It is the intent of the Board of Directors that all North Texas Chapter members follow these Operating Procedures and that each member have a copy in their possession. Suggested revisions should be submitted to the President, in writing. These procedures follow the By-Laws in their structure and will be reviewed and reissued annually by the Board.

MEMBER IN GOOD STANDING: A North Texas Chapter member who has satisfied the requirements set forth in the By-Laws, and these Operating Procedures for the following: Payment of dues; meeting attendance and completion/submission of the basketball officials annual examination with a minimum score as required by the state governing body. Additionally, a member in good standing who wishes to be considered for playoff games must officiate a minimum of 10 NTBOA assigned assignments. Not more that five (5) of those assignments may be tournament assignments.

ADMINSTATION OF ANNUAL EXAMINATION: The Chapter’s meeting schedule will reflect the date of administration of the basketball official’s examination. Retests will be scheduled three (3) calendar weeks following scoring of the initial examination. The meeting for this purpose does not count for minimum attendance purposes. Retests are provided only for those officials who fail to attain the minimum required score for their classification.

LIFE MEMBERSHIP: An active member may submit to the Board of Directors a recommendation for an individual to become a life member of the North Texas Chapter. The Board will determine the eligibility for this honor.

GAME SITUATIONS: Any conflict or confrontation between the officials and any player, substitutes, assistant coaches, trainers, team physicians, cheerleaders in uniform, band members in uniforms, mascot in uniform, parent or any other persons affiliated with the teams in a contest officiated by the NTBOA officials will be reported orally to either the Chapter’s Secretary or President within six hours of the incident. Other required reporting will be determined based on the initial oral report.

COMMITTEES: The following are the active committees for the 2001-2002 season and their respective memberships:

1. BOARD OF DIRECTORS: This committee will annually review the By-Laws and Operating Procedures of the North Texas Chapter and perform other tasks as directed by the Chapter President. The Board of directors is composed of the Incumbent of the following elected positions: President, Vice President, the immediate past president and 4 Representatives at large elected by the membership.

2. ETHICS COMMITTEE: The Ethics Committee will serve as the "sounding board" for Chapter problems relating to game situations, actions of coaches, fans, players, etc. These actions will be reported, in writing to the Ethics Committee. Also, any problems by or with co-officials, including tardiness to game assignments, failure to show up for an assignment, dress or conduct violations or any other breach of Chapter Operating Procedures are to be reported. The Committee will receive the written report, review the facts and contact the necessary people, including coaches or co-officials, to determine the facts of the situation. An appearance by the official involved will probably be included in the process. (Officials may wish to bring Representative to the meeting.) Upon completion of its review, the Committee will make a recommendation of action(s) to be taken to the Board of Directors. In most cases, this will result in a written report given to the individual (s) involved and will include any sanctions taken against the individual (s). In a more severe case, the Board of Directors will review the facts and take any necessary action. These cases will normally be repeat offenses by an official or a problem of such a nature that expulsion from the chapter may be in order. The Ethics Committee will report its weekly actions at the next scheduled Chapter meeting. The Vice President chairs the Ethics Committee and its members are selected by the chairman and approved by the Board of Directors.

3. BANQUET COMMITTEE: The Banquet Committee will be responsible for coordinating the details for the end of the year Chapter party. The President will appoint committee members.

4. NEW MEMBER SCREENING COMMITTEE: This committee will review all new member applications to determine eligibility of the applicants for membership in the North Texas Chapter. This screening activity will include a verification of data on the application and recommendation to the Board of Directors for acceptance or declination of the application. The one of the Representatives chosen by the President will chair this committee and the other members will be the remaining Representatives.

5. RULES COMMITTEE: This committee will be composed of experienced officials and will make any rule decisions and interpretation necessary for proper officiating by Chapter members. The Secretary/Treasurer will chair the rules committee. The Board of Directors to this committee will appoint at least four other chapter members annually.

6. MECHANICS COMMITTEE: This Committee will be composed of experienced officials and will be available to relate to all members proper officiating mechanics. Any Board member may chair this mechanics committee. Along with the Board of Directors approval, the chairperson will select up to five other Chapter members to serve on the committee.

7. OBSERVERS COMMITTEE: This committee will be composed of inactive experienced members who are available to observe officials in the execution of actual game duties in order to evaluate performance of mechanics to aid in the improvement of the individual officials and the Chapter. Active officials are urged to observe and evaluate other officials and to render an evaluation report to the Observers Committee. The Board of Directors will determine committee members.

CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP: In order to maintain active status in the Chapter, first year officials must attend a minimum of 80% of regular mandatory meetings and other officials must attend a minimum of 70% of those meetings. Workshops, and the State Meeting will count as one regular meeting for attendance credit purposes. Neither the annual banquet nor other social functions will count for meeting attendance credit. The District meeting will count only if it is held concurrently with a regular chapter meeting. A member may be excused from meeting attendance only when an assigned basketball game is played at the same time of a regular chapter meeting. In this event, the official will receive meeting attendance credit.

POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTREST: In accordance with the state governing body policy, an official shall not officiate a game for any school where: a.) They have relatives who are students, players, or employees. b.) from which they graduated less than 10 years previous or c.) Where a coach is, or has been, a close personal friend.

VARSITY GAME ASSIGNMENTS: Varsity game assignments will be made by the Varsity Assignor in conjunction with the Varsity Assignments Committee using officials’ availability information and scratch list sent to the Chapter by the coaches who have been provided the full chapter membership roster. Deviations form these list are coordinated with the coaches and /or Athletic Directors of the schools involved and individual officials. Normally, the higher division officials will work higher classification games.

SUB-VARSITY GAME ASSIGNMENTS: All officials of the NTBOA will have the opportunity, and are expected, to support our sub-varsity program. Assignments are under the direction of one of the Varsity Assignors. The exact procedure for making and obtaining such assignments will be published and provided to each chapter member.

SCRIMMAGE ASSIGNMENTS: The Varsity Assignor will assign scrimmages to members of the NTBOA. Each member will be assigned two (2) scrimmage dates, and at their option, may volunteer for additional assignments. Assigned scrimmages will be considered a game assignment and are subject to the same attendance requirements as a regular season game.

POST-SEASON GAME ASSIGNMENTS: The NTBOA members in good standing shall be eligible for consideration for post-season game assignments. However, the UIL requires each TASO Chapter to provide to the UIL at least three listings of officials for possible assignment to regional or state tournaments. Those list are 1.) Top twenty-five officials. 2.) Top six 3-person crews. 3.) Top female and minority officials. The Board of Directors complies these lists and the UIL makes by name assignments through the Chapter’s Assignor. An official is not eligible for post season assignments and their names will not be provided to the UIL in any of the following circumstances: 1.) If their meeting attendance record will not satisfy the Chapter’s meeting attendance requirements. 2.) If he/she has unpaid fines. 3.) If he/she failed to show up for a game assignment, or 4.) If he/she is otherwise not in good standing with the chapter. Except as stated above, members in good standing who are specifically requested by a coach to officiate a specific post season game will be give priority consideration for that assignment.

CHAPTER SCRATCH POLICY: Each school served by this Chapter will be permitted to scratch up to ten (10) percent of the Chapter’s varsity officials for a given season. If, during the season a coach/school desires to scratch additional officials(s) that coach /school must replace the newly scratched official with one of those on the prior scratch list. Therefore, no school can have more than 10 percent of the Chapter’s varsity officials scratched at any give time. In order for the chapter to honor a "scratch List" the list and any other changes must be submitted to the Chapter Assignment Secretary, no later than one week prior to the game for which the list is to be effective.

PRE-GAME CONFERENCE: The Referee is responsible to hold a pre-game conference with all officials immediately prior to any Varsity Game, and when possible before any sub-varsity game.

OFFICAL MECHANICS: Only those officiating mechanics approved by the NFHS may be used in UIL games. The Referee is responsible to see that the game officials utilize proper mechanics.

The uniform worn by members of the NTBOA will conform to that specified in the current year Officials Manual and as approved by the state governing body. That uniform generally consists of: black and white vertical stripe "V" –neck style shirt (all crew members are required to wear identical shirts): black slacks, black socks, black shoes, black belt (if wearing belted slacks), black lanyard, and black plastic whistle (Fox 40 preferred). Shoes will be solid black with the possible exception of a shoe brand name. It is highly recommended that wash and wear slacks be used. Slacks made of denim material will not be worn.

Each NTBOA member will insure that his/her hair (including mustache and beard) is neatly trimmed, shoes are shinned and uniform is neat and clean.

Street clothes worn to/from game sites must be neat and clean. Shorts are not considered appropriate for wear to/from game sites.

RULES AND MECHANICS TRAINING: the Board of Directors will under the direction of one or more members appoint all rules and mechanics meetings, training resources and programs.

GAME CANCELLATIONS BY OFFICIALS: Games assignments made in accordance with an official’s availability form are the responsibility of the assigned official, until he/she is notified by the appropriate Assignor that a suitable replacement official has been notified and has accepted the game assignment. After game assignments are made, should an official cancel an assignment, a cancellation fee of five dollars ($10.00) per game of the assignment will be assessed. The fine for cancellation of a game assignment within 24 hours of the assignment is twenty-five dollars ($25.00). Should a game cancellation be the result of a game related injury, the Board of Directors may elect to waive the game cancellation fee. The leaving of a message by an official does not constitute cancellation, nor does leaving a message with another party constitute cancellation.

GAME CANCELLATION BY SCHOOLS: When schools cancel games and the Chapter is notified, the responsible Assignor will make every effort to notify both assigned officials. If the school does not notify the Chapter of the cancellation, the school is responsible for reimbursement mileage payment to one official. If the Chapter fails to notify the officials of a game cancellation, or if the Chapter incorrectly assigns officials to a game, which is not on a school’s schedule, the Chapter is responsible for reimbursement of mileage to one of the assigned officials.

FAILURE TO SHOW UP FOR AN ASSIGNED CONTEST (S): The fine for failing to show up for an assigned contest when the assignment was made in accordance with the member’s assignment availability form, is equal to the game fee (for each game not officiated) which he/she would have received had he/she worked the game. If an official works an assignment without a NTBOA member as a co-official, the official who worked will be paid by the Chapter (from the fine paid by the no-show official) one-half the amount of the fine. The remaining one-half of the fine will be deposited in the Chapter’s checking account and used as seen fit by the Board of Directors.

Immediately upon notification of a failure to show up situation, the Chapter Secretary will contact the appropriate school official at the game site and determine the amount of the game fee. The official who failed to show up will be notified by telephone and in writing of the amount of the fine. The official has seven calendar days in which to pay the fine to the Assignment Secretary who made the assignment. Failure to pay the fine within that period will result in cancellation of any remaining game assignments. An official who fails to show up for a second game assignment in a season shall be immediately dropped from membership in the Chapter, all game assignments cancelled, and written notification of the action will be made to the state governing body.

CHANGING OF GAME ASSIGNMENTS: Only the Chapter Assignors, or in their absence, member of the Board of Directors, may make game assignments. No official will either change assignments with another official or request another official to "cover" an assignment for him/her. No official will accept an assignment from anyone other than those identified in the first sentence of this paragraph. To do otherwise, will subject both officials involved to twice the fine outlined above in the FAILURE TO SHOW UP FOR AN ASSIGNED CONTEST (S) paragraph.

COMMUNICATION BETWEEN OFFICIALS PRIOR TO CONTESTS: Each official has the responsibility for contacting his/her assigned co-official for the purpose of confirming transportation to and from the assignment, time, and travel arrangements. Such contact will be made not later than 48 hours prior to the starting time of the first schedule game. When a change of one official is necessary within 48 hours of the scheduled game, the replacement official is responsible for initiating contact with the originally assigned official. When a change of both officials is necessary within 48 hours of the scheduled game, the procedure stated in the first sentence above applies. Failure to make this notification may result in an unfavorable determination of responsibility by the Board of Directors should a scheduled official fail to show up for an assignment, or should there be a conflict regarding payment of mileage fees. If an official is not at the appointed departure point ten (10) minutes after the agreed upon meeting/departure time, the official who is present will depart and proceed to the game site. The late official will travel on his/her own to the game site, but will neither seek not receive any reimbursement for his/her travel.

MILAGE REIMBURSEMENT BY SCHOOLS TO OFFICIALS: It is the policy of this Chapter to assign officials so that they may travel together to the game(s) site. There are numerous reasons for such a policy: travel time provides the opportunity for basketball rules and mechanics discussions, safety, and convenience to the school, and others. One official per set (2 or 3) of assigned officials is entitled to reimbursement for round trip mileage from his/her place of residence to the game (s) site. "Place of residence" is defined as that residence recorded with the NTBOA. Where a "detour" by one official of up to 30 miles may be necessary to do so, officials are urged to ride together. With the concurrence of the school, two officials may divide the mileage reimbursement between themselves. In those instances where it is necessary to assign officials whose reasonable routes of travel to the game (s) site will not take them through a common point, each official, with the prior concurrence of the school, may claim and receive round trip reimbursement. An official who is determined to be "taking advantage" of a school in any way regarding mileage reimbursement will be fined at least the amount of the mileage reimbursement. Such fine will be paid to the Chapter. The Chapter will then make full reimbursement to the school involved.

USE OF ANSWERING MACHINES, VOICE MAIL, OR OTHER PERSONS FOR LEAVING MESSAAGES REGARDING GAME ASSIGNMENTS/ CANCELLATIONS/ OR TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS: The Chapter Assignors or other members of the Board of Directors may use the above means for the purpose of canceling an assignment. Assignors may not make assignments using any of the above means. An official may not consider any of the above means "contact with", "communication with", or "notification of" any type of information regarding an assignment either to an Assignor, a member of the Board of Directors, or to an assigned co-official. Except as stated above, when questions arise regarding responsibility for errors associated with assignments and an official has relied on an answering machine, voice mail, or another person for transmission of a message relating to the error, the person who used those modes of "communication" shall always be deemed at fault.

State dues are set each year by the State Board of Directors and currently are $45.00 for returning members with 3 years or more of service, $35.00 for second year officials and $25.00 for all new officials. State dues for the following season are due to the Chapter NLT March 15^th each year. Failure to pay State dues on time results in a mandatory $25.00 fine for a person who wishes to pay them after the due date. Checks for dues payments must be made payable to the "NTBOA Chapter ". Cash and money orders will also be accepted. Cash should not be mailed, but instead should be given personally to the Chapter’s Secretary/Treasurer who will provide the payer with a receipt for money received.

Chapter dues are assessed according to each official’s years of service to the chapter as reflected below and are due not later than March 15^th, 2002. Failure to pay Chapter dues by March 15^th, 2002 will result in a late fee of $25.00 additional. The Chapter does not receive officials’ payments from schools and therefore, will not deduct dues from such payments.

Members entering their 3^rd year of service and above with Chapter-$75.00.

Members entering their 2^nd year-$60.00.

New members (1st year in chapter): $40.00

If required, the Board may levy an additional dues assessment during the month of January to permit the Chapter to satisfy its financial obligations.

No official will be assigned games, other than scrimmage games, until both State and NTBOA dues are paid. An official may request in writing to the Board of Directors a method of "deferred" payment of Chapter dues. If approved, any failure to make payment as agreed by the official and the Board will result in cancellation of all remaining assigned games. In no event may full payment of dues be extended beyond December 10, 2002.

In order for an official to receive point credit for basketball games officiated during a season, the official must have paid State dues for that season. Officiating point records must be legible and provided on the forms provided by State for that purpose or they may be in the form of a computer printout containing all information required by the State form. Point records submitted in any other form will not be accepted, nor submitted to State for credit.

As an element of the training program of both the State and the NTBOA, each member of the Chapter is urged to attend Regional Workshops and the State Meeting.