THE FLORIDA COUNCIL OF THE BLIND'S BY-LAWS

(as amended through 2008)

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE I, Membership
ARTICLE II, Voting
ARTICLE III, Dues and Assessments
ARTICLE IV, Fund Raising
ARTICLE V, Suspension and Expulsion
ARTICLE VI, Officers
ARTICLE VII, Meetings of the Board of Directors
ARTICLE VIII, Committees
ARTICLE IX, Expenditures and Reimbursements


ARTICLE I, Membership

A. To qualify as a member, a person must be of good character, and not engaged in activities which tend to degrade or bring to disrepute the FCB.

B. The majority of the membership of the chapter must be legally blind.

C. Any person eighteen (18) years of age or older and not a member of a chapter, may become a member-at-large.

D. Chapters may establish minimum age requirements for voting membership.

E. Any eligible individual of more than one (1) Chapter may only be registered (this includes payment of FCB and ACB dues) and be counted once with their primary Chapter on the FCB membership roster. An FCB officer is also entitled to one (1) vote on FCB issues either as an officer or as a member of their primary Chapter. A primary Chapter is the only Chapter that can count an individual as a vote on FCB issues.


Table of Contents


ARTICLE II, Voting

A. A Chapter or special interest affiliate shall count (only) a maximum of 250 members for voting purposes. Each chapter or special interest affiliate is entitled to have one (1) delegate for every ten (10) members or fraction thereof up to 250. The Chapter or special interest affiliate will be required to pay dues to FCB only for up to 250 members. The entire membership of the Chapter or special interest affiliate will be entitled to full services of the organization after having submitted a complete roster to the State Membership Secretary at the appointed time.

B. An individual may be a delegate or Board representative for only one Chapter or special interest affiliate during a convention. An officer may vote as an officer or as a delegate but not both.


Table of Contents

ARTICLE III, Dues and Assessments

A. Annual FCB membership dues for chapter membership shall be three dollars ($3.00) above those of the American Council of the Blind.

B. Dues for each Member-At-Large shall be two dollars ($2.00) more than those submitted to FCB for each chapter member.

C. Dues and membership rosters must be submitted to the Membership Secretary before November 30th of each year.

D. Chapters and Members-at-Large submitting dues after November 30th may not vote at the Convention.

E. In addition to membership dues each chapter shall be assessed a minimum of $50.00 annually, or 20% of chapter-sponsored fundraising activities, whichever is greater, and 35 % on raffle tickets up to $1,000.00 of ticket sales.

F. An annual accounting and payment of the above, (Article III, section E.), is due November 30th of each year.

G. New chapters are exempt from payment of dues and assessments during the FCB Fiscal year, or portion thereof, in which they are chartered.


Table of Contents


ARTICLE IV, Fund Raising

Prior approval by the Budget and Finance Committee shall be necessary for any fundraising events using professional fundraisers. The Executive Committee may suspend chapters failing to do so, pending a hearing.


Table of Contents


ARTICLE V, Suspension and Expulsion

Chapters and members found to be in violation of the FCB Constitution and By-Laws may be suspended by the Executive Committee pending a hearing by the Board of Directors. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board of Directors is required for expulsion. Such hearing must be held within 60 days of suspension.


Table of Contents


ARTICLE VI, Officers

A. No chapter may have a majority of state officers.

B. In the event of absence or vacancy of President, the First Vice-President shall assume the duties of the President.

C. In the event of vacancy in the office of First Vice-President, the Second Vice-President shall assume the duties of the First Vice-President.

D. In the event of vacancy of Second Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Membership Secretary, the vacancy will be filled by appointment by the President and approval of the Board of Directors.

E. The Secretary of FCB, in addition to the usual duties of such office, shall furnish each Board Member a summary of all official actions taken at each Convention or meeting of the Board of Directors within sixty (60) days after the close of each meeting. The FCB Secretary shall also receive a copy of all Chapter minutes and Treasurers' reports in September, December, March and June.

F. The Membership Secretary shall receive membership rosters and dues, maintain membership records, and supply membership cards.

G. A member shall hold office in no more than one (1) local chapter and one (1) statewide special interest chapter at the same time.


Table of Contents


ARTICLE VII, Meetings of the Board of Directors

A. There shall be a meeting of the Board of Directors immediately before and immediately after each Annual Convention.

B. There will be at least one (1) interim Board meeting.

C. Special meetings of the Board may be called only with approval of a majority of the Board of Directors. Board members shall receive at least two weeks notice of Board Meetings.


Table of Contents


ARTICLE VIII, Committees

A. The President shall appoint the chairpersons of all standing and special committees except the Nominating, Awards, Budget and Finance, and Executive Committees. Each chairperson shall select the members of the committee, in consultation with the President.

B. The Nominating Committee consists of one (1) representative from each chapter. The Board of Directors elects the chairperson at the pre-convention board meeting.

C. No committee except the Nominating Committee will exceed seven (7) members.

D. The Awards Committee consists of three (3) members serving three (3) year staggered terms. The senior member is the chairperson and selects the new member.

E. The Treasurer shall chair the Budget and Finance Committee.

F. The White Cane Bulletin Editor will serve on the Publications and Public Relations Committee but shall not serve as its Chair.

G. The Convention Committee will include the Treasurer, a Convention Coordinator, a Program Planner, and at least 2 members from the host chapter.

H. The Credentials Committee, consisting of the Membership Secretary and Treasurer, receives credentials from the representative of each chapter.

I. The Executive Committee consists of the officers and the Immediate Past President.


Table of Contents


ARTICLE IX, Expenditures and Reimbursements

A. The FCB is responsible for the reasonable and actual expenses of FCB officers and non-Board member committee persons attending FCB Board of Directors Meetings, special committee meetings, and conventions on the following basis; true lodging paid, $0.445 per mile, or actual transportation expenses, per diem of $6.00 for breakfast, $11.00 for lunch, and $19.00 for dinner. The mileage and per diem rates set forth above shall be periodically adjusted by the Executive Committee to conform with the state reimbursement rates authorized in S. 112.061 of the Florida Statutes. Travel by plane must have prior approval of the President. All out of state travel must be approved by the Executive Committee.

B. The state will pay each chapter representative's bus or train, plus local taxi fare to and from bus or train station or mileage, plus $25.00 as per FCB rate, to help defray some of the expenses. Each person receiving this allocation will be expected to attend all board meetings and committee meetings to which they are assigned, and be on time.

C. Each chapter is responsible for the expenses of its representative on the FCB Board of Directors that are not covered in Article IX, Section B of the By-Laws.

D. Special committee meetings shall be as authorized by the President.

E. All disbursements require two (2) signatures, those of the President, either Vice-President, Secretary, Membership Secretary, and/or the Treasurer.

F. The fiscal year is from July 1st to June 30th. An audit of the books must be made and reported to the Board of Directors at the first board meeting of the new fiscal year.


Table of Contents
Back to the Organizational Documents page
Back to the FCB home page