Bylaws

AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND OF MARYLAND

AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND OF MARYLAND CONSTITUTION
As amended November 6, 2005
Article I

NAME

The name of this organization shall be American Council of the Blind of Maryland.
Article II

PURPOSE

The purpose of this organization shall be:
1. to affiliate and cooperate with the American Council of the Blind, Inc.
2. to promote the well being of blind people;
3. to provide a medium for expression and concerted action;
4. to inform blind people as to their potential and opportunities;
5. to awaken the public to the fact that blind people are an integral part of the community, that they have capabilities as well as special needs;
Article III
AFFILIATION AND MEMBERSHIP

A. The American Council of the Blind of Maryland shall be an affiliate of the American Council of the Blind, Inc. As an affiliate, the American Council of the Blind of Maryland shall pay per capita dues on behalf of all its members to the American Council of the Blind, Inc. and carry out any other responsibilities of affiliates defined by the Constitution and Bylaws of the American Council of the Blind, Inc. Consequently, all members of the American Council of the Blind of Maryland are also members of the American Council of the Blind, Inc.

B. Similarly, any organization, local or statewide, of ten or more residents of Maryland, aged 18 or older, may apply for affiliation as a chapter of the American Council of the Blind of Maryland as long as a majority of its members are legally blind. Upon approval of the application by two thirds of the Board of Directors, a chapter shall be given a Charter of Affiliation and all of its members will be members of the American Council of the Blind of Maryland with all rights and responsibilities thereof. Each chapter shall submit its membership list and dues to the treasurer and shall carry out all other responsibilities of chapters as set forth in this Constitution and Bylaws.

C. Any person of age eighteen or older who by reason of geography or other compelling circumstances cannot participate in any of the chapters, may apply directly to the American Council of the Blind of Maryland for membership at large. Upon receipt by the treasurer of dues as specified by the Bylaws, such person shall be enrolled as a member at large.
D. The relationship between the American Council of the Blind of Maryland and one of its chapters or members at large may be severed if:
1. the chapter or member at large requests such a severance;
2. the dues of a member at large or the dues of a chapter are found by the Board of Directors to be in substantial default;
3. the Board of Directors disaffiliates a chapter or dismisses a member at large for cause, pursuant to procedures described in the Bylaws, in accordance with generally accepted
principles of due process and subject to ratification by the membership at the next Convention.

Article IV

OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS

A. The officers of this organization shall be:
1. a president, whose duties shall be to preside over all meetings of the membership and Board of Directors, to coordinate all committee activities and to carry out all other duties and responsibilities outlined in the Constitution and Bylaws;
2. a vice president, who shall perform the duties of the president in his/her absence;
3. a secretary, whose duties shall be to take minutes of all meetings of the membership and Board of Directors and to prepare and send correspondence at the direction of the president and/or Board of Directors;
4. A treasurer who shall maintain financial records and perform other duties specified in the Constitution and Bylaws.

B. The four officers shall be elected by the membership at the annual Convention in odd numbered years to serve two year terms. No officer may serve more than three consecutive terms in the same office. Partial terms shall not be included in this determination. The president and vice president shall be legally blind.
C. This organization shall be governed between Conventions by a Board of Directors consisting of the above named officers, the Immediate Past President, and one director elected by each chapter to represent it on the Board.
D. Vacancies among the officers, whether created by resignation, incapacity or removal for cause, shall be filled by vote of the Board until the next Convention, except that a vacancy in the office of president shall be filled by the succession of the vice president.
E. No member of the Board of Directors may be compensated for services rendered to the organization, but Board members shall be reimbursed for actual out of pocket expenses incurred.

Article V
MEETINGS
A. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at least quarterly. The Board will determine procedures concerning where and when its regular meetings will be held. Upon petition of one-third of the entire membership, any regular Board meeting must be held in a public location. Special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at the call of the president or upon the petition of one-third of the Board membership. A simple majority of the Board of Directors shall comprise a quorum at all meetings of the Board.
B. Conventions of the membership shall be held at least annually. When possible, the time and place of the annual Convention shall be determined by the membership at the previous Convention. When necessary the Board of Directors shall make this determination with maximum consultation from the membership. Special Conventions may be called by the Board of Directors or by petition of one-third of the total membership. The membership in Convention is the ultimate policy making body of the organization.
C. Voting at Conventions shall be by a combination of chapter votes and member votes. Each local chapter shall be entitled to cast one vote for each five members or major fraction thereof. Each statewide chapter shall be entitled to cast one vote regardless of its size. Chapter votes shall be cast by a designated delegate from each chapter. In addition, each member who is present on the floor at the time of any vote shall have the right to cast a member vote. A majority of the total number of chapter and member votes registered at a Convention shall comprise a quorum.
D. Election of officers shall be by a combination of secret ballot of member votes and roll call of chapter votes. All other voting shall be by division of the house unless the result of the division of the house is not clear to the presiding officer or a roll call is requested by five members or one chapter delegate.
E. Conventions shall be conducted in accordance with ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER (revised) except where this Constitution or the Bylaws specify otherwise.
Article VI

COMMITTEES

A. There shall be a Nominating Committee composed as follows:

1. a chairperson appointed by the president;
2. one member designated by each chapter.

The Nominating Committee shall report a slate of candidates to each Convention, one candidate for each position, which is to be filled.

B. Other standing committees, whose members shall be appointed by the president in consultation with the Board of Directors, shall include a Membership Committee, a Budget and Finance Committee, a Governmental Affairs Committee, a Resolutions Committee and a Constitution and Bylaws Committee. Additional standing committees may be created from time to time by resolution of the membership in Convention.
C. Ad hoc committees with limited function and duration may be created at any time by the Board of Directors or by the membership in Convention. Such committees shall be staffed through appointment by the president unless the motion or resolution creating the committee specifies some other means of staffing.

Article VII

BYLAWS

Bylaws implementing the provisions of this Constitution and establishing policy of the organization may be created and amended by resolution of the membership in Convention by a simple majority vote, provided that notice of such action including the text of such resolution be given to the membership at least five days in advance of the action. Such notice may, however, be waived by a two-thirds vote of the membership in Convention. Such Bylaws shall be the governing document of this organization, subsidiary only to this Constitution.

Article VIII

AMENDMENTS

This Constitution may be amended by the membership in Convention by a two-thirds vote, provided that notice of such action be given to the membership including the text of such amendment(s) at least thirty days in advance of the action. This notice may be waived by unanimous consent.

Article IX

DISSOLUTION

This organization may be dissolved by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors provided that notice be given to the membership sixty days in advance of the action. The membership may call a special Convention for the specific purpose of preventing the proposed dissolution. In the event of dissolution of this organization, all of its assets shall be conveyed by action of the membership or the Board of Directors to the American Council of the Blind, Inc. If the American Council of the Blind, Inc. no longer exists, those assets shall be conveyed to another organization whose goals are similar and which is a tax exempt not for profit organization.
Article X
ADOPTION
This Constitution shall be adopted and shall become the primary governing document of the American Council of the Blind of Maryland, replacing all other constitutions of the American Council of the Blind of Maryland, upon adoption by a two thirds vote of the membership in Convention, provided that notice be given thirty days in advance of the action. Such notice may be waived by unanimous consent. (This Constitution was adopted on October 3, 1993.)

AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND OF MARYLAND BYLAWS
Bylaw I

NOTICE

In all situations where the Constitution, these Bylaws or other policies of this organization require notice, such notice shall be provided in an accessible medium. Any member shall have the right to challenge actions of this organization on the basis of inadequate notice as defined in this Bylaw. Any such challenge shall be handled in accordance with the principles of due process as described in these Bylaws.
Bylaw II
MEMBERSHIP ROLLS AND DUES
A. The official membership rolls of this organization shall be kept by the treasurer who shall forward them together with appropriate dues to the national office of the American Council of the Blind, Inc. at the proper time to assure the correct voting strength for this organization at the national Convention of the American Council of the Blind, Inc.
B. Local chapters shall remit to the State treasurer an amount equal to the combined per capita dues of the State and of the American Council of the Blind, Inc. Statewide chapters shall remit $25 per year to the State treasurer regardless of their size. Members at large shall remit to the State treasurer an amount equal to the sum of the State and American Council of the Blind, Inc. dues. The treasurer shall notify all chapters and members at large of deadlines concerning dues and rolls for representation at Conventions of this organization and that of the American Council of the Blind, Inc. Changes in State dues shall be voted upon by the membership at any annual Convention of this organization.
C. Chapter and individual voting eligibility at Conventions of this organization shall be based upon the membership rolls and paid dues as of thirty days before the beginning of the Convention.
Bylaw III

DUE PROCESS

A. Any person or organization, which claims to have been damaged or treated unfairly by any action of an officer or of a staff member, shall have the right to appeal such action to the Board of Directors. In cases where such a claim concerns an action of the Board of Directors, there shall be a right of appeal to the membership in Convention.
B. In any case where an action is appealed to the Board of Directors or to the membership, a meeting of the Board of Directors or a session of the Convention shall be conducted as a hearing, at which the concerned parties shall have the right to appear and to be assisted by advocates. All participants in the hearing shall be given prior notice of any such hearing.

Bylaw IV

STAFF

A. The Board of Directors shall have the power to appoint a Chief of Staff, with whatever title, duties and compensation the Board shall deem appropriate. All personnel actions pertaining to
the Chief of Staff shall be actions of the Board of Directors.

B. The Board of Directors shall have the power to establish other staff positions. However, all personnel actions pertaining to such positions shall be the province of the Chief of Staff, who shall be responsible to the Board of Directors for all staff activities.

Bylaw V

FISCAL YEAR

The fiscal year of this organization shall be from October 1 to September 30. This provision is not to be construed to imply that dues are payable on a fiscal year basis.