Constitution

Constitution

The Braille Monitor

August/September, 2003

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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.

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