Bylaws of the Stonewall Democratic Caucus [of Arkansas]
ARTICLE I
Name
The organization shall be called the Stonewall Democratic Caucus of Arkansas, hereafter called the Stonewall Democratic Caucus (SDC).
ARTICLE II
Mission
The objective of the SDC is to advance equal rights for all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. The SDC supports the Democratic Party and Democratic candidates who support our mission. The SDC will work to define and implement the platform policies of the Democratic Party at local, state, and national levels to reflect the needs and desires of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered community, to promote the election of GLBT persons to office within the Party, to promote the election of GLBT candidates to public office, and to work with Stonewall Democratic clubs across the United States.
ARTICLE III
Membership
Section 1
Any person who supports the goals and objectives of the SDC and who declares his/her allegiance to the Democratic Party shall be eligible for membership upon completion of the membership application and payment of dues. Membership fees are set by the Membership and are good for one year from the anniversary date that dues are paid.
Section 2
The Treasurer shall notify members whose dues are delinquent for a period of two months (60 days). From the date of notification, the member has thirty (30) days to remit dues or he/she shall forfeit his/her membership. Following that time, reinstatement will be handled as new membership.
ARTICLE IV
Elected Officers
Section 1
The elected officers of the SDC shall be President, Executive Vice-President, Vice President for Political Action, Secretary, and Treasurer, and must be members in good standing. Duties of the officers shall be prescribed by the bylaws.
Section 2
The duties of the President shall be as follows:
a. serve as Chief Executive of the SDC; preside over all official meetings of the SDC; act as the official representative of the SDC to other groups and the media; attend meetings on behalf of the organization, when possible.
b. with consent of the Membership, appoint chairs of the standing committees; with consent of the Executive Committee, establish temporary committees and appoint members to them, when necessary to achieve the goals of the SDC.
c. serve as an ex-officio member of all Standing committees.
Section 3
The duties of the Executive Vice-President shall be as follows:
a. perform the duties of the President in his/her absence until such time as he/she returns.
b. assume the duties of the President upon his/her resignation, death, or removal from office.
c. oversee the activities of the Speakers Bureau and Special Events Committees.
d. perform other duties as assigned by the President.
Section 4
The duties of the Vice President for Political Action are as follows:
a. coordinate the legislative activities of the club.
b. coordinate the club's candidate evaluations and political campaign activities.
c. oversee the activities of the Political Action Committee.
Section 5
The duties of the Secretary are as follows:
a. record and distribute minutes of Membership Meetings and Executive Committee meetings and make necessary preparations for all Membership Meetings and Executive Committee meetings, serve of Membership Committee.
b. provided notice to the membership regarding Membership Meetings and Executive Committee meetings.
c. accurately maintain all official documents relating to the SDC, including committee reports, unless delegated to another person by these bylaws.
d. maintain an accurate membership list and handle membership renewal billings.
e. respond to written correspondence recieived by SDC.
f. perform other duties assigned by the President.
Section 6
The duties of the Treasurer shall be as follows:
a. maintain complete records of all receipts and expenditures.
b. present a written financial report at all regular Membership and Executive Committee meetings.
c. prepare an annual budget from anticipated revenue and expenses.
d. collect dues from the membership and serve on the Finance Committee.
e. file all reports as required by law and comply with all state and federal reporting laws.
f. sign all checks drawn on the SDC's account, with a second elected officer.
ARTICLE V
Meetings
Section 1
The regular Membership Meeting of the SDC shall be held each month at a regularly scheduled time. The Secretary shall notify members of the date, time, and location of membership meetings via email or telephone at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting.
Section 2
The Membership Meeting in January shall be the Annual Meeting, and shall be for the purpose of electing officers, receiving annual reports, and adopting a budget.
Section 3
Special Meetings of the SDC may be called by the President, or upon the request of ten (10) percent of the paid members. Members must be notified in writing, via email a minimum of three (3) business days before a Special Meeting. The purpose of the Meeting shall be set forth in the notice, and that shall be the only business conducted at that Meeting.
Section 4
A quorum shall be required before any vote is taken at a General Meeting or Special Meeting, and shall exist when one twentieth (1/20) of the general membership is present. Proxies shall not be valid at membership meetings.
ARTICLE VI
Election, Removal, and Officer Vacancy
Section 1
Elections shall be held at the Annual Meeting in January. Officers shall take office on February 1 following the election. Officers shall be elected to one year terms and may be elected to two (2) full terms.
Section 2
Any member shall be eligible to run for office in the SDC if he/she has been a paid member for ninety (90) days prior to the election. A person shall be eligible to vote if he/she has been a paid member for thirty (30) days prior to the election.
Section 3
A Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the Executive Committee (60) days prior to the January Annual Meeting. It shall be the responsibility of the committee to present a candidate for each office. Additional nominations may be made at the January meeting from the floor.
Section 4
A simple majority of paid members present at the January Annual meeting shall be required for the election of officers. If no nominee receives a majority of votes on the first ballot, a runoff shall be held between the two nominees receiving the greatest number of votes. A quorum, as determined in Article V, Section 4, shall be required.
Section 5
An elected officer or committee chair may be removed for "good cause" by a three-fourths (3/4) vote of paid members present at a General Meeting or Special Meeting. The officer or chair must be given an opportunity to be heard by the membership. Just cause may include failure to carry out his/her duties as prescribed by the bylaws or failure to attend two (2) Membership meetings in one quarter.
Section 6
A vacancy, with the exception of the President, shall be filled by a majority vote of paid members present at a General Meeting where there is quorum, at a Special Meeting called for the purpose of filling a vacancy, where there is quorum, or by the Executive Committee. Should the Executive Committee fill the vacancy, they will solicit volunteers before making an appointment. Should there be vacancy in the office of President, the Executive Vice President shall fill the position and an election shall be held to elect a new Executive Vice President.
ARTICLE VII
Executive Committee
Section 1
The Executive committee shall consist of the elected officers and the immediate past president. All members of the Executive committee shall be members in good standing of the SDC.
Section 2
The Executive Committee shall oversee the ongoing operations of the SDC, approve the budget, review activities and projects of the standing committees, direct activities and goal setting, and initiate policies between General Meetings of the SDC. The Executive Committee shall meet before each Membership Meeting.
Section 3
A special meeting of the Executive Committee may be called by the President or by a majority of members of the Executive Committee. Five (5) days notice of a meeting is required, unless waived in case of emergency by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Executive Committee.
Section 4
No member of the Executive Committee shall have more than one vote, even if qualified by more than one criterion. A quorum of the Executive Committee shall be one third (1/3) of the voting members. A "good faith" effort to poll absent members will be made if emergency actions or funding is required.
Section 5
Meetings of the Executive committee are open to the membership unless the committee votes for a closed meeting by a two-thirds (2/3) vote. Discussion is open to the membership unless limited to the Executive Committee by a majority vote of the Committee.
ARTICLE VIII
Standing Committees
Section 1
The following shall be Standing Committees of the SDC:
a. Membership Committee
b. Speaker's Bureau
c. Bylaws/Rules Committee
d. Special Events/Publicity
e. Political Action/Legislative Committee
f. Finance Committee
g. Executive Committee
Section 2
Chairs for Standing Committees will be appointed by the President and approved by a majority vote of the membership at the February meeting each year. If a vacancy occurs, the President shall appoint a Chair, who will take office immediately after approval by a majority vote of the membership at the next Membership meeting. In choosing committee chairs, the President shall make his/her best effort to appoint chairs reflecting the gender, ethnic, age, and geographical diversity of the club. Each chair will appoint members to his/her committee, with his/her best faith effort to appoint members reflecting the diversity of the club.
Section 3
The Membership Committee shall work to expand the paid membership of the SDC, shall assist the Secretary in maintaining the official membership roll of the SDC, and shall ensure that the SDC maintains compliance with membership fees as stated in Article III.
Section 4
The Speaker's Bureau shall train members who wish to represent the SDC before outside groups and organizations, shall develop a consistent message for speakers, in compliance with the goals of the SDC, and shall schedule speakers based on availability and demand.
Section 5
The Bylaws/Rules Committee shall develop rules and bylaws pertaining to all aspects of the creation and operations of the SDC, and shall ensure that no rules or bylaws of the SDC are contrary to the rules of the bylaws of the National Stonewall Democrats.
Section 6
The Special Events/Publicity Committee shall be responsible for sponsoring events which raise awareness of the SDC, provide networking and social opportunities, and increase the financial base of the SDC. The Committee shall be responsible for the dissemination of information about the SDC, both internally and externally, and shall be repsonsible for maintenance of the Club's website.
Section 7
The Political Action/Legislative Committee shall be responsible for lobbying, for developing political materials, for recommending candidates to the SDC for endorsement, in accordance with regulations of the SDC.
Section 8
The Finance Committee shall assist the Treasurer in preparation of an annual budget and in preparation of reports required by local, state, or federal laws. The Committee shall work with the Special Events Committee to raise funds for the SDC.
ARTICLE IX
Rules of Procedure and Amendment
Section 1
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall be the parliamentary authority for the club on all questions not covered by these bylaws.
Section 2
Questions of interpretation of these bylaws may be appealed to the Executive Committee whose decision shall be final.
Section 3
Membership records shall be confidential and the use of the club mailing list shall require two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Executive committee.
Section 4
These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote at a regular membership meeting after the proposed amendment has been approved by a majority vote at the preceding meeting.
Bylaws of the Stonewall Democratic Caucus [of Arkansas]
ARTICLE I
Name
The organization shall be called the Stonewall Democratic Caucus of Arkansas, hereafter called the Stonewall Democratic Caucus (SDC).
ARTICLE II
Mission
The objective of the SDC is to advance equal rights for all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. The SDC supports the Democratic Party and Democratic candidates who support our mission. The SDC will work to define and implement the platform policies of the Democratic Party at local, state, and national levels to reflect the needs and desires of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered community, to promote the election of GLBT persons to office within the Party, to promote the election of GLBT candidates to public office, and to work with Stonewall Democratic clubs across the United States.
ARTICLE III
Membership
Section 1
Any person who supports the goals and objectives of the SDC and who declares his/her allegiance to the Democratic Party shall be eligible for membership upon completion of the membership application and payment of dues. Membership fees are set by the Membership and are good for one year from the anniversary date that dues are paid.
Section 2
The Treasurer shall notify members whose dues are delinquent for a period of two months (60 days). From the date of notification, the member has thirty (30) days to remit dues or he/she shall forfeit his/her membership. Following that time, reinstatement will be handled as new membership.
ARTICLE IV
Elected Officers
Section 1
The elected officers of the SDC shall be President, Executive Vice-President, Vice President for Political Action, Secretary, and Treasurer, and must be members in good standing. Duties of the officers shall be prescribed by the bylaws.
Section 2
The duties of the President shall be as follows:
a. serve as Chief Executive of the SDC; preside over all official meetings of the SDC; act as the official representative of the SDC to other groups and the media; attend meetings on behalf of the organization, when possible.
b. with consent of the Membership, appoint chairs of the standing committees; with consent of the Executive Committee, establish temporary committees and appoint members to them, when necessary to achieve the goals of the SDC.
c. serve as an ex-officio member of all Standing committees.
Section 3
The duties of the Executive Vice-President shall be as follows:
a. perform the duties of the President in his/her absence until such time as he/she returns.
b. assume the duties of the President upon his/her resignation, death, or removal from office.
c. oversee the activities of the Speakers Bureau and Special Events Committees.
d. perform other duties as assigned by the President.
Section 4
The duties of the Vice President for Political Action are as follows:
a. coordinate the legislative activities of the club.
b. coordinate the club's candidate evaluations and political campaign activities.
c. oversee the activities of the Political Action Committee.
Section 5
The duties of the Secretary are as follows:
a. record and distribute minutes of Membership Meetings and Executive Committee meetings and make necessary preparations for all Membership Meetings and Executive Committee meetings, serve of Membership Committee.
b. provided notice to the membership regarding Membership Meetings and Executive Committee meetings.
c. accurately maintain all official documents relating to the SDC, including committee reports, unless delegated to another person by these bylaws.
d. maintain an accurate membership list and handle membership renewal billings.
e. respond to written correspondence recieived by SDC.
f. perform other duties assigned by the President.
Section 6
The duties of the Treasurer shall be as follows:
a. maintain complete records of all receipts and expenditures.
b. present a written financial report at all regular Membership and Executive Committee meetings.
c. prepare an annual budget from anticipated revenue and expenses.
d. collect dues from the membership and serve on the Finance Committee.
e. file all reports as required by law and comply with all state and federal reporting laws.
f. sign all checks drawn on the SDC's account, with a second elected officer.
ARTICLE V
Meetings
Section 1
The regular Membership Meeting of the SDC shall be held each month at a regularly scheduled time. The Secretary shall notify members of the date, time, and location of membership meetings via email or telephone at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting.
Section 2
The Membership Meeting in January shall be the Annual Meeting, and shall be for the purpose of electing officers, receiving annual reports, and adopting a budget.
Section 3
Special Meetings of the SDC may be called by the President, or upon the request of ten (10) percent of the paid members. Members must be notified in writing, via email a minimum of three (3) business days before a Special Meeting. The purpose of the Meeting shall be set forth in the notice, and that shall be the only business conducted at that Meeting.
Section 4
A quorum shall be required before any vote is taken at a General Meeting or Special Meeting, and shall exist when one twentieth (1/20) of the general membership is present. Proxies shall not be valid at membership meetings.
ARTICLE VI
Election, Removal, and Officer Vacancy
Section 1
Elections shall be held at the Annual Meeting in January. Officers shall take office on February 1 following the election. Officers shall be elected to one year terms and may be elected to two (2) full terms.
Section 2
Any member shall be eligible to run for office in the SDC if he/she has been a paid member for ninety (90) days prior to the election. A person shall be eligible to vote if he/she has been a paid member for thirty (30) days prior to the election.
Section 3
A Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the Executive Committee (60) days prior to the January Annual Meeting. It shall be the responsibility of the committee to present a candidate for each office. Additional nominations may be made at the January meeting from the floor.
Section 4
A simple majority of paid members present at the January Annual meeting shall be required for the election of officers. If no nominee receives a majority of votes on the first ballot, a runoff shall be held between the two nominees receiving the greatest number of votes. A quorum, as determined in Article V, Section 4, shall be required.
Section 5
An elected officer or committee chair may be removed for "good cause" by a three-fourths (3/4) vote of paid members present at a General Meeting or Special Meeting. The officer or chair must be given an opportunity to be heard by the membership. Just cause may include failure to carry out his/her duties as prescribed by the bylaws or failure to attend two (2) Membership meetings in one quarter.
Section 6
A vacancy, with the exception of the President, shall be filled by a majority vote of paid members present at a General Meeting where there is quorum, at a Special Meeting called for the purpose of filling a vacancy, where there is quorum, or by the Executive Committee. Should the Executive Committee fill the vacancy, they will solicit volunteers before making an appointment. Should there be vacancy in the office of President, the Executive Vice President shall fill the position and an election shall be held to elect a new Executive Vice President.
ARTICLE VII
Executive Committee
Section 1
The Executive committee shall consist of the elected officers and the immediate past president. All members of the Executive committee shall be members in good standing of the SDC.
Section 2
The Executive Committee shall oversee the ongoing operations of the SDC, approve the budget, review activities and projects of the standing committees, direct activities and goal setting, and initiate policies between General Meetings of the SDC. The Executive Committee shall meet before each Membership Meeting.
Section 3
A special meeting of the Executive Committee may be called by the President or by a majority of members of the Executive Committee. Five (5) days notice of a meeting is required, unless waived in case of emergency by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Executive Committee.
Section 4
No member of the Executive Committee shall have more than one vote, even if qualified by more than one criterion. A quorum of the Executive Committee shall be one third (1/3) of the voting members. A "good faith" effort to poll absent members will be made if emergency actions or funding is required.
Section 5
Meetings of the Executive committee are open to the membership unless the committee votes for a closed meeting by a two-thirds (2/3) vote. Discussion is open to the membership unless limited to the Executive Committee by a majority vote of the Committee.
ARTICLE VIII
Standing Committees
Section 1
The following shall be Standing Committees of the SDC:
a. Membership Committee
b. Speaker's Bureau
c. Bylaws/Rules Committee
d. Special Events/Publicity
e. Political Action/Legislative Committee
f. Finance Committee
g. Executive Committee
Section 2
Chairs for Standing Committees will be appointed by the President and approved by a majority vote of the membership at the February meeting each year. If a vacancy occurs, the President shall appoint a Chair, who will take office immediately after approval by a majority vote of the membership at the next Membership meeting. In choosing committee chairs, the President shall make his/her best effort to appoint chairs reflecting the gender, ethnic, age, and geographical diversity of the club. Each chair will appoint members to his/her committee, with his/her best faith effort to appoint members reflecting the diversity of the club.
Section 3
The Membership Committee shall work to expand the paid membership of the SDC, shall assist the Secretary in maintaining the official membership roll of the SDC, and shall ensure that the SDC maintains compliance with membership fees as stated in Article III.
Section 4
The Speaker's Bureau shall train members who wish to represent the SDC before outside groups and organizations, shall develop a consistent message for speakers, in compliance with the goals of the SDC, and shall schedule speakers based on availability and demand.
Section 5
The Bylaws/Rules Committee shall develop rules and bylaws pertaining to all aspects of the creation and operations of the SDC, and shall ensure that no rules or bylaws of the SDC are contrary to the rules of the bylaws of the National Stonewall Democrats.
Section 6
The Special Events/Publicity Committee shall be responsible for sponsoring events which raise awareness of the SDC, provide networking and social opportunities, and increase the financial base of the SDC. The Committee shall be responsible for the dissemination of information about the SDC, both internally and externally, and shall be repsonsible for maintenance of the Club's website.
Section 7
The Political Action/Legislative Committee shall be responsible for lobbying, for developing political materials, for recommending candidates to the SDC for endorsement, in accordance with regulations of the SDC.
Section 8
The Finance Committee shall assist the Treasurer in preparation of an annual budget and in preparation of reports required by local, state, or federal laws. The Committee shall work with the Special Events Committee to raise funds for the SDC.
ARTICLE IX
Rules of Procedure and Amendment
Section 1
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall be the parliamentary authority for the club on all questions not covered by these bylaws.
Section 2
Questions of interpretation of these bylaws may be appealed to the Executive Committee whose decision shall be final.
Section 3
Membership records shall be confidential and the use of the club mailing list shall require two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Executive committee.
Section 4
These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote at a regular membership meeting after the proposed amendment has been approved by a majority vote at the preceding meeting.