Proposal would exempt lawyers called to military duty from having to pay Bar fees.

The Bar's Budget Committee is continuing to work on a proposal that would exempt Bar members called up for active military duty from annual Bar membership fees, as well as several other issues.

Budget Committee Chair Mayanne Downs noted that the board last year approved in concept the dues waiver for lawyers called to active military duty. The proposal was sent to the Military Affairs Committee, which made some changes.

The committee is now looking at further refinements, including making the exemption retroactive and clarifying that it does not apply to career, active duty lawyers but rather those who have their careers disrupted by being called to active duty.

The final proposal will be brought to the board soon, Downs said.

On another matter, the board approved on final reading new policies defining the financial relationship between the Bar and its sections. The policies are intended to limit Bar losses for providing administrative support for sections, guarantee a minimum amount of Bar support for section activities, encourage sections to operate efficiently, and spell out a revised funding split between the Bar and sections for CLE operations that encourages sections to sponsor seminars that make money or break even.

The policies, initially approved at the board's June meeting, were the results of two years of study and negotiations with sections. Although initially resisted by many sections, Bar projections for the final agreement indicated that some sections would actually fare better under the revised arrangement. (See story, July 1 News.)

Downs also reported that the Budget Committee is studying the Bar's policy of allowing Bar committees to have members attend by conference call, as a money- and time-saving measure for committee members. Current Bar policies do not generally allow attendance by phone conference.

"It was our recommendation...