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Originally Incorporated as NORTHEAST LEGISLATIVE ASSOCIATION ON PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES, Directors voted to do business as the National Legislative Association on Prescription Drug Prices on 8/02/02. Bylaws reflect amendments approved through 1/28/05.

ARTICLE I - NAME
The name of the organization is the Northeast Legislative Association on Prescription Drug Prices, hereinafter referred to as "the Association."

ARTICLE II- - PURPOSE AND PRACTICE

• Section 2.01 Purpose. The purpose of the Association is to make prescription drugs more affordable and accessible to people in the Northeastern United States, especially by reducing prescription drug prices.
• Section 2.02 Practice. In working to achieve its purpose, the Association shall:
  1. Serve as a clearinghouse for research and information on matters relating to the pricing of prescription drugs;
  2. Provide a forum for the discussion, development and coordination of public policy strategies to reduce prescription drug prices;
  3. Encourage and support the enactment of legislation to reduce prescription drug prices;
  4. Initiate and coordinate communication with members of the United States Congress and with federal agencies to promote federal laws and policies to reduce prescription drug prices;
  5. Provide a forum for the discussion and development of any other public policies and strategies that may provide greater access to pharmacy benefits at a fair price; and
  6. Urge development and enhancement of federal and state insurance assistance programs offering prescription drug coverage.

ARTICLE III - ORGANIZATION AND GOVERNING BOARD

• Section 3.01. Directors. The Directors of the Association shall consist of up to three legislators from each participating state legislative chamber. No more than two directors from any participating legislative chamber shall be of the majority political party in that legislative chamber. Each director shall be appointed by the presiding officer of that director's legislative chamber or, if different, in the manner that appointments are made to standing committees in that director's legislative chamber. Directors shall hold office until replaced by a new appointment. Participation in the Association is open to each state legislative chamber of the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont, and to each legislative chamber of any other state, or the District of Columbia, or any other territory or commonwealth of the United States upon affirmative vote of the Directors of the Association. A Director may be the Presiding Officer of a legislative chamber.
• Section 3.02 Officers. Directors of the Association shall elect annually a chair, vice chair, secretary and treasurer. Each of the officers must be from a member state that is in good standing, defined as having paid dues within the previous two years. Each of the officers must be directors and must be from different states, unless an insufficient number of member states are in good standing. No person shall hold the same office for more than three consecutive years.
• Section 3.03. Meetings. The Directors of the Association shall meet at least three times each year. Meetings may be held in any municipality in any state or in any other jurisdiction in which the participating legislative chamber has appointed one or more Directors pursuant to Section 3.01 of the Bylaws. Written notice stating the place, day and hour of a meeting shall be delivered either personally or by mail to each director at least 14 days before the date of the meeting. Robert's Rules of Order shall govern all meetings in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws.
  * Section 3.04. Voting. Each director of the Association shall be entitled to one vote. No action of the directors shall be deemed approved unless approved by a vote of the majority of directors of the Association present or participating and entitled to vote, at a meeting at which one-half of the total number of Directors are present or participating. Any action permitted to be taken at a meeting of the Association's directors may be taken without a meeting if written consents, setting forth the action to be taken, are signed by all directors and are signed by the secretary of the Association.
  * Section 3.05 Committees. The chair, vice chair, secretary and treasurer shall constitute the executive committee of the Association. The directors of the Association may delegate to the executive committee such authority of directors that is not inconsistent with these Bylaws. The Directors of the Association shall establish such committees as the directors deem necessary. The proceedings of all committees shall be open to all directors.
  * Section 3.06 Duties of the Chair. The Chair shall be the chief officer of the Association and shall have the powers and shall perform the duties incident to that office. The Chair shall preside at meetings. The Chair shall appoint the members and chairs of standing committees.
  * Section 3.07 Disclosure. Each director must annually disclose whether the director or the director's spouse is an employee of, or a consultant to, a pharmaceutical manufacturer, wholesaler, or retailer, or an entity that engages in pharmaceutical or biomedical research and/or development. Disclosures under this section shall be made at the first Association meeting the director attends and at the first meeting of each calendar year thereafter.

ARTICLE IV - ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE

* Section 4.01 Staff and expenditure. The Association may hire staff and make such expenditures as are necessary to fulfill these Bylaws.
* Section 4.02 Budget. The Association shall prepare annual budgets of estimated expenditures. Each of the Association's budgets shall contain specific recommendations of the amount or amounts to be appropriated by each of the participating legislative chambers.
* Section 4.03 Limitation on sources of funds. The Association shall not receive funding from pharmaceutical manufacturers, wholesalers, or retailers, or entities that engage in pharmaceutical or biomedical research and/or development, except that reasonable conference and meeting registration fees may be charged to the above mentioned entities for attendance at meetings and conferences organized by the Association. The Association may receive funding from all other sources, including private foundations.
* Section 4.04 Limitation on credit. The Association shall not pledge the credit of any state.
* Section 4.05 Fiscal year. The fiscal year of the Association shall be July 1 to June 30.

ARTICLE VI - AMENDMENTS OF BYLAWS AND ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
The Association's Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation may be amended by a favorable vote of a majority of the total number of directors of the Association, at any meeting in which at least 14 days advance written notice of the proposed amendment text was provided to all directors.

ARTICLE VII - DISSOLUTION
In the event of dissolution of the Association, all remaining assets of the Association shall, after necessary expenses are paid, be distributed to one or more organizations that qualify under Section 501(c)(3) or Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code as amended, in such manner as will best accomplish the general purpose of the Association.