[NFBofSC] NFB of SC State Constitution

[Steve & Shannon Cook]

CONSTITUTION OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA AURORA CLUB OF THE BLIND, INC.

 

Operating and doing business as the National Federation of the Blind of
South Carolina as adopted by the 1990 Convention of the NFB of SC, August 4,
1990 and as amended August 10, 2002, August 15, 2010, August 11, 2012 and
August 10, 2019.

 

ARTICLE I:                 NAME

 

The name of this organization shall be the South Carolina Aurora Club of the
Blind, Inc., doing business as the National Federation of the Blind of South
Carolina.

 

ARTICLE II:    PURPOSE

 

The purpose of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina shall
be to advance the general welfare of the blind of South Carolina and the
nation; to function as an integral part of the National Federation of the
Blind; to serve as a vehicle for collective action by the blind of South
Carolina; to operate as a mechanism through which the blind and interested
sighted persons can come together in local chapters and state meetings to
plan and carry out programs to improve the quality of life of the blind; to
provide a means of collective action for parents of blind children; to
forward the interests of blind students and provide them with a means of
joint action and expression; to promote the vocational, cultural, spiritual
and social advancement of the blind; to achieve the integration of the blind
into society on the 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 1.  Though this organization exists to promote the economic, social
and spiritual well-being of blind South Carolinians, active membership shall
be comprised of both blind and sighted members. At least a majority of the
active members of this organization must be blind.  All members of this
organization shall have the right to vote and hold office, except that only
blind members shall be eligible to serve in the office of President or Vice
President. 

Section 2.  All voting members of local chapters or divisions shall
automatically become voting members of this organization with the right to
vote, serve on committees, speak on the floor, and hold office. 

Section 3.  Any person who is not affiliated with a local chapter or
division may become a voting member of this organization by receiving a
majority vote of the voting members present and voting at a convention or by
complying with requirements established by the Board of Directors.

 

 

 

Section 2:     Disciplinary Action

 

Any member may be expelled; and any chapter or division may be expelled,
suspended or reorganized for violation of this constitution or for conduct
unbecoming a member, chapter or division of the Federation by a majority
vote of the active members present and voting at any regular business
session of this organization, or by a two-thirds vote of the Board of
Directors.  The state convention of this organization may reinstate any
person who has been expelled unless such expulsion has been confirmed by the
National Convention or by the Board of Directors of the National Federation
of the Blind, in which event the person may not be reinstated except by the
National Board.  Any person that feels he/she has been unjustly disciplined
or expelled from this organization, or any chapter or division which feels
that it has been unjustly disciplined, reorganized or expelled may appeal to
the Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind, which may
(in its discretion) consider the matter and make a binding decision; but
until or unless the action of discipline, reorganization or expulsion is
reversed by the National Board, it shall continue in effect.

 

ARTICLE IV:  LOCAL CHAPTERS

 

Any organized group desiring to become a local chapter of the National
Federation of the Blind of South Carolina shall apply for affiliation by
submitting to the President of the National Federation of the Blind of South
Carolina a copy of its Constitution and a list of the names and addresses of
its members and elected officers.  When the National Federation of the blind
of South Carolina, either in convention assembled or by action of its Board
of Directors, shall have approved the application, it shall issue the
chapter a Certificate of Acceptance.  Annually, during the month of January,
each local chapter shall provide to the Treasurer of the National Federation
of the Blind of South Carolina a current list of its members, their names
and addresses and their state dues.  Upon request, a local chapter shall
provide the state President with a list of names and addresses of the
chapter members and with a detailed financial report of the chapter for the
past year.  The fiscal year of this organization shall be the calendar year.
As new members enter local chapters, their names, addresses and state dues
shall be sent without delay to the state Treasurer of the state
organization.  The President of the National Federation of the Blind of
South Carolina shall be an ex-officio member of each local chapter.  In the
event of the dissolution of a local chapter, or if (for whatever reason) the
local chapter ceases to be a part of this organization, its assets shall
become the property of the National Federation of the Blind of South
Carolina; and it shall forthwith cease to use the name National Federation
of the Blind, Federation of the Blind or any variant thereof.

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE V:    DIVISIONS

 

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.

 

ARTICLE VI:  OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES

 

1.  There shall be elected at the regular annual convention during each even
numbered year, a President, a First Vice President, a Second Vice President,
a Secretary and a Treasurer.  The terms of these officers shall begin at the
close of the convention at which they are elected and qualified.  Officers
shall be elected by a majority vote of the voting members who are present.
There shall be no proxy voting.  If no nominee receives a majority vote on
the first ballot, the name of the person receiving the fewest votes shall be
dropped from the list of nominees, and a second ballot shall be taken.  This
procedure shall continue until one of the nominees has received a majority
vote from the voting members present.  The duties of each officer shall be
those ordinarily associated with that office.

 

2.  The President is the principal administrative officer of the state
organization.  In this capacity his duties consist of:  carrying out the
policies adopted by the convention, conducting the day-to-day management of
the affairs of the state organization, coordinating all activities of the
state organization including the work of the officers and of committees, and
taking all administrative actions necessary and proper to put into effect
the programs and accomplish the purposes of the state organization.

 

ARTICLE VII: BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

The Board of Directors of this organization shall consist of the five
constitutional officers, and ten additional members, five of whom shall be
elected for two year terms at the annual convention during even numbered
years, and five of whom shall be elected for two year terms at the annual
convention during odd numbered years.  The ten Board Members will consist of
a representative from each of six Districts, and four at-large members. The
six Districts shall represent the  forty-six  counties  across the state as
follows:  District 1  - Horry, Georgetown, Berkeley, Charleston, Dorchester,
Beaufort, Jasper, Colleton ,  and Hampton.  District 2 - Barnwell,
Lexington, Orangeburg, Richland, Allendale and Calhoun.  District   3 -
Aiken, Saluda, Abbeville, Laurens, Greenwood, Edgefield and McCormick.
District  4 - Cherokee, Greenville, Spartanburg, Union, Pickens, Oconee and
Anderson.  District   5 - Sumter, Kershaw, Fairfield, Newberry, York, Lee,
Chester, Chesterfield and Lancaster.  District  6 - Darlington, Dillon,
Florence, Bamberg, Clarendon, Marion, Williamsburg and Marlboro.  The five
Board Members elected in even numbered years shall represent the Second,
Fourth and Sixth Districts and two members-at-large positions.  The five
Board Members elected in odd numbered years shall represent the First, Third
and Fifth Districts and two members-at-large positions.  

            The ten Board Members shall be elected in the same manner as
that prescribed for the election of officers.  The Board shall meet at the
call of the President or on written call signed by any eight of the Board
Members.  The Board shall advise the President and shall have charge of the
affairs of the organization between conventions.  At least eight members of
the Board must be present at any meeting to constitute a quorum to transact
business.  The Board may be polled by telephone or by mail ballot on any
question.

 

ARTICLE VIII: MEETINGS

 

Section One - Annual Convention

 

This organization shall hold an annual convention, the time and place of
which shall be determined by the Board of Directors.  At least fifty voting
members must be present to constitute a quorum to transact business at any
annual convention.

 

Section Two - Special Meetings

 

The President of this organization may call a special meeting of the body at
any time he/she or a majority of the Board of Directors, deems such action
to be necessary.  At such special meetings, at least fifty voting members
must be present to constitute a quorum to transact business, and written
notice must have been sent to the President of each local chapter and
division and to the members of the Board of Directors at least ten days
prior to the date of the meeting.

 

ARTICLE IX:   COMMITTEES

 

The President may appoint such committees as he/she or the organization
deems necessary including a Nominating Committee for the Board of Directors.
The Nominating Committee shall be representative of chapters and divisions
to the extent practical.

 

ARTICLE X:    AFFILIATION

 

The National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina shall be an affiliate
of the National Federation of the Blind and shall furnish to the President
of the National Federation of the Blind annually, on or before January 1, a
list of the names and addresses of its members and elected officers.  A copy
of the Constitution of the National Federation of the Blind of South
Carolina and of all amendments of the Constitution shall be sent to the
President of the National Federation of the Blind without delay.

 

The National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina shall not merely be a
social organization, but shall formulate programs and actively work to
promote the economic, social and spiritual betterment of the blind.  This
organization, its chapters and divisions, shall comply with the provisions
of the Constitution of the National Federation of the Blind.  Policy
decisions of the National Federation of the Blind (whether made by the
National Convention or the National Board of Directors) are binding on this
organization, its chapters, divisions, and members; and this organization,
its chapters, divisions, and members, shall participate affirmatively in
carrying out such policy decisions.  As a condition of affiliation, it is
agreed by this organization that the National Federation of the Blind
(whether by action of the National Convention or the National Board) has the
power to expel or discipline an individual member and to expel or reorganize
a state affiliate, local chapter or division.  In the event of
reorganization, the assets of the affiliate and its local chapters and
divisions belong to the reorganized affiliate; and the former affiliate, its
chapters, and divisions shall dissolve and cease to exist.  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 this
organization, or any of its chapters or divisions which cease to be a part
of the National Federation of the Blind (for whatever reason) shall forfeit
the right to use the name, NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND, FEDERATION OF
THE BLIND, or any variant thereof.

 

ARTICLE XI:   DELEGATES TO THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND CONVENTION

 

The Board of Directors of this organization shall elect each year at least
one delegate and at least one alternate delegate to attend the convention of
the National Federation of the Blind.  Priority shall be given to
constitutional officers, but in the event no constitutional officer is
available to serve as delegate, other board members shall be elected.  To
the extent of the resources of this organization, the expenses of delegates
and alternate delegates to the convention of the national Federation of the
Blind shall be paid.

 

ARTICLE XII: DUES

 

The dues of this organization shall be $10 per year, payable during the
month of January.  In accordance with Article IV of the Constitution, local
chapters shall pay the state dues of their members.  Members who are not
affiliated with local chapters shall pay their dues before or during the
annual convention.  No person may vote who is delinquent in the payment of
his/her dues.

 

ARTICLE XIII: DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS

 

The funds of this organization shall be deposited in a bank to be selected
by the Treasurer with the approval of the President.  The Treasurer shall be
bonded.  All financial obligations of this organization shall be discharged
by check, issued on order of the President, and signed by the Treasurer or
by an Assistant Treasurer approved by the membership or the Board of
Directors.

 

ARTICLE XIV: DISSOLUTION

 

In the event of the dissolution of this organization, or if (for whatever
reason) it ceases to be an affiliate of the national Federation of the
Blind, its assets shall be given to the National Federation of the Blind, to
be held in trust for a reorganized affiliate in the state.  In the event
that no affiliate is reorganized in the state for a period of two years from
the date this organization ceases to be an affiliate of the National
Federation of the Blind, the assets become the property of the National
Federation of the Blind.  

 

If the dissolution of this organization should occur and if at that time the
National Federation of the Blind is no longer a tax-exempt organization
under the provisions of the federal Internal Revenue Code or if the National
Federation of the Blind has been dissolved, all assts of this organization
shall be given to another organization with similar purposes which has
received tax-exempt certification from the federal Internal Revenue Service.

 

ARTICLE XV: AMENDMENTS

 

This Constitution may be amended at any regular meeting of this organization
by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the voting members present, provided
the proposed amendment has been submitted in writing and read at a previous
business session and provided it is in compliance with the provisions of the
Charter of Affiliation received from the National Federation of the Blind
and with the policies of the National Federation of the Blind.

 

 

Steve and Shannon Cook

Today I married my best friend.  

The one that I laugh with, live for, love.

October 11, 2003

 

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