This society is officially known as the Taiwan Heart Rhythm Society (referred to as the Society in the Organization Regulation below).

The Society was founded according to the Private Organizations Law. It is a non-for-profit social organization. Its purposes are as follows: to enhance the ability of heart rhythm specialists; to improve the care of cardiac arrhythmic patients by promoting application, research and education; and to participate in the international academic exchange with healthcare professionals worldwide.

The Society’s organizational districts are based on the national administrative districts.

The office of the Society shall be located in the same city as that of the government agency in charge.

The Society’s missions are as follows:

1. To advance health care, education and research in electrophysiology and arrhythmia.
2. To organize academic conferences and lectures in electrophysiology and arrhythmia.
3. To held the domestic and overseas presentations and conferences.
4. To publish journals concerning the arrhythmia.
5. To liaise with other domestic and overseas academic organizations.
6. To reward the outstanding electrophysiologists.
7. To review hospitals that are involved in training electrophysioloigists.
8. To promote membership benefit.
9. To handle other relevant matters.

The government agency in charge of the society is the Taiwan Ministry of the Interior.

The following three categories of membership apply:

1. Regular Membership: Any person who graduated from a medical school of an institution either domestic or overseas, who is certified as a cardiologist in Taiwan.
2. Specialist Membership: Any physician who is certified as an eletrophysiologist or an interventional cardiologist who does device implantation, may apply for a specialist membership.
3. Supporter Membership: Anyone who supports the Society and is approved by the Board of Directors, may apply for a supporter membership.

If any member (member’s representative) commits an act that is against the law or the regulations of the Society, or refuses to abide by a resolution passed at a general meeting of the members (members’ representatives). Support members do not have those rights as the regular or specialist members.

Members’ obligations include obedient the regulations and responsibilities of the Society and pay all fees due to the Society. Those who have not paid will have their rights as members revoked. Those who have not paid for two years will be dismissed from the Society. Their rights will be restored upon payment of the overdue fees.

The Board of Directors may decide to either warn or punish that member by revoking his or her rights as a member. In serious cases, a resolution may be passed at a general meeting of the members (members’ representatives) to dismiss that member from the Society.

Those who canceled their membership or who are dismissed from the Society lose their rights entailed by the membership.

Any members wishing to relinquish membership must inform the Society in writing of their intention to do so, stating the reason for their decision three months, notice. Fees already paid will not be returned to persons who has relinquished from the Society.

The obligations of members:

1. Must obey the regulations of the Society and fulfill the obligations defined in any resolution passed by the Society;
2. Must pay all fees due to the Society;
3. Must perform the responsibilities designated by the Society.

The Society’s highest power lies in the Council of Members’ Representatives. When it is not in session, the Board of Directors may act on its behalf. The Supervisory Commission is a monitoring body. When the membership number increases to more than three hundred, the members’ representatives are elected from each district on a proportional basis, and their authority comes into effect when the Council of Members’ Representatives meets. The term is two years. The procedures for electing the representatives are formulated by the Board of Directors, and are implemented after they have been reported to and approved by the relevant government authorities.

The responsibilities of the Council of Members’ Representatives are as follows:

1. To draw up and amend regulations;
2. To elect and recall the members of the Board of Directors and the Supervisory Commission;
3. To decide on membership fees, operating charges, and the method and amount of members’ donations;
4. To decide on the annual working plans, reports, budget and final accounting;
5. To decide on the discipline and dismissal of members (members’ representatives);
6. To decide on the disposition of the Society’s property;
7. To make decisions regarding dissolution of the Society;
8. To make decisions regarding other important matters related to the rights and obligations of the members.

The Society has nine Board members and three supervisors, comprising the Board of Directors and the Supervisory Commission, respectively. When the elections for these positions of the Board of Directors and Supervisory Commission are being held, three reserve Board members and one reserve supervisor are elected at the same time. The number of votes gained by each person is used as the basis for deciding which of those elected will hold official or reserve positions. In the event of two people gaining the same number of votes, the decision will be made by drawing lots. The current Board of Directors may nominate the candidates for which the next Board and Supervisory Commission will be elected.

The responsibilities of the Board of Directors are as follows:

1. To examine members’ qualifications;
2. To elect and recall the Chairman of the Board and the standing Board members;
3. To decide on the resignation of the Chairman of the Board and standing or regular Board members;
4. To hire and dismiss personnel;
5. To formulate the annual working plans, reports, budget and final accounting;
6. To decide on the holding of meetings by the Council of Members’ Representatives;
7. To execute other duties as necessary.

The Board of Directors consists of three standing members who are elected by the regular Board members themselves. These standing members elect one of their members to be the Chairman of the Board and one to be the vice Chairman of the Board. The Chairman of the Board handles and supervises the affairs of the Society, and acts as its official representative for extramural activities. He or she also acts as the chairman at meetings of the Council of Members’ Representatives and of the Board of Directors. If otherwise engaged and unable to fulfill his or her responsibilities, the vice Chairman of the Board will act on his behalf. If he or she is unable to find a designee, one is chosen by the standing Board members themselves. If the position of the Chairman of the Board or that of one of the permanent members becomes vacant, an election should be held within one month to fill the post.

The responsibilities of the Supervisory Commission are as follows:

1. To supervise the work of the Board of Directors;
2. To examine and approve the annual accounting of income and expenditure;
3. To elect or recall the Commission’s standing members;
4. To decide on the resignation of individual supervisors or standing supervisors;
5. Such other supervisory duties as necessary.

The Supervisory Commission consists of one standing member, who is elected by the Commission members themselves and is responsible for supervising the general affairs of the Society. The standing member of the Commission also acts as the Convener. If otherwise engaged and unable to fulfill his or her responsibilities, the Convener must designate one of the standing members of the Commission to act on his or her behalf. If he or she is unable to find a designee, one is chosen by the Supervisors themselves. If the position of the standing member becomes vacant, an election should be held within one month to fill the post.

The positions of the Board members and Supervisors are honorary. The term is two years, if elected again, they may serve more terms. The Chairman of the Board may serve one more term only. The duration of the term is counted from the first meeting of the Board of Directors.

Any member of the Board of Directors or the Supervisory Commission should be dismissed immediately under the following circumstances:

1. If he/she loses his eligibility as a member or a members’ representative;
2. If he/she tenders resignation for reasons, and the resignation is accepted by the resolution of the Board of Directors or the Supervisory Commission;
3. If he/she is recalled or dismissed;
4. If he/she is penalized by having his/her rights as a member of the Society revoked for more than half the duration of his/her term in office.

The Society has one Secretary General and two or three Secretary Generals, who are nominated by the Chairman of the Board. The Society may hire several secretaries and office staffs, who are nominated by the Chairman of the Board and approved by the Board of Directors. The relevant government authority must be informed when the post is filled, and when the term of office is completed. The Secretary General’s responsibilities are as follows:

1. Carrying out such duties as are requested by the Chairman of the Board;
2. Taking care of the Council book of the Society’s meetings, its correspondence, its official seal, and its registration certificates;
3. Handling matters related to the applications and registrations of regular members and affiliate members;
4. Taking care of the documents, receipts and invoices related to the Society’s income and expenditure;
5. Assisting the Society in the publication of its literature.

Various committees may be established by the Society as needed. The organization and regulations of these committees are drawn up elsewhere and reported to the relevant authority for approval. The number and members of each committee will be decided by the Board of Directors. A member of the Society’s Board of Directors should, in principle, be appointed as the Chairman of each committee.

The Board of Directors may appoint four to five honorary Chairmen of the Board, honorary Board members and several consultants. Their terms of office are the same as those of the members of the Board and the Supervisory Commission.

General meetings of the members (members’ representatives) consist of either fixed or temporary meetings. They are convened by the Chairman of the Board. The members (members’ representatives) should be informed in writing of the date of the meetings fifteen days in advance. Fixed meeting is held once a year; temporary meetings are held when deemed necessary by the Board of Directors, or at the request of over one fifth of the members (members’ representatives), or when the Supervisory Commission make a written request for such meetings. Scientific conferences are held every three months.

When a member (members’ representative) is unable to attend a general meeting in person, he or she may delegate another member (members’ representative) in writing to represent him or her. Any member (members’ representative) may act on behalf of only one person.

Resolutions at general meetings of the members (members’ representatives) may be passed only with the agreement of more than half the number of members (members’ representatives) present. However, resolutions involving the following matters may only be passed with the agreement of more than two thirds of those present:

1. Modification or establishment new regulations;
2. Dismissal of members (members’ representatives);
3. Recalling members of the Board of Directors or the Supervisory Commission;
4. Disposition of the Society’s property;
5. Dissolving the organization;
6. Other important matters with a bearing on the rights and obligations of the members.

The Board of Directors holds meeting every four months, whereas the Supervisory Commission will hold meetings every four months. Joint meetings or temporary meetings are held as needed. Notice should be given in writing seven days before the above meetings convene, with the exception of temporary meetings. Resolutions at these meetings may be passed only with the agreement of more than half the number of members of the Board or Commission present.

Members of the Board of Directors and the Supervisory Commission must attend meetings of the relevant bodies. Other individuals may not be delegated to attend the meetings on behalf of members of the Board of Directors or the Supervisory Commission. Two consecutive absences without good reason may be considered as resignation from the Board or Commission.

The Sources of the Society’s Funds:

1. An entrance fee: NTD$1500 is applicable when regular or specialist membership is conferred;
2. An annual fee: Annual fees for the regular and specialist members are NTD$1000;
3. Supplementary fees;
4. Voluntary donations;
5. Request incomes;
6. Interests or dividends from the funds;
7. Other income.

The Society’s fiscal year is from January l to December 31.

Two months before the end of each year, the budget and final accounts compiled by the Society must be submitted to the Board of Directors for approval, and then reported to the relevant authorities after being passed at a general meeting of the members (members’ representatives). If a general meeting of the members (members’ representatives) cannot be convened in time, the Board of Directors and Supervisory Commission may pass a resolution to report to the relevant authorities first, and later report to the general meeting for retroactive endorsement; however, in this case the final accounts must first be submitted to the Supervisory Commission for examination, and the results of this examination must be reported at the general meeting of the members (members’ representatives).

Any assets or other holdings remaining after the Society is dissolved become the property of local autonomous bodies or the organizations stipulated by the authorities.

Any matters not covered in these regulations are to be handled in accordance with the relevant ordinances.

The detailed regulations of the Society are determined by the Board of Directors.

These regulations have been passed by resolution at the Council of Members’ Representatives and submitted to the relevant authorities for approval. Any changes of these regulations must be handled by the same procedures.

Resolution to adopt the regulations passed at the first general meeting of the members, February 20th, 2011. Recorded and approved by the Ministry of the Interior; Document No. tai nei she tzu xxxxxx.