GVRRID Bylaws

BYLAWS
GENESEE VALLEY REGION REGISTRY OF INTERPRETERS FOR THE DEAF, INC.
Ratified: September 25th, 2021 revised from June 26th, 2020

ARTICLE I
NAME

This Organization shall be known as the GENESEE VALLEY REGION REGISTRY OF INTERPRETERS FOR THE DEAF, INC (GVRRID).

ARTICLE II
PRINCIPAL OFFICE

The principal office for the transaction of the business of the Organization is fixed and located in Rochester, Monroe County, New York State. The Board of Directors may at any time, or from time to time, change the location of the principal office from one location to another within the Rochester metropolitan area.

ARTICLE III
PURPOSE

The purpose of the Organization is to act as an Affiliate Chapter of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf Inc, specifically to serve its members residing in the Rochester metropolitan area. The corporation will do this by acting as a liaison to RID on behalf of our local members. Additionally, the corporation will provide professional development and networking opportunities, as well as help the Rochester area interpreting and Deaf communities via philanthropy. In the end, all of these activities should help Rochester area interpreters render accurate, appropriate, and equal communication access to Deaf and Hard of Hearing persons in the Rochester area.

ARTICLE IV
MEMBERSHIP

Categories of Membership
1. Certified Member
2. Associate Member (Pre-Certified)
3. Certified Member: Inactive
4. Certified Member: Retired
5. Student Member
6. Supporting Member
7. Organizational Member
Eligibility of Membership
1. Certified Member - Any interpreter or transliterator of American Sign Language and/or English who holds valid certification accepted by the RID.
2. Associate Member (Pre-Certified) - Any interpreter or transliterator of American Sign Language and/or English who does not hold valid certification accepted by the RID.
3. Certified Member: Inactive - A certified member who experiences, voluntarily or involuntarily, a life-altering event or activity which precludes them for working as an interpreter or transliterator.
4. Certified Member: Retired - A certified member who upon reaching the age of fifty-five (55) or older elects to retire from working as an interpreter or transliterator.
5. Student Member - Any non-certified individual currently enrolled in a course of study in interpretation of American Sign Language and/or English.
6. Supporting Member - Any non-certified individual with an interest in supporting the purposes and activities of the Organization who does not meet eligibility requirements for any other category of membership.
7. Organizational/Institutional Member - Any organization/institution with an interest in supporting the purposes and activities of the Organization.
Voting Rights
1. Any member in good standing, who is also in good standing with RID, shall be entitled to one vote in all meetings, referenda, and elections. RID Membership shall be determined by the member presenting electronic validation or by confirmation from the RID national office.
2. Organizational members are non-voting members.

ARTICLE V
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Composition
1. The affairs of the Organization shall be governed by a Board of Directors consisting of the following members: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, a minimum of two Members-at-Large, Deaf Member-at-Large, and Student Interpreter Representative. An additional Director may be added as deemed necessary to conduct the business of the Organization.
2. The Board of Directors may appoint representatives of related associations and agencies to act as advisory members of the Board of Directors.
3. The Immediate Past President and immediate Past Treasurer may serve as a non-voting ex-officio member of the Board of Directors for one year upon Board of Directors’ approval.
Powers and Limitations
1. All corporate powers shall be exercised by or under the authority of the Board of Directors. Unless so authorized by the Board of Directors, not officer, agent or employee shall have any power or authority to bind the Organization by any contract or engagement or to pledge its credit or to render it liable monetarily for any purpose or in any amount.
2. All charges, responsibilities, and membership directives shall persist until fulfilled, or negated by the Board, regardless of any changes to the Board of Directors.
Term of Office
1. All Board of Directors terms begin on July 1 following their election.
  1. The President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer are elected for a term of two (2) years. President and Secretary are elected in even numbers years and Vice President and Treasurer in odd numbered years.
  2. Three (3) Members-at-Large will consist of the following, with a maximum of two (2) Members-at-Large can be elected in a regular election:
    1. One (1) Deaf Member-at-Large will be elected for a term of three (3) years.
    2. Two (2) Members-at-Large will be elected for a term of three (3) years.
  3. The Student Interpreter Representative shall be elected for a term of one (1) year.
2. No officer may serve for more than two (2) consecutive terms in the same office.
Qualifications
1. All candidates for the Board of Directors must be voting members in good standing of the Organization and RID.
2. All candidates for the Board of Directors must live in the Rochester metropolitan area.
Vacancies
1. Removal of Board Members: The Board of Directors may declare vacant any office for which the board member has been removed due to legal action or for cause as detailed in Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised.
2. Any vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors with less than one (1) year remaining in the term may be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining members of the Board. An Individual meeting the qualifications appointed to fill a vacancy shall be appointed for the unexpired term of their predecessor’s office. If the unexpired term is more than one (1) year, a special election must be held within six (6) months of the vacancy.
Duties of Officers
1. General Duties
  1. Perform duties as prescribed by voting membership, the Board of Directors or as required by law.
  2. Supervise the President of the Organization.
  3. Approve the Organization’s spending.
  4. Provide a comprehensive Organization report to RID no later than ninety days after the end of each fiscal year.
2. President’s Duties
  1. General supervision and direction of the affairs of the Organization and other duties, as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors, the membership, and the RID.
  2. Appoint the chairperson of all committees with the approval of the Board of Directors, including standing, special and/or ad hoc, composed of voting members in good standing.
  3. Set the agenda and conduct all board and general meetings and any special meetings of the membership.
  4. Submit with Board of Directors’ support, an annual report to RID to include a financial report of the Organization.
3. Vice President Duties
  1. In the absence of the President, perform all duties of the President and in so acting, shall have all the powers of the President.
  2. Have other powers and duties as prescribed by the Board of Directors and/or the membership.
4. Secretary Duties
  1. Keep a full and accurate record of the proceedings of the Board of Directors and business meetings of the membership. In the absence of the Secretary, the presiding officer shall appoint another person to act as a Secretary of the meeting.
  2. Provide meeting minutes and reports of the activities of the Organization and the Board of Directors to the membership.
  3. Coordinate all official correspondence of the Organization.
  4. Have other powers and duties as prescribed by the Board of Directors and/or the membership.
5. Treasurer Duties
  1. Supervise the receipt and safekeeping of all funds of the Organization and deposit them in the bank or banks that may be designated by the Board of Directors.
  2. Assist with preparing the Organization’s federal and state tax returns.
  3. Make disbursements as ordered by the Board of Directors.
  4. Collect chapter dues annually and function as the liaison person between the Organization and the RID for financial matters.
  5. Oversee budget and financial reports of each committee.
  6. Prepare and provide financial reports for each Board and General Meeting.
  7. Have other powers and duties as prescribed by the Board of Directors and/or the membership.
6. Member-at-Large Duties
  1. Represent the issues and concerns of the community of sign language interpreters to the Board of Directors and the membership.
  2. Serve as a board liaison to one or more standing and/or other committees appointed by the Board of Directors.
  3. Have other powers and duties as prescribed by the Board of Directors and/or the membership.
7. Deaf Member-at-Large
  1. Represent the issues and concerns of Deaf organizations and members of the Deaf community to the Board of Directors and the membership.
  2. Serve as a board liaison to one or more standing and/or other committees appointed by the Board of Directors.
  3. Have other powers and duties as prescribed by the Board of Directors and/or the membership.
8. Student Interpreter Representative Duties
  1. Represent the issues and concerns of interpreting students to the Board of Directors and the membership.
  2. Have other powers and duties as prescribed by the Board of Directors and/or the membership.
9. Immediate Past President Duties
  1. Serve in an ex-officio non-voting capacity for one (1) year.
  2. Assist the President during the transition into office.
  3. Serve as an advisor to the President and may assume special assignments as determined by the President.
10. Immediate Past Treasurer Duties
  1. Serve in an ex-officio non-voting capacity for one (1) year.
  2. Assist the Treasurer during the transition into office.
  3. Serve as an advisor to the Treasurer and may assume special assignments as determined by the Treasurer.
11. Executive Committee Duties
  1. Composed of the President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.
  2. In the event that the entire Board of Directors is unable to convene, the Executive Committee shall be given full power and authority to take action on emergency issues.
  3. Handle appraisals for personnel.

ARTICLE VI
NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

Nominations
1. Nominations for Board of Director positions shall be made by a Nominations/Elections Committee appointed by the Board of Directors. This Committee shall be composed of at least three (3) members.
2. Nominations/Elections Committee members shall not be eligible to run for Board of Director positions while they are serving on the committee.
3. The Nominations/Elections Committee shall begin their duties at least one (1) month prior to the general meeting at which nominees are presented or nominated.
4. All nominees must be members in good standing of both the Organization and RID. Acceptance shall be required of all nominees prior to the election.
5. The Organization Board of Directors shall schedule a general meeting of the membership, prior to the elections, at which time the Nominations/Elections Committee can introduce a slate of candidates, additional nominations can be made from the floor (including self-nominations), and all candidates running for office can address the membership in attendance.
6. The list of nominees shall be presented at the time of election.
Elections
1. The election period shall last seven days and shall be held some time during the first three (3) weeks of March.
2. Elections shall be completed by secure web voting site as determined by the Nominations/Elections committee. Members may vote by mail ballot upon request.
3. Newly elected Board of Directors members shall be determined by a plurality of votes cast. In the case of unopposed elections, the Secretary shall cast one (1) vote for the unopposed candidate. If the Secretary is up for election, another Board Member not running will cast one (1) vote for the unopposed candidate. If all positions up for election are uncontested, a ballot will not be sent to the membership and all candidates will be declared “elected unopposed”.
4. At the completion of the voting period, the results shall be announced by the presiding Board Member of the Nominations/Elections Committee via website and other electronic messaging. This announcement will be made between April 1 and April 15.
Special Elections
1. Special elections are held when a board position becomes vacant and the unexpired term is more than one (1) year.
2. Special elections must be held within six (6) months of the vacancy.
3. The election period shall last seven (7) days.
4. Elections shall be completed by secure web voting site as determined by the Nominations/Elections committee. Members may vote by mail ballot upon request.
5. The newly elected Board of Directors member shall be determined by a plurality of votes cast. In the case of an uncontested election, a ballot will not be sent to the membership and the candidate will be declared “elected unopposed.”
6. At the completion of the voting period, the results shall be announced by the presiding Board Member of the Nominations/Elections Committee via website and other electronic messaging. This announcement will be made no more than thirty (30) days after the seven (7) day voting period has ended.

ARTICLE VII
COMMITTEES & OPERATIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES

The Board of Directors by a two-thirds (⅔) majority vote, shall have the right to establish or abolish any standing, special or ad-hoc committee deemed necessary to carry out the purposes of the Organization as set forth in these Bylaws and/or mandated by the voting membership.
Committee Structure
1. Committees shall be composed of members in good standing of the Organization and approved by the Board of Directors.
2. The chairperson of each committee shall be a member in good standing of the Organization appointed by the Board of Directors and who shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors.
3. Each committee shall have a Board member as a liaison except for the Nominations/Elections Committee.
4. Each Committee may be called upon to report on its plans and activities at all general meetings. A written synopsis of this report will be made available to the newsletter editor by the next announced deadline.
Standing Committees may include but not be limited to:
1. Professional Development Committee shall plan, coordinate, and implement workshops for interpreters, consumers, and/or agencies.
2. Nominations/Elections Committee shall be responsible for the recruitment of candidates for the Board of Directors prior to elections and for the oversight of the election process.
3. Consumer Relations Committee shall be responsible for maintaining and improving relationships with consumers and consumer organizations.
4. Legislative Committee shall be responsible for keeping the membership informed as to changes in bylaws and regulations that affect the profession.
5. Bylaws Committee shall be responsible for maintaining the bylaws to ensure they are in keeping with RID changes; accepting and processing suggested bylaws changes from the membership; making recommended changes to the bylaws.
6. Finance Committee shall be responsible for overseeing the fiscal health of the Organization and make recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding activities to accomplish such.
Operational Support Services
1. Certain essential services are rendered to the Organization by individual members or groups. These members are recruited and delegated authority over these matters by the President and the Board of Directors.
2. These services may include but are not limited to
  1. Newsletter editing, reporting, layout, and distribution
  2. Membership coordination, issuing memberships, maintaining a local registry of the Organization members, and sending updated membership to the Organization Newsletter liaison.
  3. Coordination of social events
  4. RID Certification Maintenance Program (CMP) and Continuing Education Unit (CEU) Administrator.
  5. Website and email maintenance.
  6. Social media management.

ARTICLE VIII
GENERAL MEETINGS

General meetings of the membership shall be held at least once a year and as needed thereafter. Meeting dates shall be set by the Board of Directors and announced to the membership at least twenty-one (21) days prior to the meeting. Meetings may be called by the President or at the written request of at least ten (10) members.
Should an issue arise which requires a special meeting and vote, membership shall be notified fourteen (14) days in advance of the nature of the vote.
To begin a general meeting, a quorum must exist. A quorum shall consist of at least fifty one percent (51%) of the Board of Directors members.
To pass a motion during a general meeting, at least fifty one percent (51%) of the voting members present must vote in favor of the motion.

ARTICLE IX
INSPECTION RIGHTS AND CORPORATE LOGO

A copy of the Organization Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws as amended to date shall be open to inspection by the members of the Organization by pre-arranged appointment.
Inspection can be made of the books, membership records, or minutes of General Meetings, Board of Directors Meetings, or committee meetings of the Organization. These will be provided upon written request to the Organization by the member and with ten (10) business days notice for a purpose reasonably related to such person’s interests as a member.
Any inspection may be made in person or by agent or attorney and the right to inspection includes the right to receive copies and/or extracts at reasonable cost.
The Corporate logo shall be used by the Organization for official and/or approved purposes only.
The corporate logo may not be used by an individual member for their personal use.

ARTICLE X
FISCAL YEAR OF THE ORGANIZATION

The fiscal year of the Organization shall begin on the first day of July and end on the thirtieth day of June of each year.

ARTICLE XI
DUES AND ASSESSMENTS

Membership Dues
1. To remain in good standing, a member must pay annual dues on or before the anniversary of the date on which that member joined the Organization.
2. Dues recommended by the Board of Directors must be paid within the time and on the conditions set by the Bylaws of the Organization.
3. Membership dues may be changed by a two-thirds (⅔) vote of the entire Board of Directors. Dues may Not be increased more than ten percent (10%) in a single membership cycle.
4. Membership dues shall be equal for all members of each category with the exception of a senior citizen discount. Different dues may be set for each category.
5. Notification of any changes in dues structure, fees, or assessments must be published at least thirty (30) days prior to the anticipated implementation.

ARTICLE XII
AMENDMENTS

To assure amendments and bylaw changes do not adversely affect or conflict with the goals and objectives of the Organization or RID, any amendments or changes to the bylaws must be reviewed by the Bylaws Committee and the Board of Directors prior to vote by membership.
Any proposed changes or amendments to the Bylaws shall be electronically disseminated to the membership no less than fourteen (14) days prior to the vote.
These Bylaws may be altered, amended, or repealed by a two-thirds (⅔) majority vote of the eligible voting members at any general meeting.
Bylaws revisions or amendments required to comply with RID policies and procedures shall not require a vote but shall be automatically incorporated within these Bylaws. The Board shall notify the membership of the changes electronically within thirty (30) days.
A copy of all amendments to these Bylaws shall be forwarded to the RID Regional Representative to be forwarded to the national office or other designated place.

ARTICLE XIII
NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY

The Organization, GVRRID, shall not discriminate on the basis of age, color, creed, disability, ethnicity, hearing status national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.

ARTICLE XIV
DISSOLUTION PROCEDURES

Dissolution may occur for any of the following reasons:
1. Upon a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote during a general or special meeting.
2. Non-recognition of affiliated status by RID for failure to comply with provisions required of affiliated chapters set forth in the RID Bylaws.
3. In the event of the dissolution of this Organization, all remaining assets, real and personal property of whatever nature, shall be transferred to the headquarters of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc., 333 Commerce Street, Alexandria, VA 22314

ARTICLE XV
PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Organization in all cases to which they are applicable and consistent with these Bylaws and any special rules of order the Organization may adopt.

Ratified: September 25th, 2021