DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ASSOCIATION OF THE DEAF BY-LAWS

Revised: February 2012

ARTICLE I. ARTICLE II. ARTICLE III. ARTICLE IV. ARTICLE V. ARTICLE VI. ARTICLE VII. ARTICLEVIII. ARTICLE IX. ARTICLE X.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE NAME………………………………………………………………………………………… 1

OBJECT …………………………………………………………………………………….. 1

MEMBERSHIP ……………………………………………………………………………. 1 EXECUTIVE BOARD……………………………………………………………………. 3 COMMITTEES …………………………………………………………………………….. 6

MEETINGS ………………………………………………………………………………… 7 PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY …………………………………………………… 8 BYLAWS…………………………………………………………………………………….8 FISCAL YEAR ……………………………………………………………………………. 8 DISSOLUTION …………………………………………………………………………… 8

ARTICLE I. NAME

Section 1.

Section 2.

Section 3.

Association. An organization shall be known and designated as the District of Columbia Association of the Deaf, hereinafter referred as the Association or the DCAD.

Incorporation. The Association shall be incorporated as a non-profit and tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue law, and also tax-exempt status to the extent allowable by the law of the District of Columbia.

Location. The Association shall under any obligation be in the District of Columbia.

ARTICLE II. OBJECT

Section 1. Mission. As a culturally diverse organization, the Association shall be operated mainly to enable the deaf in the District of Columbia to promote and maintain:
1.1 empowerment to the deaf citizens in the District of Columbia.

1.2 equal political, social and economic access among the deaf. 1.3 advocacy and social network.

Section 2. Representation. The Association as a culturally diversity shall represent all the deaf/hard of hearing in the District of Columbia.

Section 3. Affiliation. The Association is an affiliate of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) under state membership status.

ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Classification.
1.1 Individual. Such membership shall be open to residents and/or non- residents of the District of Columbia regardless of race, creed, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability and those with sincere interest and support for the mission of the Association. Such members shall consist of:

a. Active member: deaf resident within the Beltway area of Washington, DC.

Page 1

Section 2.

b. Associate member:
1) non-deaf resident of the District of Columbia. 2) non-resident of the District of Columbia.

c. Student member: deaf full time student with 12 or more credits from from an accredited post-secondary program within the Metropolitan Washington area.
d. Senior-Citizen member: deaf resident of the District of Columbia at age of 60 or more.

e. Honorary member: resident or non-resident of the District of

Columbia.
1.2 Organizational member: membership shall be open to associations or groups regardless of race, creed, gender, sexual orientation, or disability with their sincere and unequivocal interest and support toward the advancement of the mission of the Association.

Requirements and Privileges.
2.1 Active member. Active membership shall be open to as prescribed in the Article III, Section 1.1a. upon payment of annual membership dues.

a. Deaf member shall have complete voice and vote privileges as

define in the Association by-laws and standing rules.
2.2 Association member. Upon conferment to as prescribed in the Article III, Section 1.1b. with sincere and unequivocal interest and support in the advancement of the mission of the Association, such member shall exercise the privileges of the regular member except holding office and vote privilege.
2.3 Student member. Upon conferment to as prescribed in the Article III, Section 1.1c. upon payment of annual dues, such member shall:

a. be entitled to the same privileges as active members.

b. pay equal to one-half the regular membership dues.
2.4 Senior Citizen member. Such member prescribed in the Article III, Section 2e. upon payment of annual dues shall:

a. be entitled to the same privileges as regular members.

b. pay equal to one-half the regular membership dues.
2.5 Honorary member. Upon conferment and recognition of distinguished service as prescribed in the Article III, Section 2d. with their sincere and unequivocal interest and support toward the advancement of the mission of the Association through vote by a majority of the members at the annual member meeting shall:

a. be entitled to such privileges of the associate member. b. not be liable for membership dues.
c. May serve as non-voting Member-at-Large.

2.6 Organizational member. Privileges shall be granted to certain association or group prescribed in the Article III, Section 1.2 with sincere

Page 2

Section 3.

Section 4.

and unequivocal interest and support toward the advancement of the mission of the Association shall:

a. not be entitled to hold the executive board and vote privilege.
b. (1) pay membership dues determined by the executive board, or

(2) be waived from membership dues in reciprocal for its financial assistance or contributions to the Association.

Dues.
3.1 Membership dues shall be determined by the Board of Directors.
3.2 Membership dues shall be collected by the Association treasurer every calendar year.
3.3 A delinquent member shall be subject to membership revocation thirty (30) days after being notified of his/her membership dues expiration.
3.4 The membership is non-transferrable.

Subscription. All the members of the Association shall be entitled to subscribe to the “NAD Broadcaster” and other materials distributed by the Association.

ARTICLE IV. EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1.

Section 2.

Section 3.

Classification. The executive board, hereby referred to as board member, shall consist of the following:
1.1 Officers: President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.
1.2 Members-at-Large: The number of such members including one representative from the Gallaudet University Student Body Government shall be up to five (5).

Qualification.
2.1 The officers must be deaf residents and active members of the Association in good standing.

Board Members, Duties of 3.1 The President shall:

a. preside over all the meetings of the Association.
b. supervise to maintain order and see that resolutions of the executive board be properly executed in its earnest efforts and to assure the duties of the board members be properly carried out to the fullest extent.
c. enforce due observance of the by-laws of the Association.
d. make reports on plans and accomplishments for the interest of the Association at the executive board meeting.

Page 3

e. appoint standing, special (non-standing) and liaison committees. f. represent in the events of the Association.
g. appoint a parliamentarian with approval from the executive board.

h. maintain liaison with the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and any organizational members.
i. shall become an ex-officio to the committees.

3.2 The Vice-President shall:
a. assume all the duties of the president during the absence of the president.
b. perform non-prescribed duties assigned by the president with approval from the executive board.
c. serve as the chairperson of the Association law committee unless otherwise appointed by the president with consent from the board members.

3.3 The Secretary shall:
a. keep the minutes of the member, executive board and ad-hoc meetings.
b. be a custodian of the correspondences, records, information materials of the Association and deaf communities, the Association corporate seal which shall be affixed to all the documents of the Association.
c. keep the name and address of the Association members for future correspondence, reference and referral, unless otherwise determined by the executive board.
d. give notice of the meetings to all the Association members at least fourteen (14) days in advance unless otherwise determined by the executive board.

3.4 The Treasurer shall:
a. file all accounts of receipts and expenditures.
b. be responsible for all the funds and securities of the Association. c. be responsible for all moneys and securities collected and disbursed by the Association.
d. maintain records of all membership dues and issue receipts and membership dues collected during calendar year of each member. e. maintain an update membership list for immediate and future contact with members.
f. pay and maintain copies of all receipts and expenditures.
g. deposit Association funds in such bank or financial institution with approval from the executive board.
h. make financial reports at the executive board and member meetings.
i. file all tax reports.

Page 4

Section 4.

Section 5.

Section 6.

Section 7.

Section 8.

Section 9.

j. maintain incorporated status on annual basis.

Election.
4.1 The officers shall be elected by a majority of the active members present at the annual member meeting every odd year in autumn.
4.2 The Members-at-Large shall be elected by a majority of the Active members present at the annual member meeting every even year in autumn.
4.3 The executive board members-elect shall assume their duties immediately after each election meeting.

Term.
5.1 The officers shall serve a continuation of a term up to four (4) years. 5.2 The executive board members shall serve until termination of their term or be replaced during between the elections.

Power. The board members except as otherwise provided in the Association by-laws shall exercise full power to:
6.1 operate the Association and its governing system as defined in the by- laws of the Association.
6.2 make motions or amendments.
6.3 set up ad-hoc meetings.
6.4 appoint committees.
6.5 develop, maintain and revise standing rules and policies.

Compensation. The board members shall serve without compensation unless otherwise reimbursed by the Association with prior from the executive board.

Indemnity. A board member shall be given an idemnity by the Association against expenses incurred in defense lawsuit, civil or criminal, except in relation to matters as to which one is adjudged in such action liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of the duty.

Authorization. The officers may be given authority by the executive board to:
9.1 initiate or conclude a business contract.
9.2 review and make decision on contract request.

9.3 act on a contact with an approval of a two-third (2/3) of the board.
9.4 make an investment from Association funds at discretion as permitted by the District of Columbia and federal laws.
9.5 authorize two (2) board members to co-sign any checks of the Association.

Page 5

Section 10.

Contract.
10.1 Reviews requested for decisions on contracts which may be initiated or concluded through an authority from the board members concerning business for the best interest of the Association:
10.2 Unless otherwise approved by the executive board of the Association the board members shall only act on contracts.

Section 11. Vacancy. The position of a board member may be filled in for an unexpired term during any meeting of the Association.

Section 12.

Removal.
12.1 An affirmative vote for the removal of a board member shall be cast by a majority of the members present at the board, annual member or special meeting.
12.2 A board member removed from the executive board may appeal for the decision on reinstation of such position at the next board meeting.

ARTICLE V. COMMITTEES

Section 1.

Section 2.

Classification. The committees may consist of law committee, financial committee, election committee, necrology committee and other committees appointed by the executive board.

Committees, Duties of
2.1 The law committee shall:

a. be called to the meeting by the Vice-President or law committee chairperson.
b. review the Association by-laws and recommend for amendments, revisions or changes to the board members.

c. make final decisions of amendments, revisions or changes for

final approval from the board members at the board meeting. 2.2 The financial committee shall:

a. audit the income, expenditures and programs financed by the Association every June.
b. present audited financial reports at the board meeting every September.

2.3 The necrology committee shall prepare a list of members who have passed away during the annual meeting.
2.4 All committee chairpersons shall be appointed by the President with approval of the Executive Board.

Page 6

ARTICLE VI. MEETINGS

Section 1.

Section 2.

Classification.
1.1 The meetings shall consist of: annual meeting, board meeting, special meeting, election meeting, and ad-hoc meeting.

Requirement.
2.1 The annual member meetings shall be:

a. conducted every autumn unless otherwise determined by the executive board.
b. preceded by the executive board meeting for the transaction of such other businesses.

2.2 The board meetings shall be conducted at least six (6) times a year and the date shall be determined by the president.
2.3 The special meetings shall be:

a. duly called for by the executive board upon request from the president and three board members.
b. held for election if deemed necessary.

2.4 The election meeting shall be:
a. for an election of board members at the annual member meeting. b. for an incapacity of holding an election designated herein for such annual member meeting due to deferment or adjourment, the election shall be proceeded at a special meeting of the members as soon thereafter as possible.

2.5 The ad-hoc meetings shall be called for by the president at any time with an approval from the executive board.

Quorum.
a. Ten percent (10%) of the active members present at the annual member meeting shall constitue a quorum, or
b. A majority of the board members present at any meeting shall constitute a quorum.

Contradiction.
4.1 A duality or conflict of interest from a member shall be disclosed and such member shall become ineligible to vote or be counted on quorum. 4.2 Such member shall not be prevented from stating briefly or answering to pertinent questions from the board members.

Page 7

Section 3.

Section 4.

ARTICLE VII. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

Section 1. Robert’s Rules of Order. All matters not covered by the by-laws of the Association shall be covered by the current edition or revised edition of Robert’s Rules of Order parliamentary authority.

ARTICLE VIII. BYLAWS

Section 1.

Amendment.
1.1 The Association by-laws may be amended by vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the active members present at the annual member meeting.
1.2 at any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors by the affirmative vote of at least three-fourth (3/4) of the Board present, provided a quorum is present and notice of the intention to amend these Bylaws is provided to active members at least forty-five (45) days prior to such meeting.

ARTICLE IX. FISCAL YEAR
Section 1. Conclusion. The fiscal year for the Association shall conclude on the last

day of every December.

ARTICLE X. DISSOLUTION

Section 1.

Assets and Liabilities. In the event of the dissolution of the Association, after payment of all the Association assets and liabilities disposed exclusively for the purposes of the Association whose decision shall hereby be duly made affirmative through a majority vote of the members present, the assets and liabilities shall be placed in escrow of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD).

Page 8