National Federation of the Blind
National Federation of the Blind
Of Georgia
Constitution
Revised May 20, 2001
ARTICLE I. NAME
The name of this organization shall be the
National Federation of the Blind of Georgia, Inc.
ARTICLE II. PURPOSE
The purpose of the National Federation of the
Blind of Georgia shall be to advance the general welfare of the blind of
Georgia 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 Georgia; 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 for 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 the means of
joint action and expression; 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 sited; and to take any other action which will
improve the overall condition and standard of living of the blind.
ARTICLE III.
MEMBERSHIP
Section One--Active
Members
At least a majority of the active members of
this organization must be blind. Active
members shall be of two (2) classifications: active members who are affiliated
with local chapters or divisions and active members who are not affiliated with
local chapters or divisions.
1. All members of local chapters or divisions
shall automatically become active members of this organization, with the right
to vote, serve on committees, speak on the floor, and hold office.
2. Any person who is not affiliated with a local
chapter or division may become an active member of this organization by
receiving a majority vote of the active members present and voting at a
convention or by complying with requirements established by the Board of
Directors.
Section
Two--Supporting Members.
Any person can become a supporting member of
this organization through procedures established by the convention or the Board
of Directors. Supporting members shall
have all of the rights and privileges of active members, except that they may
not vote, hold office, or serve on the Board of Directors. Supporting members shall not pay dues.
Section
Three--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 to 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 who feels that he/she has been unjustly disciplined or
expelled from this organization, or any chapter or division which feels that it
has been unjustly disciplined or reorganized, or expelled may appeal to the
Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind, which may (in it’s
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 Georgia shall apply
for affiliation by submitting to the President of the National Federation of
the Blind of Georgia a copy of it’s Constitution and a list of the names and
addresses of it’s members and elected officers. When the National Federation of the Blind of Georgia, either in convention
assembled or by action of it’s Board of Directors, shall have approved the
application, it shall issue to the local chapter a Certificate of
Acceptance. Annually, or before January
1, each local chapter shall provide to the Treasurer of the National Federation
of the Blind of Georgia a current list of it’s members, names and addresses,
and their state dues. Upon request, a
local chapter shall also provide the state President with a list of the names
and addresses of the chapter members and 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 Treasurer of the state
organization. No group shall be accepted
as a chapter and no group shall remain a chapter unless a majority of it’s
voting members are blind. The
President, the Vice President (or Vice Presidents), and at least a majority of
the Executive Committee or Board of Directors of the local chapter must be
blind. The President of the National
Federation of the Blind of Georgia shall be ex officio a member of each local
chapter. In the event of the
dissolution of a local chapter, or if (for whatever reason) the chapter ceases
to be a part of this organization, it’s assets shall become the property of the
National Federation of the Blind of Georgia; and it shall forthwith cease to
use the name National Federation of the Blind, Federation of the Blind, or any
variant thereof. No local chapter may
join or support, or allow its officers or members to join or support any
temporary or permanent organization outside the Federation which has not
received the approval of the Federation nor without having organizational
affiliation with the Federation.
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
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 active members who are present and voting. No member is eligible to vote unless he or
she is eighteen (18) years of age or older.
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 active members present and voting. The duties of each officer shall be those
ordinarily associated with that office.
The President and the Vice Presidents must be blind.
The president shall
have the right to make appointments to the board of directors, to complete the
unexpired term of en officer or board member, with the approval of the board of
directors.
ARTICLE VII. BOARD
OF DIRECTORS
The Board of Directors of this organization
shall consist of the five (5) constitutional officers, and six (6) additional
members, three (3) of whom shall be elected for a two (2) year term at the
annual convention during even numbered years, and three (3) of whom shall be
elected two (2) year terms at the annual convention during odd numbered
years. The six (6) 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 six (6) of the Board Members. The Board shall advise the President and
shall have charge of the affairs of the organization between conventions. At least six (6) 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 mail
ballot on any question. A majority of
the Board must be blind.
ARTICLE VIII.
MEETINGS
Section One--Annual
Convention.
This organization shall hold an annual convention,
the time and place of which shall be fixed by the membership or (if the
membership so desire) by the Board of Directors of the President. At least fifteen (15) active 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 fifteen (15) active 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 (10) days prior to the date of
the meeting.
ARTICLE IX.
COMMITTEES
The President shall appoint such committees
as he/she or the organization deems necessary.
The President shall be ex officio a member of all committees.
ARTICLE X.
AFFILIATION
The National Federation of the Blind of
Georgia 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 it’s members and
elected officers, a copy of the Constitution of the National Federation of the
Blind of Georgia, and of all amendments to the Constitution shall be sent to
the President of the National Federation of the Blind without delay.
The National Federation
of the Blind of Georgia shall not merely be a social organization, but shall
formulate programs and actively work to promote the economic and social
betterment of the blind. This
organization, it’s 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, it’s chapters, divisions, and
members; and this organization, it’s 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 the
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 it’s
local chapters, and divisions belong to the reorganized affiliate; and the
former affiliate, it’s chapters, 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 it’s
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. The President of the National
Federation of the Blind shall ex officio be a member of this organization and
each of its local chapters and divisions.
ARTICLE XI. DELEGATES TO THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE
BLIND CONVENTION
The organization shall elect each year at
least one (1) delegate and at least one (1) alternate delegate to attend the
Convention of the National Federation of the Blind. No person shall be elected as a delegate or alternate delegate
unless he/she is an active member in good standing. 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.
If all national convention expenses, for the delegate or alternate
delegate, are paid, he or she is not eligible for additional funds from the
state affiliate. No member is eligible
to receive funds unless he or she meets the requirements of an active member
and shall provide state identification for proof of age if requested.
ARTICLE XII. DUES
The dues of this organization shall be $2.00
per year, payable in advance. In accordance
with Article IV of the Constitution, local chapters shall pay the state dues
for their members. Members who are not
affiliated with local chapters shall pay their dues before or during the annual
convention. A lifetime membership may
be secured for a fee of $100.00. 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, on order of the President, and
signed by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer approved by the membership or
the Board of Directors. Two signatures
shall be required on all checks, the president's and the treasurer's, after
receiving written authorization from the president.
ARTICLE XIV.
DISSOLUTION
In the event of
dissolution of this organization, or if (for whatever reason) it ceases to be
an affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind, it’s 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 organized in the state for a period of two (2)
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 assets of this organization shall be given to an
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 active members present and voting, 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.
National Federation
of the Blind
of Georgia, Inc.
P. O. Box 56859
Atlanta, Georgia
30343
(404) 212-2021
(404) 212-2022 (Fax)
(866) 316-3242 (Toll
Free)
Federation@NFBGA.org (e-mail)
www.NFBGA.org (web)