Arizona Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf Bylaws
Adopted September 21, 2001
Revised December 2005
Article I: Name
The name of this organization shall be Arizona Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. (AzRID)
Article II: {Removed}
Article III: Purposes
Section 1: Principal Purposes
The principal purposes of this organization are to initiate, sponsor, promote and execute policies and activities that will further the profession of interpretation of American Sign Language and English and the transliteration of English. This organization shall be affiliated with the national Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. (RID) and shall uphold the purposes and abide by the rules and procedures established for affiliated chapters of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc.
Section 2: Objectives
A. To maintain and promote a code of professional conduct for interpreters and transliterators.
B. To provide professional development of interpreters and transliterators.
C. To provide the public with information regarding interpreting and transliterating.
D.To support the activities of organization of and for Deaf and/or Hard-of-Hearing persons, and for interpreters / transliterators / translators, insofar as such activities are not in conflict with the purposes of this organization.
Section 3: Status
A. {Removed}.
B. AzRID shall maintain the status of a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization under the umbrella of the RID.
Article IV: Board of Directors
Section 1: Composition
A. The Board of Directors shall be comprised of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Immediate Past-President and three (3) Members at Large.
B. The Executive Committee of the Board of Directors shall be comprised of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Immediate Past President.
Section 2: Term of Office
A. Each director shall be for a two-year term.
B. No director of the Board shall serve more than two (2) consecutive terms in the same office. No director of the Board shall serve more than three (3) consecutive terms.
Section 3: Qualifications
A. All candidates for the Board shall be voting members in good standing of the organization prior to election. To be a member in good standing you must be a paid member of the organization for nine (9) months prior to the election and not be involved in any disciplinary actions with the RID with regards to ethical behavior.
B. All Candidates for the Board shall also be members in good standing of the national RID, Inc. To be a member in good standing you must be a paid member of the national RID for nine (9) months prior to the election and not be involved in any disciplinary actions with the RID with regards to ethical behavior.
Section 4: Vacancies
A. Vacancies of the Board shall exist upon the death, resignation, or removal of the director, and whenever the number of directors is increased by amendment to these bylaws.
B. Any director may resign upon giving written notice to the President. The President my resign by giving written notice to the Executive Board.
C. The removal of a director shall be done for any of the following reasons:
1. A director moves out of the state or region of the organization.
2. A director is found guilty of any felony.
3. A director does not maintain membership in the organization or the RID.
4. A formal grievance against the director has been substantiated.
5. A 2/3 vote of all eligible members at a special meeting called for the purpose of removal of a director.
D. The remaining Board of directors shall appoint a person to fill any vacancies for the remaining term of office, except for the office of the President.The office of the President must be elected by the membership at a special election.
Section 5: Duties
A. Directors
1. The Board shall perform any and all duties mandated and by the direction of the voting membership of the organization.
2. The Board shall meet at least quarterly to conduct business.
3. With the exception of the President, each member of the Board of Directors shall be a member of a minimum of one (1) standing committee and shall be a member of no more than three (3) standing committees.
4. The Board shall meet with the incoming new Board of Directors for the purpose of orientation the new Board of their responsibilities and duties.
B. President
1. The President shall have general supervision and direction of the business and affairs of the organization. The President shall preside at all meetings and shall have such other powers and duties as prescribed by the Board of Directors or the membership.
2. If the President is unable to attend a meeting then the Vice President shall preside.
3. The President shall appoint committee chairpersons for such committees as is listed in these Bylaws, following the appointment procedures approved by the membership.The President may create other committees as may be mandated by the membership or may be deemed necessary in promoting the purposes of the organization.
4. The President shall share with the Treasurer the right to sign checks and warrants for the withdrawal of organization funds.
5. The President shall provide quarterly reports to the membership regarding the actions of the Board, the financial status of the organization, activities of committees and other activities of the organization.
6. The President shall serve as a member of the Executive Committee.
C. Vice President
1. The Vice President shall, in the absence or legal disability of the President, perform all duties of the President and in so acting shall have all powers of the President.
2. The Vice President shall have other powers and perform other duties as prescribed by the Board of Directors.
3. The Vice President shall act as liaison from the Board to the standing committees.
4. The Vice President shall serve as a member of the Executive Committee.
D. Secretary
1. The Secretary shall keep a full and accurate record of all proceedings of the Board of Directors and of the general membership meetings.
2. The Secretary shall keep the logo of the organization and affix it to such papers and instruments as may be required in the regular course of business, shall make such service of such notices as may be necessary or proper.
3. The Secretary shall supervise the keeping of records of the organization and supervise the keeping of records pertaining to membership of the organization.
4. The Secretary, for the purposes of providing accurate information to the membership, shall maintain control of all Publications sent out to the membership through the organization.
5. The Secretary shall perform other duties of the office as prescribed by the Board of Directors.
6. The Secretary shall serve as a member of the Executive Committee.
E. Treasurer
1. The Treasurer shall maintain the financial records of the organization, making at least quarterly financial reports to the membership, maintaining the financial accounts, making payments for authorized expenditures.
2. The Treasurer shall supervise the budget planning / forecasts to allow a smooth, effective operation.
3. The Treasurer shall forward to the RID, Inc. office within thirty (30) days after the expiration of each fiscal year a certified copy of the organization’s financial statement. The financial statement shall include a description of the source of all receipts and a description of all disbursements.
4. The Treasurer shall forward to RID by November 15 of each year the 501 (c) 3 tax-exempt reporting form (Form 990, Return of Organizations Exempt from Income Tax).
5. The Treasurer shall perform other duties of the office prescribed by the Board of Directors.
6. The Treasurer shall serve as a member of the Executive Committee.
F. Immediate Past President
1.The Immediate Past President shall coordinate the transfer of activities and responsibilities between the outgoing and incoming Board of Directors
2. The Immediate Past President, as being knowledgeable about previous Board’s activities, shall provide assistance to the new Board of Directors to maintain a smooth operation.
3. The Immediate Past President shall perform other duties of the office as prescribed by the Board of directors.
4. The Immediate Past President shall serve as a voting member of the Executive Committee.
G. Members at Large
1. The Members at Large shall consist of three (3) representatives from the general membership.
2. The Members at Large shall act as liaisons to the Board from the membership, working directly with the membership assisting with the coordination of activities and communication within the organization.
3. The Members at Large shall serve as resource persons to the membership.
4. The Members at Large shall perform other duties of the office as prescribed by the Board of Directors.
Section 6: Board of Directors Meetings
A. The Board of Directors shall meet at least quarterly.
The Executive Board shall set the dates.
B. The President or two Executive Board members when deemed necessary shall call additional board meetings.
Article V: Committees
Section 1: Executive Committee
A. The Executive Committee shall be comprised of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Immediate Past President.
B. The Executive Committee shall be responsible for preparing the agenda prior to any meeting or activity of the membership.
Section 2: Standing Committees
A. The Board of Directors by a plurality vote of the quorum, shall have the right to establish any standing committee deemed necessary to carry out the objectives of the organization as set forth in these Bylaws and/or mandated by the voting membership.
B. The Board of Directors shall determine the operating guidelines for each active committee. These guidelines shall include, but not limited to, specific objectives and time lines.
C. Standing committees shall be comprised of members in good standing of the organization and be approved by the Board of Directors.
D. The President upon approval of the Board of Directors shall appoint the Chairperson of each standing committee.
E. Each member of the Board of Directors with the exception of the President shall be a member of at least one standing committee.
Refer to Article V. Section 5.A.3.
F. Members of the Board of Directors shall not be chairpersons of standing committees.
G. The standing committees of this organization shall include, but not be limited to the following:
1. Bylaws Committee: for recommending bylaws changes and to assure that the current bylaws are adhered to.
2. Fundraising Committee: for generating financial support for the organization’s activities
3. Membership Committee: for the recruitment and orientation of new chapter members, plus the maintenance of membership lists.
4. Nominations Committee: for generating lists of names of members willing and interested in serving on the various committees and other elected capacities within the chapter.
5. Professional Development Committee: for developing and planning workshops and other professional development activities.
6. Publication Committee: for the organization's newsletter.
7. Legislative Committee: for keeping abreast of possible legislation affecting the field of interpreting.
Section 3: Special Committees
A. The Board of Directors shall appoint any special and/or ad hoc committees as may be deemed necessary to carry out the activities of the organization.
B. By majority vote of the voting membership during any membership meeting shall mandate the Board of Directors appoint a special and/or ad hoc committee.
Article VI: Elections and Voting
Section 1: General
A. Voting may occur during membership meetings or by mail /e-mail referendum. Proxy votes are permitted for voting during membership meetings only.
B. Elections of the Board of Directors shall be held prior to the end of the membership year.
**Membership year shall be from 7/1 – 6/30.
C. To constitute a valid election, ballots must be cast by twenty (20) percent of the eligible voting membership.
D. Elections and balloting shall not be required for positions in which there is only one candidate for that position. Any uncontested candidates shall be considered without the required mailing of ballots.
E. A simple plurality of the ballots cast shall be sufficient to elect each position. (Fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of the quorum)
F. In the event of a tie, a run-off election shall be held during the election/voting meeting.
Section 2: Nominations for Board of Directors.
A. A call for nominations, by the Nominations Committee, for each office shall begin a minimum of four (4) months prior to the ending of the membership year.
B. A list of nominees their backgrounds and qualifications shall be mailed/e-mailed to each voting member at least thirty (30) days prior to the election/voting date. The chairperson of the Nominations Committee will keep an accurate list of all members sent and responding.
C. Nominations shall also be accepted from the floor at the election/voting membership meeting.
D. Ballots shall be either
1. Mailed/e-mailed to the Nominations Committee chairperson with a postmark at least ten (10) days prior to the election/voting date, or
2. Deposited in the ballot box during the election/voting membership meeting.
E. At least two (2) members of the Nominations Committee, or designee, shall count the ballots. No person who is a candidate shall count the ballots.
F. Election results shall be confirmed and announced during the meeting and published for mailing to the membership within forty-five (45) days.
Section 3: Mail/e-mail Referendum
A. Mail/e-mail referenda my be drafted and submitted by the Board of Directors or by written petition of not less than ten (10) percent of the voting members of the organization. (Written petition to be submitted to the Board of Directors.)
B. Written/e-mailed notice of the referendum, stating and describing all motions, procedures, and deadlines for voting shall be provided to all voting members at least twenty-five (25) days prior to the referendum deadline.
C. Results of mail/e-mail referenda shall be determined as is done with Election results.
D. Results of mail/e-mail referenda shall be disseminated to the membership within twenty-five (25) days after the referenda deadline.
Article VII: Meetings
Section 1: Membership Meetings
A. There shall be at least one (1) Annual General Membership Meeting.
B. Meetings shall be conducted in accordance with parliamentary procedure.
C. All motions, except those amending these Bylaws, shall be passed with a simple majority vote.
Section 2: Business Meetings
A. There shall be at least one (1) annual Annual Business Meeting within the last three (3) months of the fiscal year.
B. The main purposes of this Business Meeting shall be to
1. Present the annual report to the membership.
2. Present/approve the proposed Budget for the following fiscal year.
C. Twenty (20) percent of the eligible voting members, in person or by proxy, must be in attendance to constitute a quorum for Business Meetings.
Section 3: Special Meetings
A. Special meetings will be called for any purpose not otherwise specified in the Bylaws when a petition is signed by twenty (20) percent of voting members is presented to the Board of Directors.
B. Once a petition is received by the Board of Directors, a chairperson will be appointed to form a special committee to conduct a meeting within sixty (60) days and all members will be notified at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting date.
Article VIII: Membership Policies and Procedures
Section 1: Membership Procedures
A. The membership year follows the set membership year of the RID of July 1st to June 30th of each year.
B. Membership dues must be paid annually.
C. The Board of Directors shall not increase or decrease membership dues without a majority vote, fifty percent (50%) plus one (1), of the membership either at a General Meeting or by mail/e-mail referendum.
D. Any membership dues paid after April 15th will be considered for the following fiscal year. Member shall be in good standing with the organization starting on April 15th or when the dues are paid.
E. Membership dues shall be equal for all members of each category, but different dues may be set for each category.
Section 2: Membership Categories
Membership Categories, voting rights and dues shall be as follows:
A. Certified: Any interpreter or transliterator of American Sign Language and/or English currently holding a valid certification from the national RID. Full voting rights - $25.00 per year.
B. Associate (non-Certified): Any individual who is actively engaged or interested in the interpretation and/or the transliteration of American Sign Language and English, but is not currently certified by the national RID. Full voting rights with the exception of certification issues - $25.00 per year.
C. Student: Any non-certified individual currently enrolled in a course of study in interpretation and/or transliteration of American Sign Language and English. Non-voting - $10.00 per year.
D. Organizational/Institutional Member: any organization/institution with an interest in supporting the purposes and activities of the organization. Non-voting - $30.00 per year.
E. Subscription: Any individual with an interest in supporting the purposes and activities of the organization, who does not meet eligibility requirements for Article VIII Sections D.1, D.2, or D.3. Non-voting - $10.00 per year.
Article IX: Amendment of Bylaws
A. The Board of Directors prior to being addressed by the membership must review new Bylaws or amendments to these bylaws. This is to assure that the amendments would not adversely affect the goals and objectives of the organization or of the RID.
B. Written notice of proposed Bylaws or amendments to these Bylaws shall be mailed/e-mailed to each voting member not less than two (2) weeks prior to the date of the vote.
C. New Bylaws may be adopted or these Bylaws may be amended or repealed by a simple fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of the members of the organization who are eligible for voting during a regular or special meeting of the membership or through mail/e-mail referendum.
D. Any amendment which would materially and adversely affect the rights of any other category of members as to voting or transfer, differently than such actions affects another category, must be approved by a fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of the members of the affected category. Voting shall take place during regular or special meeting of the membership or through mail/e-mail referendum.
E. Bylaws revisions or amendments required to comply with the RID policies and procedures shall not require a vote but shall be automatically incorporated with these Bylaws. The membership shall be notified in writing/e-mail of such revisions within thirty (30) days.
F. A copy of all amendments to these Bylaws shall be forwarded to the RID Regional Representative who will then forward them to the RID office or other designated place.
Article X: Dissolution of the Organization
A. Upon the dissolution of this organization, the President and Treasurer shall forward all assets and records to the RID national office.
B. A requirement of 2/3 of the eligible voting members in attendance or by proxy constitutes a quorum for Dissolution.
C. Dissolution may occur because of Non-recognition of affiliated status by the RID for failure to comply with provisions required of affiliated chapters set forth in the RID Bylaws.
Revisions
2004:
June
A. Removed references to Grievance procedures per National directive.
2005:
August
A. Replaced "code of ethics" with "code of professional conduct" per the National referendum to adopt the new CPC.
B. Edited V.2.G by adding sub-paragraph numbers instead of bullets.
C. Edited VIII.2 by adding Paragraph-Letters instead of bullets.
December
D. Edited X.C by removing the sub-paragraph number because there was only one.
E. Removed II the Address of the Organization. The Article renumbering is being held for the pending changes to the Bylaws.
F. Removed III.A the Tax ID number from the Bylaws because it should not be public information.
G. Edited VIII.1.A into one sentence.