dues assessment
  • Rarely changes from Associate to Active status
  • Any donations received from these members will remain with the Unit
  • Unit BWA will pay $1.00 per person to Ministerial Training Fund

Record Keeping

All Units will use the membership count of the previous year of December 31 to determine annual membership.

Associate BWA Member names are verified and provided by the Unit annually and submitted to the United Membership committee by January 15, along with a count of active BWA members. (Dues by the Units are paid accordingly to the United.)

A count of Active and Associate Members by Units will be submitted annually by each United Membership Chair to the Federation Membership Chair by January 31. (Dues from the Uniteds are paid accordingly to the Federation.)

The membership data will be reported to the Federation treasurer by February 5 and at the Spring Federation Rep meeting by the State Membership chair (2nd VP).

State Membership COUNT

Combined Active and Associate BWA Members
GOAL: Each BWA Unit will strive continuously to increase their active membership count.

Issued & Adopted 3/5/11
Amended & Approved 10/8/11
Implement in January 2012
Amended 3/5/22 with implementation date in January 2023

Standing Rule No. 11: INVESTMENT

  1. Unrestricted funds of the Federation may be invested in the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii’s Combined Fund.
  2. The Finance committee shall oversee the management of this fund with the approval of the Executive Board.

Issued 10/8/11

Standing Rule No. 12: FINANCE

  1. The HMHHFBWA will have its own Tax ID number.
  2. The Federation Treasurer shall submit a monthly bank reconciliation statement to the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii Headquarters, Federation President and to the auditors.
  3. Regarding checks written: Only one signatory is needed for amounts less than “$500.00”. For amounts of “$500.00” and greater, two signatories are required.
  4. Every effort should be made to secure a reasonable round trip air fare to all Federation meetings and activities.

Issued and Adopted 10/6/12; Amended 3/2/19