ISMS Bylaws
CHAPTER X. COUNTY SOCIETIES
Section 1. All county societies now in affiliation with this Society, or those which may hereafter be organized in this state, which have adopted principles of organization in harmony with this Constitution and Bylaws, shall upon application to and approval by the Board of Trustees, receive a charter from and thereby become a component part of this Society, and members thereof shall become members of this Society.
Section 2. Charters shall be issued only on approval of the Board, and shall be signed by the president and the secretary of this Society.
The Board shall have authority to revoke the charter of any component society whose actions are in conflict with the letter and spirit of this Constitution and Bylaws.
Section 3. Only one component medical society shall be chartered in any county.
Section 4. Every registered physician holding the title of Doctor of Medicine or its equivalent, who either (1) resides in the jurisdiction of a component society, or (2) maintains their professional practice in the jurisdiction of a component society, or (3) resides in a state other than Illinois but practices principally in the jurisdiction of a component society and who is of good moral character and professional standing, shall be eligible for membership in that component society, or if the physician practices in a county which does not have a component society, that physician may apply for membership in a component medical society which is adjacent to and shares a border with the county in which the physician practices.
The component county society shall be the sole judge of the qualifications of its members, subject only to the stipulations contained in the Constitution and Bylaws of ISMS and the constituent society.
Section 5. Any physician who has been disciplined by any action of a component society and believes he has not had a fair trial, shall have the right of appeal to the Judicial Panel.
Section 6. When a member in good standing in a component society changes the basis for their membership, whether their residence or principal place of practice, to another county in this state, such change of residence or principal place of practice shall terminate their membership in such component society. (This ruling shall not apply to members in military service or in the service of the State or the United States government.)
Such member shall be entitled, upon their request, to a statement from their former secretary as to their standing. This statement of standing shall be issued without cost to the applicant.
They shall present this statement to the component society of the county to which they move, and it shall accompany their application for membership. The board of censors of the society receiving their application shall give this statement of prior standing due consideration before accepting or rejecting their application for membership.
Section 7. A physician living on or near a county line, or practicing partly or totally in an adjacent county, may hold his membership in the county most convenient for him, provided he submits written authorization to that society from the component society in whose jurisdiction he resides.
Section 8. The secretary of each component society shall keep a roster of its members, in which shall be shown the full name, address, college and date of graduation, date of license to practice in this state, and such other information as may be deemed necessary. In keeping such a roster, the secretary shall note any changes in the personnel of the profession by death or by removal to or from the county. When requested, he shall furnish on blanks supplied him for the purpose, an official report containing such information for the secretary of this Society and likewise for the trustee of the district in which his county is situated.
Section 9. The secretary of each component society shall forward a list of current officers, delegates and alternate delegates to the secretary of this society no later than 90 days prior to the annual meeting.
Section 10. Any component society which fails to transmit the dues collected from its members prior to March 31 shall be held as suspended and none of its members shall be permitted to participate in any of the business or proceedings of the Society or of the House of Delegates until such requirements have been met.
Section 11. Members of the Illinois State Medical Society shall be bound by the Constitution and Bylaws of ISMS.
