[Nfbc-info] help with constitution

nlibre at gmail.com nlibre at gmail.com
Tue Mar 17 13:36:34 UTC 2009 

This may help.

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbc-info-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbc-info-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Michael Peterson
Sent: Monday, March 16, 2009 9:38 PM
To: NFB of California List
Subject: Re: [Nfbc-info] help with constitution

    Eric. Here is what I found in the braille Monitor august September 2008
Hope it helps.
Mike
Constitution of the
National Federation of the Blind
as Amended 1986
ARTICLE I. NAME
The name of this organization is the National Federation of the Blind.
ARTICLE II. PURPOSE
The purpose of the National Federation of the Blind is to serve as a vehicle

for
collective action by the blind of the nation; to function as a mechanism 
through
which the blind and interested sighted persons can come together in local, 
state,
and national meetings to plan and carry out programs to improve the quality 
of life
for the blind; to provide a means of collective action for parents of blind 
children;
to promote the vocational, cultural, and social advancement of the blind; to

achieve
the integration of the blind into society on a basis of equality with the 
sighted;
and to take any other action which will improve the overall condition and 
standard
of living of the blind.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
Section A.
 The membership of the National Federation of the Blind shall consist of the

members
of the state affiliates, the members of divisions, and members at large. 
Members
of divisions and members at large shall have the same rights, privileges, 
and responsibilities
in the National Federation of the Blind as members of state affiliates.
The board of directors shall establish procedures for admission of divisions

and
shall determine the structure of divisions. The divisions shall, with the 
approval
of the board, adopt constitutions and determine their membership policies. 
Membership
in divisions shall not be conditioned upon membership in state affiliates.
The board of directors shall establish procedures for admission of members 
at large,
determine how many classes of such members shall be established, and 
determine the
annual dues to be paid by members of each class.
Section B.
 Each state or territorial possession of the United States, including the 
District
of Columbia, having an affiliate shall have one vote at the National 
Convention.
These organizations shall be referred to as state affiliates.
Section C.
 State affiliates shall be organizations of the blind controlled by the 
blind. No
organization shall be recognized as an "organization of the blind controlled

by the
blind" unless at least a majority of its voting members and a majority of 
the voting
members of each of its local chapters are blind.
Section D.
 The board of directors shall establish procedures for the admission of 
state affiliates.
There shall be only one state affiliate in each state.
Section E.
 Any member, local chapter, state affiliate, or division of this 
organization may
be suspended, expelled, or otherwise disciplined for misconduct or for 
activity unbecoming
to a member or affiliate of this organization by a two-thirds vote of the 
board of
directors or by a simple majority of the states present and voting at a 
National
Convention. If the action is to be taken by the board, there must be good 
cause,
and a good faith effort must have been made to try to resolve the problem by

discussion
and negotiation. If the action is to be taken by the Convention, notice must

be given
on the preceding day at an open board meeting or a session of the 
Convention. If
a dispute arises as to whether there was "good cause," or whether the board 
made
a "good faith effort," the National Convention (acting in its capacity as 
the supreme
authority of the Federation) shall have the power to make final disposition 
of the
matter; but until or unless the board's action is reversed by the National 
Convention,
the ruling of the board shall continue in effect.
ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND NATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD
Section A.
 The officers of the National Federation of the Blind shall be: (1) 
president, (2)
first vice president, (3) second vice president, (4) secretary, and (5) 
treasurer.
They shall be elected biennially.
Section B.
 The officers shall be elected by majority vote of the state affiliates 
present and
voting at a National Convention.
Section C.
 The National Federation of the Blind shall have a board of directors, which

shall
be composed of the five officers and twelve additional members, six of whom 
shall
be elected at the Annual Convention during even-numbered years and six of 
whom shall
be elected at the Annual Convention during odd-numbered years. The members 
of the
board of directors shall serve for two-year terms.
Section D.
 The board of directors may, in its discretion, create a national advisory 
board
and determine the duties and qualifications of the members of the national 
advisory
board.
ARTICLE V. POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE CONVENTION,
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND THE PRESIDENT
Section A. Powers and Duties of the Convention.
The Convention is the supreme authority of the Federation. It is the 
legislature
of the Federation. As such, it has final authority with respect to all 
issues of
policy. Its decisions shall be made after opportunity has been afforded for 
full
and fair discussion. Delegates and members in attendance may participate in 
all Convention
discussions as a matter of right. Any member of the Federation may make or 
second
motions, propose nominations, serve on committees, and is eligible for 
election to
office, except that only blind members may be elected to the national board.

Voting
and making motions by proxy are prohibited. Consistent with the democratic 
character
of the Federation, Convention meetings shall be so conducted as to prevent 
parliamentary
maneuvers which would have the effect of interfering with the expression of 
the will
of the majority on any question, or with the rights of the minority to full 
and fair
presentation of their views. The Convention is not merely a gathering of 
representatives
of separate state organizations. It is a meeting of the Federation at the 
national
level in its character as a national organization. Committees of the 
Federation are
committees of the national organization. The nominating committee shall 
consist of
one member from each state affiliate represented at the Convention, and each

state
affiliate shall appoint its member to the committee. From among the members 
of the
committee, the president shall appoint a chairperson.
Section B. Powers and Duties of the Board of Directors.
 The function of the board of directors as the governing body of the 
Federation between
Conventions is to make policies when necessary and not in conflict with the 
policies
adopted by the Convention. Policy decisions which can reasonably be 
postponed until
the next meeting of the National Convention shall not be made by the board 
of directors.
The board of directors shall serve as a credentials committee. It shall have

the
power to deal with organizational problems presented to it by any member, 
local chapter,
state affiliate, or division; shall decide appeals regarding the validity of

elections
in local chapters, state affiliates, or divisions; and shall certify the 
credentials
of delegates when questions regarding the validity of such credentials 
arise. By
a two-thirds vote the board may suspend one of its members for violation of 
a policy
of the organization or for other action unbecoming to a member of the 
Federation.
By a two-thirds vote the board may reorganize any local chapter, state 
affiliate,
or division. The board may not suspend one of its own members or reorganize 
a local
chapter, state affiliate, or division except for good cause and after a 
good-faith
effort has been made to try to resolve the problem by discussion and 
negotiation.
If a dispute arises as to whether there was "good cause" or whether the 
board made
a "good-faith effort," the National Convention (acting in its capacity as 
the supreme
authority of the Federation) shall have the power to make final disposition 
of the
matter; but until or unless the board's action is reversed by the National 
Convention,
the ruling of the board shall continue in effect. There shall be a standing 
subcommittee
of the board of directors which shall consist of three members. The 
committee shall
be known as the subcommittee on budget and finance. It shall, whenever it 
deems necessary,
recommend to the board of directors principles of budgeting, accounting 
procedures,
and methods of financing the Federation program; and shall consult with the 
president
on major expenditures.
The board of directors shall meet at the time of each National Convention. 
It shall
hold other meetings on the call of the president or on the written request 
of any
five members.
Section C. Powers and Duties of the President.
 The president is the principal administrative officer of the Federation. In

this
capacity his or her duties consist of carrying out the policies adopted by 
the Convention;
conducting the day-to-day management of the affairs of the Federation; 
authorizing
expenditures from the Federation treasury in accordance with and in 
implementation
of the policies established by the Convention; appointing all committees of 
the Federation
except the nominating committee; coordinating all activities of the 
Federation, including
the work of other officers and of committees; hiring, supervising, and 
dismissing
staff members and other employees of the Federation, and determining their 
numbers
and compensation; taking all administrative actions necessary and proper to 
put into
effect the programs and accomplish the purposes of the Federation. The 
implementation
and administration of the interim policies adopted by the board of directors

are
the responsibility of the president as principal administrative officer of 
the Federation.
ARTICLE VI. STATE AFFILIATES
Any organized group desiring to become a state affiliate of the National 
Federation
of the Blind shall apply for affiliation by submitting to the president of 
the National
Federation of the Blind a copy of its constitution and a list of the names 
and addresses
of its elected officers. Under procedures to be established by the board of 
directors,
action shall be taken on the application. If the action is affirmative, the 
National
Federation of the Blind shall issue to the organization a charter of 
affiliation.
Upon request of the national president the state affiliate shall provide to 
the national
president the names and addresses of its members. Copies of all amendments 
to the
constitution and/or bylaws of an affiliate shall be sent without delay to 
the national
president. No organization shall be accepted as an affiliate and no 
organization
shall remain an affiliate unless at least a majority of its voting members 
are blind.
The president, vice president (or vice presidents), and at least a majority 
of the
executive committee or board of directors of the state affiliate and of all 
of its
local chapters must be blind. Affiliates must not merely be social 
organizations
but must formulate programs and actively work to promote the economic and 
social
betterment of the blind. Affiliates and their local chapters must comply 
with the
provisions of the constitution of the Federation.
Policy decisions of the Federation are binding upon all affiliates and local

chapters,
and the affiliate and its local chapters must participate affirmatively in 
carrying
out such policy decisions. The name
National Federation of the Blind, Federation of the Blind
, or any variant thereof is the property of the National Federation of the 
Blind;
and any affiliate or local chapter of an affiliate which ceases to be part 
of the
National Federation of the Blind (for whatever reason) shall forthwith 
forfeit the
right to use the name
National Federation of the Blind, Federation of the Blind,
 or any variant thereof.
A general convention of the membership of an affiliate or of the elected 
delegates
of the membership must be held and its principal executive officers must be 
elected
at least once every two years. There can be no closed membership. Proxy 
voting is
prohibited in state affiliates and local chapters. Each affiliate must have 
a written
constitution or bylaws setting forth its structure, the authority of its 
officers,
and the basic procedures which it will follow. No publicly contributed funds

may
be divided among the membership of an affiliate or local chapter on the 
basis of
membership, and (upon request from the national office) an affiliate or 
local chapter
must present an accounting of all of its receipts and expenditures. An 
affiliate
or local chapter must not indulge in attacks upon the officers, board 
members, leaders,
or members of the Federation or upon the organization itself outside of the 
organization,
and must not allow its officers or members to indulge in such attacks. This 
requirement
shall not be interpreted to interfere with the right of an affiliate or 
local chapter,
or its officers or members, to carry on a political campaign inside the 
Federation
for election to office or to achieve policy changes. However, the 
organization will
not sanction or permit deliberate, sustained campaigns of internal 
organizational
destruction by state affiliates, local chapters, or members. No affiliate or

local
chapter may join or support, or allow its officers or members to join or 
support,
any temporary or permanent organization inside the Federation which has not 
received
the sanction and approval of the Federation.
ARTICLE VII. DISSOLUTION
In the event of dissolution, all assets of the organization shall be given 
to an
organization with similar purposes which has received a 501(c)(3) 
certification by
the Internal Revenue Service.
ARTICLE VIII. AMENDMENTS
This constitution may be amended at any regular Annual Convention of the 
Federation
by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the state affiliates registered, 
present,
and voting; provided that the proposed amendment shall have been signed by 
five state
affiliates in good standing and that it shall have been presented to the 
president
the day before final action by the Convention.
NFB Pledge
I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National Federation 
of the
Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for the blind; to 
support the
policies and programs of the Federation; and to abide by its constitution.
(
contents
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <ericholm at att.net>
To: "'NFB of California List'" <nfbc-info at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, March 16, 2009 8:53 PM
Subject: Re: [Nfbc-info] help with constitution


> LM
> I have been trying to obtain a copy of our constitution as well.
> I will forward you a copy as soon as I have one.  Likewise, if you obtain
> one first, would you please forward to me.
> Best,
> Eric
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfbc-info-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbc-info-bounces at nfbnet.org] 
> On
> Behalf Of Lisamaria Martinez, NOMC
> Sent: Saturday, March 14, 2009 12:46 AM
> To: nfbcboard at nfbcal.org; NFB of California List
> Subject: [Nfbc-info] help with constitution
>
> So, I know this is way last minute, but I swear I had a copy of a
> Constitution somewhere...I can't find it. Anyone have a copy to email me,
> please? I desperately need one by 12:30 P.M. Saturday.
>
> LM
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