By-Laws of the South Dakota Association of the Blind Inc.

 

BY‑LAW I ‑ MEETINGS

The corporation shall meet annually at a time and place to be determined by the Board of Directors with written notice to be furnished to all members at least thirty (30) days in advance of the meeting date.

 

BY‑LAW II ‑ OBJECTIVES

1.   To promote the general welfare of the blind and visually impaired of the state.

2.   To bring the public a better understanding of the efforts and aims of those persons with disabilities.

3.   To create a spirit of cooperation between blind and sighted people.

4.   To be of general service, help, and inspiration to the blind, and work for the blind.

 

BY‑LAW III - MEMBERSHIP

A. ELIGIBILITY

All persons who are sixteen (16) years of age and older are eligible for membership in this corporation upon the fulfillment of the following requirements

1.   Personal or written application for membership to be presented to the Membership Committee.

2.   Payment of one year's dues in advance.

 

B. MEMBERSHIP YEAR

1.   The membership year shall be the entire calendar year ‑ January through December.

2.       Membership recruitment for the purpose of reporting to the American Council of the Blind shall be terminated on March 15. However, applications for membership shall be accepted after March 15, and if approved, will be in effect until the end of that calendar year.

3.      Applications made for new membership at the annual convention shall be in effect through the remaining calendar year and continue throughout the ensuing calendar year.

 

C. DUES

1.   The individual membership dues of the corporation shall be seven dollars ($7) above the annual dues of the American Council of the Blind as approved September 6th, 1997.

2.   A registration fee to help defray expenses for the convention shall be set annually by the Board of Directors.

 

D. HONORARY MEMBERSHIP

Honorary Membership shall be granted to any person by a majority vote of the assembled members notwithstanding the regulations of section (A.) of this by‑law. Such member shall be non‑voting and/or unable to hold office.

 

E. LIFE MEMBERSHIP

All members in good standing, upon reaching the age of sixty‑five (65), shall be granted Life Membership without further payment of dues. Such member shall have the right to vote and/or hold office.

 

F. SUPPORTING MEMBERSHIP

Supporting Membership shall be granted to any organization or person who contributes one hundred dollars ($100) or more annually for such membership. Such member shall be non‑voting and/or unable to hold office.

 

G. SUSTAINING MEMBERSHIP

Sustaining Membership shall be granted to any organization or person who contributes twenty‑five dollars ($25) or more annually for such membership. Such member shall be non‑voting and/or unable to hold office.

 

H. ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP

Associate Membership shall be granted to any organization or person who contributes ten dollars ($10) or more annually for such membership. Such member shall be non‑voting and/or unable to hold office.

 

I. MEMORIAL MEMBERSHIP

Memorial Membership shall be confirmed in the name of any deceased individual when a person or any organization makes a contribution in commemoration of such individual, and it is approved by the Board of Directors.

 

BY‑LAW IV ‑ BOARD OF DIRECTORS

A. COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD

The voting members of the Board of Directors shall consist of officers of the corporation and six (6) members at‑large elected by the membership. Board members not serving in the capacity of an officer of this corporation shall be elected to the Board for three (3) year terms. The Immediate Past‑President shall serve as a voting member of the Board.

 

B. POWERS

The Board shall have the power to conduct the affairs of the corporation between meetings of the corporation, subject to the limitations of these By‑Laws and the Articles of Incorporation, and actions at annual meetings.

 

C. DUTIES

1.   A Board member shall be appointed to serve on each standing committee, but not necessarily to serve as the Chairperson of a committee.

2.   The Board shall appoint from the general membership a Budget Committee consisting of four (4) persons. The Treasurer shall serve as a committee member. The function of this committee shall be to present to the Board a projected annual budget for the following fiscal year. This budget shall be presented at the first regular Board meeting following the convention.

3.   The Board must meet in person at least one (1) time between annual conventions and must hold at least one (1) additional meeting, which may be conducted by telephone.

 

BY‑LAW V ‑ OFFICERS

A. OFFICERS

The officers of this corporation shall be: the President, First Vice‑President, Second Vice‑President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Corresponding Secretary; the latter to be appointed if deemed necessary. The office of the Corresponding Secretary to be elective at the next regular election following the appointment.

 

B. TENURE

The elected officers shall hold office for a term of two (2) years. Their terms shall begin immediately at the close of the annual meeting in which they are elected and will continue through the next two (2) annual meetings. In the case of a vacancy in any office, the President has the authority to appoint a successor to fill out the term, with the approval of the Board of Directors. In the case of a vacancy in the office of the President, the First Vice‑President, Second Vice‑President, Treasurer, and the Secretary shall fill the vacancy in that order.

 

C. DUTIES

1.   Their duties shall be those outlined in Robert's Rules of Order, Revised.

2.   It shall be the duty of the President to appoint all standing committee chairpersons and committee members within sixty (60) days after the close of the annual meeting. The President shall, with a majority affirmative vote of the Board of Directors, remove from committee membership any person who cannot or will not fulfill his/her place, provided that such an appointee is an active member of the corporation.

3.   It shall be the duty of the First Vice‑President to serve as program chairperson.

4.   It shall be the duty of the Second Vice‑President to serve as fund raising chairperson under the direction of the Finance Committee.

5.  It shall be the duty of the Secretary to prepare and distribute, within thirty (30) days, the minutes of all meetings. In addition, a summary of the minutes shall be forwarded to the Editor for publication in the newsletter.

6.   It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to keep the financial books of the corporation. The Treasurer shall make reports at all Board of Directors meetings and at the annual meeting of the corporation. The Treasurer shall make a financial report in writing stating the financial status of the corporation. The report shall be made available to each member of the Board thirty (30) days after the close of the fiscal year. The Treasurer shall be bonded in the amount to cover the total assets of the corporation.

 

D. ELECTIONS

1.   Elections shall be held on even‑numbered years.

2.   All elections of officers shall be by secret ballot unless the convention assembly shall decide

unanimously to dispense with this method of voting.

3.   A majority of all votes cast shall be necessary for election to any office.

4.   All of the officers shall be limited to two (2) consecutive full terms in the same office with the exception of the Treasurer.

5.   The at‑large members of the Board of Directors shall be elected from the membership to serve a term of three (3) years. At‑large members shall be limited to two (2) consecutive full terms. There shall be two (2) elected each year.

 

BY‑LAW VI ‑ STANDING COMMITTEES

Unless otherwise provided, the President shall appoint the Chairperson and members of the following committees, and each committee shall consist of not less than three (3) members: Finance, Resolutions, Program/Social, Legislative, Membership, Audit, Nominating, Amendments, Publicity, Gadgetry, Scholarship, and Awards. The President shall have the power of appointing any other committees deemed necessary or helpful. The President shall be an ex‑officio member of all committees.

 

A.  Finance Committee shall consist of the Treasurer, who shall act as Chairperson, the First Vice‑President, the Second Vice‑President, the Secretary, and the Corresponding Secretary, when one is appointed. The function of this committee shall be to oversee the expenditures of funds budgeted by the corporation and to approve the expenditure of funds in excess of budgeted amounts.

 

B.      Resolutions Committee shall frame resolutions which shall be read at the closing meeting of the corporation. Beginning in 1967 and each following year, the President shall appoint a Resolutions Committee at the last business session of the convention that will function throughout the year. The Chairperson of this committee shall be a member of the Board of Directors when feasible. The members of the corporation shall submit resolutions in writing to the committee to facilitate its work. This shall prevent resolutions from being presented from the floor.

 

C.      Program/Social Committee shall consist of the First Vice‑President, who shall serve as Chairperson of the committee, and two (2) other members. The function of this committee shall be to make all arrangements for the program of the annual convention and make all arrangements for the banquet and entertainment for the convention.

 

D. Legislative Committee shall inform the membership of legislative issues, support or oppose legislation, and draft and present legislation for the corporation subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.

 

E.      Membership Committee shall solicit and maintain members in good standing. All dues collected shall be transmitted to the Treasurer for deposit.

 

F.   Audit Committee shall conduct an internal audit each fiscal year within ninety (90) days after the close of the fiscal year and report to the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall assist the committee as a resource person.

 

G.      Nominating Committee shall present to the annual membership a slate of candidates for each elective office.

 

H.      Amendments Committee shall receive proposed changes to the by‑laws of the corporation and disseminate them to the membership for consideration in compliance with by‑law X  of the corporation.

 

I.    Publicity Committee  shall assist in the development of the newsletter and other literature promoting the corporation, assist in the distribution of the newsletter and other literature in places accessible to the public, and assist in the composition of news releases to be disseminated through the print and electronic media.

 

J.   Gadgetry Committee shall oversee all matters pertaining to the ongoing maintenance and operation of the corporation gadgetry program.

 

K.      Scholarship Committee shall develop, maintain, and promote any approved scholarships or monetary stipends available through the corporation.

 

L.   Awards Committee shall solicit recipients for any appropriate awards or recognition, prepare such awards or recognition, and present these at the annual convention.

 

BY‑LAW VII ‑ FISCAL POLICIES

A.  The fiscal year of the corporation shall run from January 1 through the following December 31.

B. Members of the corporation may claim reimbursement for expenses incurred:

1. When a Board Member attends a regular board meeting or an executive committee meeting.

2. When any other member attends a Board meeting at the invitation of the President.

3. When attending a special meeting of the board, the corporation, or its standing committees, when such meeting has been called by the President.

4. When performing any service to the corporation at the request of the President or Board of Directors.

 

C. Subject to limitations of by-law VI, section A. of these by-laws, reimbursement shall be made at the same rate or rates as prescribed by the state of South Dakota in its travel regulations governing reimbursement of state employees: provided that these rates shall automatically change so as to always conform to the existing state rate.

D. Whenever it is necessary for a member to enlist the services of a guide or driver for the purpose of attending meetings as outlined in section B. of this by-law, such guide or driver shall be reimbursed at the same rate as any member attending such meeting.

e. Any member may refuse reimbursement for any reason.

F. No compensation shall, however, be allowed to any member of this corporation for attendance at any annual meeting or attendance at any meeting of the Board of Directors held immediately before, in conjunction with, or immediately after, any annual convention.

G. No expenses shall be permitted for any officer or member of the corporation for travel outside of the state of South Dakota unless authorized at the annual meeting or by the Board of Directors.

 

 

 

 

BY‑LAWVIII   - AFFILIATION

Officers and directors of this corporation are authorized to obtain and maintain affiliation status with the American Council of the Blind so long as the Council's requirements are not in conflict with the purposes of this corporation.

 

BY‑LAW IX  ‑ LOCAL CHAPTERS

The corporation authorizes the establishment of local chapters according to the following.

1.    Five (5) people of any political subdivision of the state of South Dakota may apply to the Board of Directors of the corporation for local chapter status.

2.    The corporation Board of Directors shall have the responsibility, upon majority vote, to grant local chapter status.

3.    The corporation Board of Directors, upon majority vote, shall have the responsibility to terminate chapter status when presented with, due cause.

4.        Membership in any local chapter shall consist of persons sixteen (16) years of age and older of whom at least fifty percent (50%) are visually impaired.

5.    A member in good standing in a local chapter is also a member of the South Dakota Association of the Blind Inc.

6.    The local chapter may designate a member in good standing in a chapter as a delegate to the annual convention of the South Dakota Association of the Blind Inc.

7.    The delegate of any chapter at any annual convention shall have one (1) vote for each five (5) members or fraction thereof. Furthermore, members attending the business sessions at the annual convention shall have the right to vote.

8.    Local chapters of the South Dakota Association of the Blind Inc. may collect from each chapter member their annual dues to SDAB of seven dollars ($7.00) above the annual dues of the American Council of the Blind per member in good standing.   The dues shall be payable to the Treasurer of SDAB by March 15th. Local chapters shall not charge additional dues for chapter membership above the amount charged for membership in SDAB as approved September 6, 1997.

9.    The local chapter shall submit a list of its members annually to the Chairperson of the Membership Committee of SDAB prior to March 15.

10. The local chapters of the corporation shall abide by the objectives of the corporation as set forth in by‑law II, by the decisions of the members voting at the annual convention, and by the decisions of the Board of Directors. Failure of the local chapter to abide as stated, shall be cause, upon the decision of the Board of Directors, for the dissolution of chapter status.

 

BY‑LAW X   - AMENDMENTS

These By‑Laws may be amended by a two‑thirds (2/3) majority vote of the assembled voting body at any annual meeting of the corporation, provided a proposed amendment has been presented in writing at the previous annual meeting of the corporation to the Amendments Committee. The Amendments Committee must make the proposed amendments available to the members present at the meeting at which it was proposed to the entire membership. Any amendment adopted shall become effective immediately.

 

(Adopted at the annual convention of the South Dakota Association of the Blind September 6,  1997)