CLEAR offers two types of membership. Regular membership is open to all governmental agencies concerned with professional and occupational regulation; other approved jurisdictions; individual employees or officials of government agencies concerned with professional and occupational regulation; and national associations of state professional and occupational licensing boards. Associate CLEAR membership is open to approved non-governmental organizations; individuals representing an organization not eligible for regular membership; and private individuals who have a personal interest in occupational and professional regulation.
Membership benefits include reduced rates on CLEAR products and services, voting rights, publications, and participation on CLEAR committees. The membership year goes from July 1 to June 30; membership benefits lapse for unpaid members.

The Executive Director shall present the Board with budgets and quarterly financial reports prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting procedures as well as with current Board directives. The president shall appoint a board member to serve as Board-staff liaison for this process. CLEAR's financial goals are established to pursue aggressively those financial ventures that will allow the enhancement of CLEAR's mission statement. Beginning from FY98, CLEAR's budget must produce reserves of 10% of the annual budget for the purposes of developing minimal reserves of 50% of one year's operating expenses.

• The Executive Director shall report to the Board on a quarterly basis on each of the following points and shall take every reasonable measure to prevent their occurrence
• Expenditure of more funds in a given fiscal year than have been received
• Organizational indebtedness greater than can be repaid within 60 days
• Failure to settle payroll and other debts in a timely manner
• Failure to timely or accurately file any government-ordered report
• Expenditure or commitment of funds greater than $25,000 for a single item, except for those expenditures necessary for CLEAR sponsored educational meetings
• Failure to make reasonable attempts to collect accounts receivable
• Obligation for an annual conference host state event without a sound "pay as you go" financial plan in place
• Failure to insure against theft and casualty losses to at least 80% of replacement value
• Maintain insufficient controls for receiving, processing or disbursing funds to meet an independent auditor's standards
• Invest or hold operating capital in insecure instruments, including uninsured checking accounts and bonds of less than AA rating, or in non-interest bearing accounts except where necessary to facilitate ease in operational transactions
• Changing the Executive Director's own compensation without the President's approval
• Establish current compensation and benefits that deviate materially from the geographic or professional market for the skills employed
• Failure to maintain a current, comprehensive personnel policies and procedures manual
• The acquisition, encumbrance or disposition of real property without consulting the Board

Investigator of the Year Award: recognizes an investigator in occupational and professional regulation who has demonstrated exceptional performance in a particular case and a history of excellent performance beyond what is expected or required. Nominees must be employed by a CLEAR member (individual or agency) and nominated and approved by their board, commission or agency head.

Member Achievement Award: recognizes an individual CLEAR member who has made an outstanding contribution enhancing occupational and professional regulation. The nominee shall have shown exceptional leadership, vision and creativity above and beyond the regular functions of the job.

Program Award: recognizes a program or agency concerned with occupational and professional regulation that enhances the regulatory process. Nominations must demonstrate vision, creativity and results beyond what is normally expected or achieved. Nominees may or may not be CLEAR members.

Service Award: recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding contribution of service and commitment to CLEAR over a significant period of time. Nominees must be affiliated with a CLEAR member organization or be an individual member of CLEAR.

Recognition Award: recognizes an individual who has contributed to a broader understanding of regulatory issues, encouraged reconstructive change, or otherwise enhanced the quality of professional and occupational regulation. Nominees should not be CLEAR members and may include consumer advocates, journalists, legislators and others.

CLEAR carries out its mission and purpose through programs and projects such as conferences, services, publications and research. To accomplish specific projects, e.g. an annual conference, it is CLEAR's policy to permit staff to accept public and private contributions to such projects consistent with its mission and purpose in accordance with the following guidelines. In cases where, in staff's judgment, a contributor or a contributor's project or program is not obviously consistent with CLEAR's mission and purpose, CLEAR's Executive Committee makes the final determination.

Endorsement and Influence
CLEAR's acceptance of funds from any source is not regarded as an endorsement by CLEAR or the members of its Board of Directors of any activities of the granting organization. Under no circumstances will any external funding source have any editorial control or influence on CLEAR activities, nor will acceptance of funds from such sources involve any other relationship that could present an actual conflict of interest or have the appearance of a conflict of interest. External funding sources may make no representations involving the use of CLEAR's name or logo without the express permission of CLEAR.
Advisory Groups and Committees
CLEAR may establish project or program advisory groups consisting of both public and private interests except as prohibited by the Bylaws. Any committee, task force or other consortium representing public and/or private sector interests and formed to interact with CLEAR staff and leadership will have an advisory or informational role only.
Presentation of Information and Recommendations
Any information developed by, or recommendations prepared for, participating public and private sector sources and submitted to CLEAR will be accepted by staff with the understanding that such information or recommendations are advisory or informational to CLEAR's role as an information clearinghouse.
Publications
Unless otherwise provided, joint publications of CLEAR and a sponsoring entity are permitted when authorized by both parties. When such publications are appropriate to the needs of CLEAR's members, they will be encouraged and will be considered the property of CLEAR. The information contained in sponsored publications will be made readily available to CLEAR's constituents and other private or public sector agencies to the extent that CLEAR deems this to be desirable.
Sponsored Project Staff
Unless otherwise provided, any public and/or private sector funding source shall agree, in writing, to waive all rights as to the final selection of staff, and to the contents, findings and recommendations of any publication prepared by CLEAR staff for any program or project sponsored by that funding source. Staff, in consultation with the Executive Committee, shall determine the value of in-kind contributions.

A policy on annual conference sponsorship provides a supplement to this policy.

Project Selection Criteria

1. Appropriateness to CLEAR's mission--the proposal will meet at least one of CLEAR's goals. The more goals met, the better.

2. Credentials of staff/researchers--assuming that staff will conduct the research, this item is used to assess how well the petitioned agency will review the staff's credentials for the proposed subject.

3. Feasibility--no matter how well all other items match up, some projects are so big or so ambitious that they may be beyond the scope of the organization to perform.

4. Fundability--rate high if a known funding source exists (for example, a request for proposal (RFP) or notice in the Federal Register has occurred, or conversations with the funding source indicate availability). Important Note: wishing that funds were available does not make it so!

5. Increased profile for CLEAR--this means that CLEAR would become better known and respected, and would attract a wider audience if this work were done.

6. Interest of review body in subject--this means that a review body is in fact interested in the subject of the research proposal.

7. Need within the states--the states (membership) agree that the research results are indeed needed.

8. Staff preparedness--it can take a lot of effort to prepare a proposal. If the staff has already researched the proposal topic for other reasons, this enhances the likelihood that a good proposal can be prepared in a timely manner.

Each of these criteria is rated from 1 (low interest, feasibility, etc.) to 5 (high rating). Other criteria can be added. For example, criteria that address short-term v. long-term need could be added. Only the very top item(s) should even be considered for potential projects. To do otherwise could result in a drain on the association's modest resources.

This system works well for the sorts of opportunities that can be planned in advance, but does not allow for "hot" opportunities that cannot be planned for, such as a sudden opportunity from a federal agency. Staff must be able to respond quickly to these opportunities quickly and for these situations, the Executive committee may act to approve proposal development.

CLEAR solicits both corporate and public sector financial support for its annual conference in an effort to provide the highest quality conference for participants. Host state agencies are encouraged to assist in identifying conference sponsors; however, they may not use CLEAR's name or logo without the express permission of CLEAR. A sponsor may submit speaker and session topic recommendations to CLEAR, but selection of such topics and speakers is made by CLEAR's Program Committee in conjunction with staff .

Levels of Contribution

The three levels of corporate sponsorship for cash and in-kind contributions, together with the amenities the corporate sponsor receives, are as follows:

In addition, supporters of specific events or activities are recognized by signs in or near the sponsored event and general supports are recognized by means of a sign near the registration area.

NCIT policies and procedures are available in a separate handbook prepared for members of the NCIT Subcommittee, which has program oversight.

Whenever an application for approval of an individual to be a CLEAR consultant is received, the President will appoint within 30 days an ad hoc committee of CLEAR members with expertise in the appropriate area to review and recommend action on the applications. CLEAR may not publish a list of its consulting service consultants.

• establish the governing policies and procedures for the management and operation of CLEAR*
• produce written policies which will guide CLEAR's administrative operation, committees, membership participation, elections, and awards programs.
• receive and review reports on policy compliance at intervals established by the Board and regularly review all policies for their currency and usefulness to CLEAR's mission
• develop long-range policies and strategies for CLEAR, including financial*
• adopt an annual operating budget for CLEAR*
• meet at the annual meeting and at least one other time during the year*
• direct the use of the CLEAR name, logo or other indicia*
• establish membership dues and assessments*
• exercise such other powers as are generally consistent with these Bylaws*
• act as the link between the CLEAR membership and its staff

* Bylaws Article III Section 2
Note: the Board has expressed support for the concept that the duties of a board member and the president should be expanded to include components that reflect the outreach and inclusiveness of CLEAR.

Duties of a Board Member

• be informed about the organization's mission, services, policies and programs
• participate fully in board meetings
• support and promote the Board's policies and procedures
• review agenda and supporting materials prior to board and committee meetings
• participate fully in committees
• participate fully in the annual conference and related events
• carry out special assignments as requested by the board president
• observe the legal responsibilities of duty of loyalty and duty of care to the organization (see orientation manual for both statements)
• understand the responsibilities of the board (see board duties)
• promote CLEAR and its offerings within own jurisdiction
• be prepared to answer questions about what CLEAR is and what its programs are
• complete all assigned tasks in a timely fashion
• recognize, participate in and promote opportunities to further CLEAR's mission

• act as the organization's spokesperson
• oversee board and executive committee meetings
• serve as an ex-officio member of all committees
• work in partnership with the executive director to carry out board directions
• call special meetings if necessary
• coordinate ongoing board self-assessment (with the executive director)
• in accordance with the bylaws, appoint committee chairs and members
• work with executive director to prepare agenda for board meetings
• work with executive director to conduct new board member orientation
• report to the membership at the annual meeting CLEAR's accomplishments during the past 12 months
• oversee searches for a new executive director
• coordinate executive director's annual performance review (and handle any other personnel matters involving the executive director)
• work to recruit new board members
• appoint chairs and vice-chairs
• ad hoc committees may be appointed by the President, in agreement with the Board of Directors, for terms of one year.

Duties of a Committee Chair

• carry out the directives established by the Board and the bylaws in a manner consistent with CLEAR's mission
• establish appointed committee's semi-annual business meeting agenda
• preside over the business of appointed committees during meetings
• report results of committee meetings to the Board of Directors
• perform interim tasks, such as scheduling conference calls, writing to committee members, etc., in order to advance the business before the committee
• work with assigned committee staff person

• keep the official CLEAR records
• distribute such materials and notices as are required for the operating and functioning of CLEAR
• coordinate staff responses to information requests
• coordinate staffing of CLEAR programs and projects
• coordinate responses to membership eligibility and fees inquiries
• conduct the day-to-day business operations of CLEAR (includes staff supervision)
• implement Board of Directors' policies and directives
• perform other duties as assigned by the Board of Directors
• currently: bring any issues, suggestions or alternatives to the Board of Directors that require the Board's attention

(Board January 16, 1999)

Other, general:

• attend all midyear and annual business meetings
• staff committees as appropriate (currently the Board of Directors)
• secure externally funded projects (currently the Washington State Department of Personnel investigator training; previously the Pew telepractice grant, etc.)
• representative to external organizations (e.g., the Federation of Associations of Regulatory Boards, the National Organization for Competency Assurance, the Council of State Governments, the Center for the Health Professions)
• staff to Board/staff liaisons as appropriate (currently the Finance, Nominations and Elections, and Policies liaisons)
• prepare occasional issue papers and presentations for wide distribution (e.g. work on distance learning, telepractice, alternative dispute resolution, etc.
• oversee physical plant, including lessee contractual arrangements
• provide inquiry and referral services on professional and occupational regulation (primary users are legislative staffers)