Greater Chicago/Milwaukee SLAA Intergroup Bylaws 

Statement of Purpose 

The Greater Chicago/Milwaukee SLAA Intergroup (GCMSI) exists to support Chicago and Milwaukee area SLAA groups in carrying out the fifth tradition of SLAA – to carry the SLAA message to the sex and love addict who still suffers. Intergroup accomplishes this by: 

1. Providing a regular forum for communication among SLAA member groups. 

   2. Facilitating the exchange of information between local groups and fellowship-wide services. 

   3. Coordinating outreach activities provided to the public by managing all GCMSI Intergroup electronic communications systems, maintaining the post office box, and forwarding media and other public information requests to Fellowship Wide Services (FWS) per Tradition 11. 

   4. Planning and facilitating local SLAA sponsored events. 

   5. Selecting local delegates and underwriting their participation at the SLAA Annual Business Meeting and Annual Business Conference (ABM/ABC) annual business meetings. 

   Preamble 

   Intergroup meetings are SLAA meetings. Therefore, they are conducted as meetings and guided by the Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions and Twelve Concepts of World Service of SLAA. A spirit of unity and service ought to pervade Intergroup meetings. For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority – a loving God as this power may be expressed through our group conscience. 

   Greater Chicago/Milwaukee SLAA Intergroup Bylaws 

   I. Membership and Voting 

   a. Any SLAA group within 100 miles of Chicago (“Intergroup area”), and choosing to affiliate with the GCMSI, to the exclusion of all other Intergroups, is considered a member. It is encouraged that all GCMSI-affiliated meetings be duly registered with Fellowship Wide Services. 

   b. Each affiliated member group is entitled to one voting representative in Intergroup meetings. In addition, Intergroup Officers, ABM/ABC Delegates, and others actively involved in service to the Intergroup are entitled to one vote. Active service is defined as being actively engaged with

   an Intergroup-related service project. Those who serve in two or more service positions conferred with voting privileges are entitled to only one vote. Representatives of SLAA groups not affiliated with the GCMSI, and whose groups are within a 100 mile radius, are encouraged to attend and participate in Intergroup meetings, but may not vote. 

   c. It is recommended but not required that Intergroup Officers and Representatives meet the following criteria: 

   i. One year membership in SLAA. 

   ii. Three months of sobriety from their personal bottom-line behaviors. 

   iii. Actively working steps with an SLAA sponsor. 

   d. Regular attendance at Intergroup meetings is important for continuity. 

   i. Officers and Delegates must attend at least 9 of 12 scheduled 

   meetings in one calendar year to remain in good standing. 

   ii. Absences in excess of 25% without reasonable cause may result in 

   termination of an individual’s position as Officer or Delegate. 

   iii. Termination of an individual’s position as an Officer or Delegate for 

   an excess of 25% absences from scheduled meetings may be accomplished through the group conscience (by vote) of the Intergroup at a scheduled meeting. 

   iv. All Officers, Delegates, and other trusted servants are encouraged to 

   respect the principle of rotation of service and serve for two years; the second year of service to include a focus on developing and passing on experience of the role to a candidate/s who may wish to take on the role for the following service year. 

   II. Meetings 

   a. Meetings shall be held monthly or as designated by the Intergroup. 

   b. A quorum of three Officers and two Group Representatives is required for any vote. Representatives of unaffiliated SLAA groups and other SLAA members who are not Officers, Delegates, or affiliated representatives, or other trusted servants actively involved with service to the Intergroup, are not considered when determining a quorum. 

   c. Meetings shall be open to any SLAA member with the following limits: 

   i. Any SLAA member may bring issues to the meeting for 

   consideration and may participate in discussions.

   ii. Voting rights are reserved for Officers, ABM/ABC Delegates, Group 

   Representatives, and others actively involved in Intergroup service (e.g., committee members). Active service is defined as being actively engaged with an Intergroup service project. 

   iii. The Intergroup Facilitation Chair is trusted with determining the 

   order of precedence of Intergroup meeting agenda items. 

   III. Officers 

   All Officers will perform their role as set forth herein guided by the SLAA Traditions and Concepts. All parenthetical titles listed below are included for the purpose of clarifying organizational roles to banks or other legal entities. 

   a. Facilitation Chair (Organization Chairperson) 

   The Facilitation Chair is the Officer responsible for the facilitation of Intergroup function. As part of that responsibility, the Chairperson shall be responsible for: 

   i. Presiding at Intergroup meetings; 

   ii. Coordinating with the Outreach Officer (Organization 

   Vice-Chairperson) in responding to public information requests; 

   iii. Drafting the meeting agenda with input from the fellowship and 

   Intergroup members and facilitating discussion guided by the SLAA Bylaws, Traditions and Concepts; 

   iv. Serving as a signatory to the checking account; signing checks 

   drawn on the SLAA Intergroup bank account, although the Chairperson may designate one or more additional Officers as having signatory authority; 

   v. Facilitating as necessary the Outreach, Inreach, and Fiduciary 

   functions of the Intergroup, as well as the functions of the web site facilitator; 

   vi. Establishing as needed and chairing, guiding, and/or supporting 

   overseeing committees charged with Facilitation functions as needed; 

   vii. Identifying, and working with, an elected Vice-Facilitation Chair. 

   While not an Officer, the Vice-Facilitation Chair serves the Intergroup and assists the Facilitation Chair with the above-mentioned tasks. The Vice-Facilitation Chair may serve as Facilitation Chair in a future term, but must be voted in by the Intergroup;

   viii. Keeping a private and secure list of all Intergroup related login 

   information and passwords, including bank account, website, telephone service, etc.; and 

   ix. Other responsibilities as needed within the boundaries of the 

   Traditions and Concepts. 

   b. Outreach Chair (Organization Vice-Chairperson) 

   The Outreach Chair is the trusted servant responsible for Outreach functions of the Intergroup. As part of that responsibility, the Outreach Chair shall be responsible for coordinating efforts to carry the message to those outside the local area SLAA fellowship to including:. 

   i. Communicating as necessary with the public, newcomers, the 

   media, professionals, clergy, other SLAA intergroups, and other 12-step fellowships; 

   ii. Seeking guidance in such matters through the Intergroup group 

   conscience as guided by the Traditions and Concepts, and referring such matters to the SLAA Conference when necessary; 

   iii. Assisting the Facilitation Chair in the Facilitation functions identified 

   in paragraphs III(A)(1)-(6); 

   ivii. Establishing and chairing, guiding, and/or supporting overseeing 

   committees charged with Outreach functions as needed; 

   iv. Identifying, and working with, an elected Vice-Outreach Chair. While not an Officer, the Vice-Outreach Chair serves the Intergroup and assists the Outreach Chair with the above-mentioned tasks. The Vice-Outreach Chair may serve as Outreach Chair in a future term, but must be voted in by the Intergroup; and 

   vi. Other Outreach-related responsibilities as needed within the 

   boundaries of the Traditions and Concepts. 

   c. Inreach Chair (Organization Secretary) 

   The Inreach Chair is the trusted servant responsible for Inreach functions of the Intergroup. As part of that responsibility, the Inreach Chair shall be responsible for: 

   i. Collecting and distributing to the Intergroup all documents related 

   to Intergroup functions, including Intergroup meeting minutes, Intergroup representatives lists, Intergroup committee reports, Intergroup Bylaws, and other documents needed by the group;

   ii. Publishing and distributing information directed to groups, such as 

   newsletters and group meeting lists; 

   iii. Establishing and chairing, guiding, and/or supporting overseeing 

   committees charged with Inreach functions (e.g., retreats, social events, newsletter) as needed; 

   iv. Identifying, and working with, an elected Vice-Inreach Chair. While 

   not an Officer, the Vice-Inreach Chair serves the Intergroup and assists the Inreach Chair with the above-mentioned tasks. The Vice-Inreach Chair may serve as Inreach Chair in a future term, but must be voted in by the Intergroup; and 

   v. Other Inreach-related responsibilities as needed within the 

   boundaries of the Traditions and Concepts. 

   d. Fiduciary Chair (Organization Treasurer) 

   The Fiduciary Chair is the trusted servant responsible for Fiduciary functions of the Intergroup. The Fiduciary Chair should be a responsible person with a solid period of sobriety. He or she should be organized enough to keep good records, and some accounting or bookkeeping experience is useful. Otherwise, the person elected may need help in setting up a system, and possibly some clerical assistance. Persuasiveness, firmness, and diplomacy will help the Fiduciary Chair do the job. The Fiduciary Chair also assists committees including a finance chair, and assists with record keeping and financial controls and has final responsibility for all fiduciary functions of these committees. As part of that responsibility, the Fiduciary Chair shall be responsible for: 

   i. Encouraging financial contribution support for Intergroup services, 

   including direct appeals and ongoing giving programs; 

   ii. Serving as a signatory for and maintaining the Intergroup checking 

   account, including depositing all donations to the Intergroup; 

   iii. Retrieving mail from the Intergroup post office box; 

   iv. Paying all Intergroup bills; 

   v. Preparing monthly financial reports for the Intergroup; 

   vi. Establishing as needed and assisting committees charged with 

   fiduciary functions;

   viii. Identifying, and working with, an elected Vice-Fiduciary Chair. While not an Officer, the Vice-Fiduciary Chair serves the Intergroup and assists the Fiduciary Chair with the above-mentioned tasks. The Vice-Fiduciary Chair may serve as Fiduciary Chair in a future term, but must be voted in by the Intergroup; and 

   ix. Other Fiduciary-related responsibilities as needed within the 

   boundaries of the Traditions and Concepts. 

   IV. Nomination and Election of Officers 

   a. Intergroup elections shall be held in March of each year. 

   b. A one-month notice of elections shall be made to all groups through Group Representatives and/or electronic means (e.g., newsletter, website, email). 

   c. Voting rights are reserved for Officers, ABM/ABC Delegates, Group Representatives, and others actively involved in Intergroup service (e.g., committee members). Active service is defined as being actively engaged with an Intergroup service project. 

   d. A quorum of three Officers and two Group Representatives is required for any election. A simple majority of all votes shall constitute a candidate’s election. If an insufficient number of Officers and Group Representatives are available to constitute a quorum, then the current serving trusted servants (Officers, Representatives, Delegates, and/or others actively involved in Intergroup service) shall serve as a quorum. 

   e. Terms for all Officers shall be one year. All Officers and other trusted servants are encouraged to respect the principle of rotation of service and serve for two years; the second year of service to include a focus on developing and passing on experience of the role to a candidate/s who may wish to take on the role for the following service year. 

   f. Officers are limited to three consecutive terms in any one position. Trusted servants become eligible to return to a previously held Office after a period of 1 year not serving. 

   g. A special election following the above procedure shall be held to fill unexpected vacancies. 

   V. Selection of Delegates to the SLAA Annual Business Meeting / Annual Business Conference 

   a. The Intergroup is entitled to one Delegate for every five groups represented by the Intergroup (or as specified by the Conference). The number of Delegates to be sent will be decided upon by the Intergroup, based in part on available funds. 

   b. Nomination and election shall follow the same procedure as for Officers.

   c. Terms for all ABM/ABC Delegates is 2 years. Delegates are encouraged to respect the principle of rotation of service; the second year of service to include a focus on developing and passing on experience of the role to a candidate/s who may wish to take on the role for the following service year as possible. Delegates are limited to three consecutive terms in any one position. Trusted servants become eligible to return to serving as a Delegate after a period of 1 year not serving. The Conference may suggest a term of service (commonly 2 years). 

   d. Alternates shall be the “runner/s ups” in the election. They will attend the Annual Business Meeting if the elected Delegates are unable to do so (assuming the Intergroup supports this person’s participation). 

   e. Membership and sobriety requirements are as listed in the SLAA International Bylaws are preferred. 

   VI. Amendments 

   a. Any suggested amendment to the Bylaws must be presented to all groups through email to the Representatives or contact persons three months prior to any discussion or vote on that amendment at an Intergroup meeting. 

   b. Should no representative or email contact be available, the Intergroup will attempt to deliver news of Amendments to that Group by other means. 

   Last revision: 11/8/2021