By Al Smith
USBC Communications

Delegates to the inaugural United States Bowling Congress Annual Meeting will vote on 21 proposed amendments April 22 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.

Five of them deal with general playing rules, seven with league rules and nine with tournament rules, which are the only areas legislation is able to be considered. Per the original plan of merger, next year will be the first year any bylaw changes can be considered.

Following is a brief synopsis of each of the 2006 USBC Proposed Amendments:

Amendment No. GPR 1. New Rule 4e. Allows tournament management to adjust averages downward due to injury or disability.

Amendment No. GPR 2. Rule 7a, Pins - Improperly Set. Regulates pins standing outside the range of the sweep bar.

Amendment No. GPR 3. Rule 9, Bowling on Wrong Lane. Allows correction when more than one player from the same team bowls on the wrong lane.

Amendment No. GPR 4. Rule 11, Forfeit - Delay of Game. Transfers the authority to declare a forfeit from a league officer to the league board of directors.

Amendment No. GPR 5. Rule 14, Supplemental Fees. Modernizes the fee structure for supplemental fees.

Amendment No. LR 1. Rule 102a, New Item 7, Officers. Limits the number of officers on a team.

Amendment No. LR 2. Rule 102e, Item 9, Duties of the Secretary. Adds ID numbers to the information the league secretary is required to furnish the association with final averages.

Amendment No. LR 3. Rule 105, Item d(1), Absentee and Vacancy Scores. Adds an option for a league to use the score of the lowest game bowled by opposing team, less 10 pins for the vacancy.

Amendment No. LR 4. Rule 107b, Item 1, Transferring Team Membership. Allows bowlers to transfer to another team with two-thirds vote of league's team captains.

Amendment No. LR 5. New Rule 108c. Allows missed frames to be made up due to emergency.

Amendment No. LR 6. Rule 111f, Item 8, Procedure for Prebowl - Postponements. Excludes scores bowled in unopposed competition from USBC award eligibility.

Amendment No. LR 7. Rule 115b, Item 1(e)(2), Dismissal - Nonpayment of League Fees and/or Improper Withdrawal. Allows a less restrictive time frame for the submission of nonpayment of league fee cases.

Amendment No. TR 1. Rule 301d, Pro-Am Tournaments. Modifies requirements for Pro-Am Tournaments.

Amendment No. TR 2. Rule 304, Authority of Team Captain. Requires captains to pay each member of the team within 30 days.

Amendment No. TR 3. Rule 306, Item d, Fees and Prizes: All-Events. Rule 307, Item c, Fees and Prizes: Special Features. Allows tournament management more flexibility to determine prize ratio.

Amendment No. TR 4. Rule 308, Fees and Prizes: Distribution of Prize Funds. Allows tournament management more flexibility to determine prizes.

Amendment No. TR 5. Rule 310b, Entry Rules: Entry Close Prior to Last Squad. Removes requirement to post specific tournament information.

Amendment No. TR 6. Rule 313, Entry Rules: Free or Reduced Entries. Allows tournament management more flexibility with free or reduced entries.

Amendment No. TR 7. Rule 315, Entry Rules: Multiple Participation. Allows tournament managers the flexibility to determine the number of times participants may enter and cash.

Amendment No. TR 8. Rule 326a, Tournament Playing Rules: Tie Scores. Allows tournament management more flexibility with playoffs.

Amendment No. TR 9. New Rule. Limits handicap game scores to 300 in tournaments.

These amendments will be included in the Delegates Handbook which will be mailed in mid-March to delegates who register on bowl.com.

Download a complete copy of the amendments. Printed copies also can be ordered by visiting the USBC Convention section.

For more information or questions, contact USBC Rules team leader Chris Cooper at (800) 514-BOWL, ext. 3213 or chris.cooper@bowl.com.