Constitution of the National Federation of the Blind-2

Constitution of the National Federation of the Blind-2

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Constitution of the National Federation of the Blind, 1990

Part II

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, and 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.
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