ARTICLE I -Dues
Section 1. Adult Memberships are for one (1) adult the age of nineteen (19) years old or more. New and renewing adult members shall pay a fee per annum or three (3) years, as determined by the Board of Directors. Such fee is to accompany applications for membership. The deadline for membership renewal is thirty (30) days past date of valid membership.
Section 2. Youth Memberships are for one (1) youth the age of eighteen (18) years old or less. A Youth member will automatically transfer from Youth to Adult Membership on the date of his/her nineteenth (19th) birthdate. New and renewing youth members shall pay a fee per annum or three (3) years, as determined by the Board of Directors. Such fee is to accompany applications for membership. The deadline for membership renewal is thirty (30) days past date of valid membership. Youth members shall be entitled to the same privileges of an Adult Membership except the right to vote or pursue and/or hold a position on the Board of Directors.
Section 3. Combination memberships are for two (2) people residing in the same household (may be any combination of adult or youth), providing application for both memberships are made at the same time. New and renewing combination members shall pay a fee per annum or three (3) years, as determined by the Board of Directors. Such fee is to accompany applications for membership. The deadline for membership renewal is thirty (30) days past date of valid membership.
Section 4. Family memberships are for three (3) or more members residing in the same household (may be any combination of adult or youth), providing application for all memberships are made at the same time. New and renewing family members shall pay a fee per annum or three (3) years, as determined by the Board of Directors. Such fee is to accompany applications for membership. The deadline for membership renewal is thirty (30) days past date of valid membership.
Section 5. All members shall be notified no less than thirty (30) days prior to the expiration of membership. Members who pay dues more than thirty (30) days after due will forfeit Sweepstakes show points and privileges previously earned. When dues are paid after this thirty (30) day period, applicant will be considered a new member; and membership shall be dated as of new join date.
ARTICLE II - Standing Committees
Section 1. The President, with the approval of the Executive Board, shall appoint the Chairperson for the standing committees. The President, with the approval of the Board of Directors, shall appoint members of committees as authorized herein. The President shall have authority to make such replacements as are considered to be in the best interest of the Club.
Section 2. ARBA Convention Committee: shall consist of a Breed Chairperson, Breed Superintendent, Breed Secretary, Booth Chairperson, Banquet Chairperson, Awards Chairperson, Trio Chairperson, and any supporting personnel as may be required to enable it to carry out its duties. The Committee shall be responsible for the proper showing and care of entries, the recording of show results, procurement of awards, operation of the HLRSC booth, and management of the Club’s Annual Banquet and Awards meeting.
Section 3. Auditing Committee: shall consist of an outside firm, a qualified individual, and/or a committee made up of a Chairperson and two (2) members, not more than one (1) to be in the same zone as the Secretary or the Treasurer. The Auditing Committee shall be responsible for an annual audit of all the Club’s financial affairs, to complete said audit within 60 days of the end of the Fiscal Year, and to report the findings at the Annual Meeting and/or published in the Hollander upon completion. The auditing committee is to be decided on by the Board of Directors annually. The committee shall perform an audit at the end of each fiscal year, at the end of any term of the HLRSC Treasurer, or as requested by the Board of Directors.
Section 4. Constitution, By-Laws, and Guidelines Committee: shall consist of the Secretary as the Chairperson and at least one (1) other member. The committee will be responsible for reviewing, receiving and/or proposing changes, amendments or resolutions to the Constitution, By-Laws, and Guidelines. The Chairperson shall be responsible for preparing and submitting any proposed changes, amendments, or resolutions to the Executive Board prior to the presentation for the general memberships’ considerations. It shall further be the responsibility of the Chairperson to assure publication of any and all proposed Constitution and By-Law changes for the consideration of the general membership by ballot as provided in the Constitution. The chairperson will be responsible for submitting updates to ARBA, Inc. at the completion of all changes.
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Section 5. Editorial Committee: shall consist of the Hollander Editor as Chairperson and two (2) members. The Chairperson shall be responsible for all contents of the official publication. The committee shall arrange content for publication and mailing at intervals determined by the Board of Directors.
Section 6. Election Committee: shall consist of a Chairperson and two (2) members, with one or more alternates, all residing within commuting distance of one another. The Chairperson shall receive the election ballots and, no sooner than the date agreed upon by the Board of Directors, shall call the committee together, with any absentee replaced by an alternate. Election ballot envelopes must not be opened until the entire committee is assembled. The committee shall then open the envelopes, count the votes, pull electronic voting reports, and tabulate the results. The count shall be completed, and the results certified by the President and Secretary within five (5) days after the count is completed. No other reports shall be required. All ballots and reports are to be mailed to the Secretary for a two (2) year retention.
Section 7. Merchandise Committee: shall consist of a Chairperson and at least one (1) other member, whose duty it shall be to fill all needs for supplies; obtaining new artwork, monitoring online portal, and merchandise sales at Convention and Nationals.
The Chairperson shall travel to Nationals and Convention or arrange for a replacement from the show committee to sell supplies. The Chairperson shall submit a daily sales log and monies to either the Secretary or Treasurer at the end of each day during Nationals and Convention.
The Chairperson shall furnish a quarterly report by the 10th of the month, following the end of a quarter to the Treasurer, via the Quarterly Sales Form. The Chairperson shall furnish a full financial report including an inventory list at the Annual Meeting.
Section 8. Standards Committee: shall consist of a Chairperson and four (4) members, at least one (1) of whom shall be a licensed ARBA Judge. The committee shall have the duty to maintain a study of the Standard, receive requests for a working Standard on new varieties, and transmit to the membership with Board approval any proposed revisions or additions for or against each change, revision, or addition. If proposed changes are approved by a majority of votes cast by the Club membership, the committee shall submit via the HLRSC President the proposed changes to the ARBA Standard’s Committee with recommendations for adoption.
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Section 9. Sweepstakes Committee: shall consist of a Chairperson and at least one (1) other member, whose duty it shall be to issue show sanctions, maintain sweepstakes point records, and issue timely reports to the webmaster for publication. The Sweepstakes Chairperson should report ending Sweepstakes results to the Secretary forty-five (45) days after the Sweepstakes year end as a confirmation of membership status. The Sweepstakes Chairperson shall then report the final year end sweeps reports to the Editor for publishing in the Hollander. The Sweepstakes Chairperson shall then order and distribute year end sweepstake awards. The Sweepstakes Chairperson shall give an up-to-date report at the Annual Meeting of all sweepstakes reports received to date. The Sweepstakes Chairperson shall be bonded in favor of the Club in an amount set by the Board of Directors, said sum to be not less than $25,000, in a company approved by the Board of Directors. Failure to furnish satisfactory bond within thirty (30) days following appointment shall automatically disqualify the Sweepstakes Chairperson from office. The cost of the Sweepstakes Chairperson’s bond is to be paid by the Club.
Section 10. Youth Committee: shall consist of a Chairperson and a Youth Board of Directors which contains nine (9) youth zone directors. The youth zones are to align with the previously published zones. The youth chairperson is responsible for obtaining youth zone directors, with the assistance of the aligning open zone director. The Youth Board of Directors shall be a liaison between the open Board of Directors and youth members. The youth committee shall organize any youth activities and assist the Youth Secretary/Chairperson at the Convention and Nationals, when in attendance.
Section 11. Any Special Committee that is considered desirable by the President, or by the Executive Board may be appointed by the President for a specific purpose. At the Completion of the assignment, the Special Committee may be discharged.
Section 12. The President shall have the authority to discharge and reconstitute any Committee at any time s/he deems it advisable for the best interest of the Club.
ARTICLE III - Compensastion
Section 1. The Secretary shall receive a percentage determined by the Board of Directors of the total amount of all membership dues (including postage). The Secretary shall receive a travel allowance, in an amount determined by the Board of Directors for travel to the Annual Convention and Show of the American Rabbit Breeders Association, Inc. This shall be the Secretary’s total compensation.
Section 2. The Treasurer shall receive a percentage determined by the Board of Directors of all monies received by the Club. The Treasurer shall receive a travel allowance, in the amount determined by the Board of Directors for travel to the Annual Convention and Show of the American Rabbit Breeders Association, Inc. This shall be the total compensation for the Treasurer.
Section 3. The Sweepstakes Chairman shall receive a percentage determined by the Board of Directors of all monies received by the Club in payment of sanction fees. This shall be the total compensation for the Sweepstakes Chairperson.
Section 4. The Supply Chairperson shall receive a percentage determined by the Board of Directors of the gross in person sales of supplies after the cost to the Club is deducted. The Supply Chairperson shall be paid a base amount determined by the Board of Directors, to be paid quarterly. The Supply Chairman shall receive reimbursement of fuel for transport of supplies to the Annual Convention and Show of the American Rabbit Breeders Association, Inc. up to but not exceeding an amount determined by the Board of Directors with receipts provided. This shall be the total compensation for the Supply Chairperson.
Section 5. The Editor of the official publication shall be paid on the basis of an amount determined by the Board of Directors, per page. This shall be the total compensation for the Editor.
Section 6. The Webmaster shall be paid a base amount determined by the Board of Directors, to be paid quarterly.
Section 7. The President shall receive a travel allowance, in an amount determined by the Board of Directors for travel to the Annual Convention and Show of the American Rabbit Breeders Association, Inc. If the President is unable to attend, the Vice President shall receive the travel allowance, in an amount determined by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE IV - Voting Procedure
Section 1. Any voting member in good standing wishing to become a candidate for office shall submit a petition for nomination form to the Secretary. The nomination petition shall be signed by at least five (5) paid-up members. If the petition for nomination is for a Director position, all signatures shall be from within the district the petitioner in running. Electronic signatures will be accepted but must be attached to original petition. Petitions for nomination must be postmarked no later than May 15.
Section 2. Upon receipt of the nominating petition the Secretary shall determine if the member making petition is eligible to run for office. The names of all qualifying candidates running for a single vacancy must appear on the Ballot. The name of an unopposed candidate shall not appear on the ballot. The unopposed candidate shall automatically win the vacant office being sought. Write-in nominations shall not be considered candidates and shall not be allowed.
Section 3. The Secretary shall distribute ballots or voting codes to all members by June 30. Ballots shall be returned to the Election Chairperson. Returned ballots must be postmarked no later than August 15. Electronic votes shall be processed no later than August 15th. The Election Committee shall count all acceptable ballots and obtain electronic voting results, no sooner than the date agreed upon by the Board of Directors. The Election Committee shall send a certified statement of the results to the President and Secretary, such statement to be retained for two (2) years in the event there should be any questions concerning the voting procedures.
Section 4. Facsimiles or copies of the ballot shall not be an acceptable ballot and shall be declared void. Voided ballots shall be held by the Secretary, along with acceptable ballots, for two (2) years. To determine their validity, voided ballots, shall be received by the Executive Board at the first meeting following the election. If the counting of the voided ballots would reverse the results of any or all matters or individual voted upon, the Election Committee’s report to the Secretary shall be designated as unofficial. The official report shall be determined by the Executive Board after reviewing the voided ballots.
Section 5. All adult members shall have the privilege to vote. Combination and Family Memberships shall have one (1) vote for every adult member on their membership. Single adult memberships shall have one (1) vote.
Section 6. No person whose name appears on the Election Ballot may be on the Election Committee.
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Section 7. In the event of a tie between two (2) or more persons for the same office, selection shall be made by the Executive Board prior to the Annual Meeting from the persons so tied. If one of the persons tied is a Board Incumbent, they shall abstain their vote.
Section 8. Should any candidate for an elected office be unopposed, there shall be no election ballot issued for that particular office, and the unopposed candidate shall be declared elected to said office by acclimation.
ARTICLE V - Discipline
Section 1. Charges of misconduct may be filed by any member against any other member. The charges must be made in writing and filed with the Secretary.
Section 2. Any member against whom charges have been made shall be furnished a complete statement of the charges by the Secretary and shall be allowed thirty (30) days to file a reply.
Section 3. The charges, together with the reply if any is received, shall be furnished to each member of the Executive Board for consideration. The Executive Board may, by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote, suspend or expel the member. Less than two-thirds (2/3) majority vote shall constitute a finding of “not sustained” of the charges.
Section 4. Any person suspended may be eligible for reinstatement after a period of one (1) year. Upon two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Executive Board, any person expelled shall not be eligible for membership for three (3) years from date of finding.
Section 5. An officer who fails to fulfill the obligations of duties of the office or shows lack of interest in Club matters shall be asked to resign voluntarily by the President. If the officer fails to do so, the Executive Board, by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote, shall declare the office vacant.
ARTICLE VI - Parliamentary Authority
Section 1. In order to transact business at any General or Special Meetings of the Club, there must be a quorum of at least twenty-five (25) voting members present, no proxy permitted. The quorum number twenty-five (25) shall not include the Club officers.
Section 2. Unless otherwise provided in these Articles, Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the transaction of all business of all meetings. Robert’s Rules of Order shall not be suspended for any reason at any meeting of the Club.
ARTICLE VII - Amendments
Section 1. These By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of votes cast by mail or electronic ballot of the entire membership. All members shall be notified in writing by mail, publication, or an electronic notification of the proposed amendments and shall be furnished a ballot thirty (30) days before closing of the polls.
Section 2. These By-laws may also be amended at any Annual Meeting by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of all members present, providing there are at least fifty (50) members present and provided the proposed amendment appeared in the issue of official publication or an electronic notification immediately prior to such meeting.
Revised –February 7, 2024