BYLAW I: BUDGET AND FINANCE
Section 1.1: Annual Budget
At the beginning of each year, the Board of Directors shall present to the membership an Annual Budget, detailing expected income and expenditures for the year. The budget shall be published in the Newsletter before the regular meeting at which it is to be adopted. After the Annual Budget has been adopted, the membership must approve all expenditures which are beyond budgetary amounts or for a purpose not covered in the budget. The budget may include an item such as "Miscellaneous" or "Discretionary", which may be used for unforeseen or emergency expenditures, in the sole discretion of the President for amounts of up to fifty dollars ($50) and of the Board of Directors for amounts greater than fifty dollars ($50).
Section 1.2: Records and Procedures
All funds of the organization shall be kept in a bank selected by the treasurer with the approval of the Board of Directors. The original bank statement shall be sent by the bank to the President. He/she shall make a copy of it to keep on file. The President shall then forward the statement and its associated checks in their entirety to the Treasurer. All expenditures shall be made by check signed by the Treasurer or by electronic transaction upon authorization by the President. The Treasurer will keep a record of the transaction numbers. Arrangements may be made by the Board of Directors so that another officer can sign checks or authorize expenditures in the absence or inability of the Treasurer or the President to serve. However, two officers shall always be involved.
When cash is received, the Treasurer and another person appointed by the President shall both count the cash, and each keep a record of the amount received.
Upon the reconciliation of the counts, the treasurer, or another officer serving in the treasurer's absence, shall deposit the cash in the bank so that its expenditure can be handled in the normal way as described above.
Section 1.3: Reimbursement of Expenses
Expenses incurred by members which have been authorized may be paid upon receipt by the Treasurer of appropriate receipts and expense information. Required receipts and expense information include items such as the following:
1.3.1. Airline or other travel receipts or mileage documentation when traveling by automobile;
1.3.2. Hotel receipts where applicable;
1.3.3. Meal and other expenditures noted on paper unless such expenses exceed $20 in which case a receipt is required.
Automobile mileage is reimbursed at the same rate available to Federal employees.
Prepayment of expenses may be made with specific authorization by the President to the Treasurer. If a case arises where the President requests prepayment, the Treasurer may approve the request or refer it to the Vice-President for a decision. A decision by the President or Vice-President is binding and not subject to appeal.
BYLAW II: CONVENTION DELEGATE ELIGIBILITY, SELECTION, AND DUTIES
Section 2.1: Purpose and Scope
This Bylaw embodies all official rules applying to the delegate and alternate delegate elected to represent the Silicon Valley Council of the Blind (SVCB) at state conventions of the California Council of the Blind.
Section 2.2: Eligibility
2.2.1. Delegate and alternate delegate must have been members in good standing of SVCB for not less than one (1) year;
2.2.2. Delegate and alternate delegate may not have served in either position for the preceding official convention of the California Council of the Blind;
2.2.3. An individual who has served at any previous time as delegate or alternate delegate must have complied with all policies specified in these bylaws regarding provision of financial documentation.
Section 2.3: Selection
The delegate and alternate delegate are selected by the general membership of the SVCB. Such selection must occur at a general meeting of the membership at least thirty (30) and no more than ninety (90) days prior to the convention of the California Council of the Blind at which such service is to be rendered.
Section 2.4: Financial Considerations
Reimbursement of actual expenses is permitted in accordance with Bylaw I. However, such payment may be limited as specified in the Annual Budget for conventions held in the Bay Area, for Northern California conventions held outside the Bay Area, and for Southern California conventions.
Section 2.5: Responsibilities
Before attending the convention, the delegate and alternate delegate are responsible for gathering whatever information they need to be responsible attendees of the state convention. They are to secure reasonable travel and lodging arrangements which can meet their needs as well as reasonably reduce costs to SVCB. While room sharing is not required it is suggested as one way of reducing expenses.
During the state convention, the delegate is responsible for the following:
2.5.1. Attendance of general sessions at any time when a vote may be required from SVCB;
2.5.2. Attendance of the entire business meeting as scheduled in the California Council of the Blind agenda;
2.5.3. Attendance at functions as requested by the SVCB President.
The alternate delegate is required to be in attendance at any function which the delegate cannot attend as specified above. In addition, there is an implicit assumption that the alternate delegate will attend as many of the functions as possible as listed above unless other arrangements which seem more beneficial to the SVCB membership have been made between the delegate and alternate delegate.
Also, delegate and alternate delegate are expected to attend other important functions of the convention such as Board of Directors meetings, informational seminars, and any other convention program items that seem of importance to the membership of SVCB.
After the State convention, the delegate and alternate delegate are jointly responsible for providing written and oral reports of major actions of the California Council of the Blind and activities at the state convention. The oral report, if requested, is to be available at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the SVCB and may not exceed ten (10) minutes for the actual presentation. Questions and answers are at the discretion of the presiding officer at the time. The written report is required not less than seven (7) nor more than thirty (30) days following the close of the state convention. The written report is to be in an appropriate form for publication in the SVCB monthly newsletter. The report is subject to change or return by the newsletter editor.
Section 2.6: Casting the Vote
It is the responsibility of the delegate to cast the official votes for SVCB. In cases where the delegate is unable to cast the vote, the responsibility passes to the alternate delegate. The delegate and alternate delegate are responsible for voting on behalf of the entire membership of SVCB, including those members not present at the convention. The method chosen for determining how the vote is cast is selected by the delegate and alternate delegate. The method chosen and used is to be announced to the attendees at the convention insofar as possible by the delegate and alternate delegate.
BYLAW III: ANNUAL CALENDAR
At the Annual Meeting, the Board of Directors shall present to the membership a schedule of meetings and other events to be held by the organization during the year. This schedule, the Annual Calendar, shall be published in the Newsletter before the meeting at which it is to be adopted. After it has been adopted, deviation from it, other than for reasons of natural disaster or other emergency, must be approved by the membership.
BYLAW IV: DISCIPLINARY PROCESS
Disciplinary process pursuant to Article III, Section 5 of the Constitution. "To censure is to warn a member or officer that if a certain behavior continues, the next step is suspension or expulsion." The purpose of censure is to reprimand with hope of reforming him/her so he/she won't behave the same way again; to be done by two members of the board in private. If the behavior listed in Section 5, Article III, continues, the Board votes on whether to suspend.
Suspension would continue until the next general meeting following newsletter publication, at which time, prior notice having been given, the membership by majority vote may reinstate, continue the suspension of — or by 2/3 vote expel — the member in question. The suspended or expelled member has the opportunity to petition the Board for reinstatement.