Friday, January 18, 2013

Humboldt Republican Women, Federated BYLAWS

(Members need to review these by/or at the February meeting and we vote for approval at the March meeting.

The Main changes are:
-Name changed to Humboldt RWF from Eureka RWF
-Addition of the ability to have a non-Republican speaker on non-partisan subjects as the Executive Committee desired. (it is shown in yellow highlight in
Article IV Ethics, Section 2.) There was concern this wording would not be accepted but Fran did not comment on it. (so far so good)
- Addition of one signature required on checks less than $600.00.
If you have any questions or see something that could be changed, please contact our Parliamentarian)

Article I – Name

The name of the organization shall be the Humboldt Republican Women, Federated.

Article II – Objectives
The objectives shall be:

◼ To promote an informed public through political education and activity.

◼ To increase the effectiveness of women in the cause of good government.

◼ To influence legislation and maintain a California Federation of Republican Women (CFRW) presence in the State government in accordance with CFRW goals.

◼ To promote a wider knowledge of the principals and the policies of the Republican Party.

◼ To encourage active citizenship.

◼ To cooperate with the California Republican Party and the County Central Committees for the election of Republican nominees.

◼ To facilitate cooperation among Federated Republican Women’s Unit Clubs.

◼ To foster loyalty to Republican candidates in all elections including nonpartisan elections.

Article III – Membership
Section 1. Eligibility
Membership in Humboldt Republican Women, Federated (HRWF) shall be open to registered Republican women.
Section 2. Types of Membership

A. Regular Membership

A regular member is a registered Republican woman who has paid her dues to HRWF. A member shall:
1. Have the right to vote, make motions and nominations after being a regular member of HRWF for sixty (60) days.

2. Be counted in per capita reports and in establishing delegate representation for HRWF.

3. Be counted as a regular, voting member in only one unit club for the purpose of delegate representation at National Federation of Republican Women ( NFRW), CFRW or Northern Division Conventions.

4. Have the right to transfer her membership from HRWF to another unit club within CFRW, provided that:
(a) The Northern Division Secretary is notified and the records are clarified at all levels of CFRW.

(b) Transfers from other states are considered new memberships.

(c) A member making such a transfer shall be governed by the bylaws of the unit club to which she is transferring.

(d) All membership records shall be clarified sixty (60) days prior to the date of any conventions, at all levels, in order to serve as a delegate.
B. Associate Membership

1. HRWF may only grant associate membership to women who are regular members of another Federation of Republican Women ( FRW) unit club. Such membership shall not be granted the privilege of making motions, nominations, voting or holding office. Associate members shall not be eligible to serve as convention delegates or be counted in establishing a quorum.

2. Republican men may be eligible for associate membership in HRWF upon payment of the required annual dues for associate members. Such members may attend meetings but shall not make motions, have a voice or vote, be on a committee, hold office, or be counted for national, state, division conventions, nor be used in establishing a quorum. They shall be entitled to membership in unit clubs only and they do not become members of CFRW or NFRW.

C. Sustaining Membership

A sustaining member is a regular member who at their discretion desires to pay an amount greater than the regular membership dues.

Article IV – Ethics

Section 1.

A. The Club President shall not endorse a candidate prior to the primary election or special election when there is more than one Republican candidate for the same office. If the member desires to do so, she must resign her position.

The only exception permitted is when her husband or a member of her immediate family (ie. Child or parent) is a candidate for office in any election so long as she does not permit the name of her club or CFRW to be used and she does not actively campaign using her office and the club as endorsements.

B. The name of this club shall not be used by a member or an associate member in supporting a candidate during any campaign. The only exception permitted is if a club’s regular members vote to endorse a member of their club for a specific office when there is more than one Republican candidate running for the same office and provided the other Republican candidate running for that position has been given the opportunity to be heard. Such a vote shall require that all regular members receive ten days previous notice including date, time and place of the meeting and the vote to endorse the member is by ballot. Providing a quorum is present, a three-fourths (3/4) vote of those members present is required to endorse.

C. For a special election only, if a club wishes to vote to endorse a Federated regular member, even if more than one Republican is running for the office, and provided the other Republican candidates for that position have been given the opportunity to be heard, such a vote will require that all regular members receive ten days previous notice including date, time and place and the vote is ballot. A three-fourths (3/4) vote is required to endorse.

D. Candidate endorsement limitations shall not preclude any member from serving as a delegate to the Republican National Convention nor membership in or holding an office on the State of County Central Committee nor from campaigning for the same.

Section 2. This club shall not invite or permit a person registered in any party other than the Republican Party to speak at any meetings. Exceptions to this rule may be made by the Executive Committee for speakers addressing informative nonpartisan topics when a republican is not available. Minors who subscribe to Republican principles may be invited to speak at meetings.

Section 3. An officer or chairman who fails to attend two (2) consecutive executive board meetings or who fails to send a written report if so requested unless excused by the President, may be replaced by vote of the Executive Committee.
Section 4. All literature, petitions, materials or announcements of any description shall first be submitted to the President or the Executive Committee for approval before being circulated or distributed at any Federation meeting.

Section 5. No member shall be permitted voting privileges in more than one club. She may hold associate membership if she desires.

Section 6. In the event of a dispute arising with a club on the question of compliance with pertinent By-laws, a hearing shall be held in accordance with the procedures outlined in CFRW By-laws covering this matter provided the dispute has not been settled by the Regional Director or, if necessary, by the Northern Division Executive Committee.

Section 7. It shall be considered a breach of ethics for a member to speak disparagingly, in public, of a Republican candidate. Provided a Republican is running, it shall also be considered a breach of ethics to promote a candidate of another party or in print, in a partisan or non-partisan election.
Article V – Dues

Section 1. Collection of Dues

A. The fiscal year shall be from January 1 through December 31.
B. Annual dues shall be determined by the membership and shall be payable January 1, including per capita dues for the Northern Division, State Federation and the National Federation of Republican Women. All per capita dues collected by each club shall be sent to the Northern Division Membership Secretary with required copies of the per capita report.

Section 2. Delinquency in Dues
A. Membership dues are due and payable March 31.

Article VI – Officers

Section 1. Classification

A. The elected officers shall be: President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Recording Secretary, Treasurer and Director-at-Large.

B. The appointed officers shall be the Auditor, Corresponding Secretary and Parliamentarian. They shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the elected officers of the Executive Committee.

Section 2. Term
A. The term of office for officers and chairmen shall be one year and none shall serve in the same position for more than two consecutive terms.

Section 3. Vacancies

A. A vacancy in the office of President or First Vice President shall be filled by succession.
B. A vacancy in any other elective office shall be appointed for the remainder of the term by the Executive Committee.

Section 4. Duties of Officers

A. The President shall:
1.Preside at all meetings of the club and of the Executive Committee.
2.Have general supervision of the work of the organization.
3.Appoint the Auditor, Parliamentarian, Corresponding Secretary and Bulletin Editor and subject to the ratification by the Executive Committee.
4.Appoint the chairmen of all Standing Committees except the Nominating Committee subject to the ratification by the Executive Committee.
5.Serve as ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee.
6. Be one of the three (3) authorized to co-sign checks.
B. The First Vice President shall:
1. Preside in the absence of the President.
2. Serve as Program Chairman and write appropriate letter of invitation to guest speakers.
3. Serve on Budget Committee
4. Act as an aide to the President.
5. Assume the office of the President in the event a vacancy should occur in that office.
6. Be one of the three (3) authorized to sign checks or co-sign checks in the amount over $600.00.
C. The Second Vice President shall:
1. Preside in the absence of the President and the First Vice President.
2. Perform such duties as are assigned to her by the President or the Executive Committee.
3. Serve as Legislative Chairman.
4. Assume the office of the First Vice President in case of resignation, removal or permanent disability of the First Vice President.
D. The Recording Secretary shall:
1. Record and read the minutes of all meetings of the club and of the Executive Committee.
2. Be custodian of all records of the club.
3. Serve as a member of the Bulletin committee.
E. The Treasurer shall:
1. Act as custodian of all funds of the club.
2. Pay all bills upon authorization.
3. Keep an accurate account of all receipts and disbursements.
4. Give a report at the monthly meetings of the Executive Committee, with a copy to the President.
5. Have a written report at the regular meetings of the club.
6. Make no expenditures without prior approval of the Board of Directors.
7. Serve on the budget committee.
8. The President, First Vice President and Treasurer are the three (3) authorized to sign checks and two of the three must sign on amounts over $600.00.)
9. Forward to the Northern Division Membership Secretary a check in the amount required to cover per capita dues indicated by the per capita lists.
F. The Director-at-Large shall:
1. Perform such duties as may be delegated to her by the President.
2. Perform duties for Membership Promotion.
3. Perform duties for Public Relations.
4. Perform duties as Campaign/Precinct Chairman.
G. The Corresponding Secretary shall:
1. Handle all correspondence authorized by the President.
2. Keep a file of incoming and record all outgoing correspondence.
3. Prepare and mail a thank you note to each guest speaker.
4. Perform such other duties as may be assigned to her by the president and/or the Executive Committee.
H. The Auditor or Audit Committee shall:
1. Audit the books of the Treasurer and submit a written report of the audit annually or at such times as requested by the Executive Committee and give an oral report to the membership at a regular meeting no later than February.
I. The Parliamentarian shall:
1. Attend all meetings of the club and the Board of Directors.
2. Give advice on parliamentary procedure when called upon (unless there is a serious abrogation of procedure taking place.)
3. Serve as chairman of the bylaws committee.
4. Call the first meeting of the Nominating Committee, instruct the committee and retire after the committee has elected its chairman.
Section 5. Retiring Officers and Chairmen

Retiring officers and chair men shall deliver to their successors all records and properties pertaining to their offices by the last board meeting of the year but no later than January 1.

Article VII – Meetings

Section 1. The annual meeting shall be held during the month of October at which time:
A. Standing Committee Chairmen shall report.
B. Officers shall be elected.
Section 2. Regular meetings:
A. minimum of Five (5) regular meetings shall be held during the calendar year; the date and time to be set by the Executive Committee.
B. A Regular Business Meeting Quorum shall be twenty (20) members, three (3) of whom shall be elected officers.
Section 3. Special meetings:

Special meetings shall be held at the call of the President or upon request of ten (10) members, the purpose of the meeting to be stated in the call and no other business shall be transacted.

Article IX – Executive Committee

Section 1. The Executive Committee shall consist of elected officers, the appointed officers and the standing committee chairmen.

Section 2. The Executive Committee:
A. Have authority to transact any necessary business between meetings.
B. Make recommendations as to policies of the club.
C. Advise the President.
D. Fill vacancies that occur between elections.
E. Meet at the call of the President.
Section 3. Regular Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held a minimum of five (5) times during the calendar year and at such time and place as may be determined by the President.

Section 4. Special Meetings of the Executive Committee:

A. May be called by the President or upon (written) request of five (5) members of the Board. The purpose to be stated in the call to the meeting and no other business shall be transacted.

B. A special meeting will be held in December. Those in attendance will be the Outgoing Board and the Incoming Board. At which time, Guide Books, Manuals and Annual reports will be passed on to Successors.

Section 5. Meeting quorum for the Executive Committee shall be a majority of the committee.

Section 6. Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be open to all members. The privilege of offering motions and voting shall be limited to members of the Executive Committee.

Article X – Standing Committees

Section 1. The major Standing Committees/Chairmen shall be:
Program, Ways and Means, Membership, Bulletin and Legislative/Americanism.

Section 2. Other Committee(s) / Chairmen may be appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee.

Section 3. The President shall serve as ex-officio member of all committees except the nominating committee.

Article XI – Nominations and Elections

Section 1. A Nominating Committee composed of five (5) members shall be elected at the regular meeting in May of each year, two (2) members which are named by the Board and three (3) to be nominated from The floor providing they have previously consented.

Section 2. The first meeting of the Nominating Committee shall be called immediately upon its election by the Parliamentarian, who shall instruct the committee then retire after a chairman has been elected. No member of the Nominating Committee shall serve on the committee in consecutive years. The Nominating Committee shall elect the chairman from one of its own.

Section 3. The Nominating Committee shall:
A. Nominate one candidate for each elective office.
B. Give an oral report to the membership at the regular monthly meeting in September.
C. Provide Bulletin Chairman with names of persons proposed to be nominated for publication in the October News Letter.
D. Submit its report in writing at the October annual meeting.
Section 4. The President, immediately following the reading of the report of the Nominating Committee, shall open the meeting for further nominations from the floor, providing consent of the candidate has been obtained.

Section 5. Elections shall be held at the October meeting. If there is more than one nominee for an office, Elections shall be by ballot. A majority vote shall elect. If there is but one candidate for an office, election may be by voice vote the President then may declare the candidate elected.

Section 6. The newly elected officers shall assume their duties following installation in November of each year.

Article XII – Parliamentary Authority

The current issue of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern all proceedings except where inconsistent with the provisions of the bylaws of the organization.

Article XIII – Amendments

These bylaws can be amended at any regular meeting of the club by two-thirds vote (2/3), provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing at the previous regular meeting.

Date Adopted by Organization

_____________________________
President

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Secretary

Approved by Parliamentarian, Northern Division, California Federation of Republican Women