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Our Bylaws

Kiwanis CalNevHa District - Division 26

BYLAWS OF THE CALIFORNIA-NEVADA-HAWAII DISTRICT

OF KIWANIS INTERNATIONAL

 

ARTICLE I. NAME AND TERRITORIAL LIMITS

 

Section 1.  The name of this organization shall be California-Nevada-Hawaii District of Kiwanis International.

 

Section 2.  The territorial limits of this district shall be confined to the States of California, Nevada and Hawaii.  Neither the district name nor territorial limits shall be changed unless permission shall first have been obtained from the International Board of Trustees.

 

ARTICLE II. OBJECTS

 

Section 1.  The objects of this district shall be:

 

a.  To seek within the district and through the clubs of the district the attainment of the Objects of Kiwanis International as set forth in the Constitution.

 

                b.  To increase the fellowship and cooperative effort of clubs within the district.

 

c.  To cooperate with Kiwanis International in building new clubs and membership in existing clubs, educating club members, and strengthening club services within the district.

 

d.  To promote participation of clubs in the general objectives, programs, and policies of the district and Kiwanis International.

 

ARTICLE III. DIVISIONS

 

Section 1.  The territory of this district shall be divided into divisions.

 

Section 2.  The territorial limits of these divisions shall be such as delineated from time to time by the District Board of Trustees.

 

ARTICLE IV. MEMBERSHIP

 

Section 1.  Every chartered Kiwanis club in this district shall be a member of this district.

 

Section 2.  Any member club more than sixty (60) days in arrears for any indebtedness to Kiwanis International, or to this district, shall not be considered "in good standing."

 

Section 3.  Any member club that fails for two (2) successive years to have at least one (1) delegate present at the annual district convention and, within thirty (30) days after a request by the District Board of Trustees to furnish a satisfactory excuse for such failure, shall not be considered "in good standing."

 

Section 4.  To retain the privileges of district membership, a club must be "in good standing," as defined from time to time by the Kiwanis International Board of Trustees.

 

Section 5. 

a.  Any Kiwanian in good standing, holding active, privileged or senior membership in a Kiwanis club of the California-Nevada-Hawaii District, may be granted District Life Member status by being sponsored by their club's board of directors, or by a current district officer, and by payment of a one time fee of fifteen (15) times the annual district dues, less the subscription fee for the District bulletin.

               

b.  Upon a Kiwanian attaining the status of District Life Member of our District, the member's club is relieved of any further district dues obligation for that member.  The member's financial obligations to the local club and to Kiwanis International remain unchanged.

 

c.  The quota of District Life Members available in any administrative year shall be under the control of the Board of Trustees of the California-Nevada-Hawaii District.

 

d.  All District Life Member fees paid to the District shall be placed in a restricted fund status by the District Treasurer.  These funds become a dedicated principal, which cannot be used for operation of the District except by a two-thirds vote of the delegate body at a regularly scheduled convention of the District.  The interest generated from these memberships shall become a part of the budget of income for each fiscal year.

 

ARTICLE V. OFFICERS

 

Section 1. 

a. The officers of this district shall be the Governor, Governor-elect, Immediate Past Governor, Secretary, Treasurer and a Lieutenant Governor for each division.*

 

                *Note--After their election and before their assumption of office,

                all officers shall be known and designated by the titles of the

                offices to which they have respectively been elected followed by

                the term "designate."

 

                b.  No offices other than those of Secretary and Treasurer may be combined in one (1) person.

 

c.  If, in any year, the Immediate Past Governor ceases to be an active, senior, or privileged member in a club of the district, the active, senior or privileged member who served as Governor most recently prior to the Immediate Past Governor shall automatically become the Immediate Past Governor.

 

Section 2.  The terms of all district officers shall begin on the first day of October of each year and continue for one (1) year, or until their successors shall be duly elected and qualified.

 

Section 3.  Each officer shall be an active, senior or privileged member in good standing in a club of the district; and each Lieutenant Governor shall be an active, senior or privileged member in good standing in a club in the division from which elected.

 

Section 4.  Each district officer has the duty and responsibility to:

 

                a.  Promote the Objects and objectives of Kiwanis International, and

               

b.       Promote the interests of the clubs within the district.

 

Section 5.  The Governor has the further duties and responsibilities:

 

                a.  To be the chief executive officer of the district;

 

b.  Under the direction and supervision of the International Board of Trustees, further the Objects of Kiwanis International and promote the interests of the clubs within the district;

 

                c.  To preside at all conventions and meetings of the District Board of Trustees;

 

                d.  To attend all Conventions, Conferences, and Council Meetings of Kiwanis International;

 

                e.  To be an ex-officio member of all standing and special committees;

 

                f.  To make an official visit to each Division each year.

 

Section 6.  The Governor-elect has the further duties and responsibilities to:

 

                a.  Attend the training conferences for governors-elect;

 

                b.  Be responsible for the training of district officers-designate;

 

                c.  Be responsible for the training of club officers and members at the district convention;

 

d.  Carry out such other duties and responsibilities as are from time to time assigned by the District Board of Trustees.

 

Section 7.  The Immediate Past Governor shall perform such duties and responsibilities as usually pertain to such office or as may be assigned by the District Board of Trustees.

 

Section 8.  The District Secretary has the further duties and responsibilities to:

 

                a.  Keep all records of the district;

 

                b.  Assist the Governor and the District Board of Trustees in conducting the business of the district;

 

c.  Be the executive in charge of the district office and its departments, and, subject to the direction and control of the District Board of Trustees, select and supervise the staff and employees;

 

d.  Submit to the proper officers, committees, or persons, all communications received from Kiwanis International, and cooperate with the Governor in forwarding all reports required by Kiwanis International;

 

e.  Attend and keep the minutes of the meetings of the District Board of Trustees and the district convention;

 

f.  Attend all conventions of Kiwanis International, and if invited, attend meetings of the International Council;

 

g.  Keep the financial accounts and records and be responsible for proper internal control procedures, including the receipt, deposit, and disbursement of district and sponsored organization funds in the manner authorized and prescribed by the District Board of Trustees;

 

 

h.  At all times, make available for inspection by the Governor, the District Board of Trustees, or any authorized auditors, the financial accounts, records, and books of the district and its sponsored organizations;

 

i.  Make a report to the district at its annual convention and such other reports as directed by the Governor or the District Board of Trustees;

 

j.  Perform such other duties and responsibilities as usually pertain to such office or as may be assigned by the Governor or the District Board of Trustees;

 

k.  Give bond for the faithful discharge of the duties of such office, in such amount and with such sureties as are required by the District Board of Trustees.

 

Section 9.  The District Treasurer has the further duties and responsibilities to:

 

                a.  Be a member of the Finance Committee;

 

b.  Regularly review and advise the District Board of Trustees on the financial condition of the district and its sponsored organizations;

 

                c.  Make a report at the annual convention;

 

d.  Perform such other duties and responsibilities as usually pertain to such office or as may be assigned by the Governor or District Board of Trustees;

 

e.  Give bond for the faithful discharge of the duties of such office, in such amount and with such sureties as are required by the District Board of Trustees.

 

Section 10.  The Lieutenant Governors have the further duties and responsibilities to:

 

                a.  Assist the Governor in the work of the district;

 

b.  Represent the Governor and, under the direction of the Governor, supervise the district executive work in their respective divisions;

 

c.  Perform such other duties and responsibilities as usually pertain to such office or as may be assigned by the Governor or District Board of Trustees.

 

ARTICLE VI. BOARD OF TRUSTEES

 

Section 1.  The District Board of Trustees shall consist of the Governor, Governor-elect, Immediate Past Governor, Secretary, Treasurer and Lieutenant Governors.

 

Section 2.  The management and control of the affairs of the district not otherwise provided for in these Bylaws shall be vested in the District Board of Trustees, subject to the supervision and control of the International Board of Trustees.

 

Section 3.  The District Board of Trustees shall hold at least two (2) meetings during each year, one prior to October 31 at such time and place as designated by the Governor, and another in connection with the district convention at such time and place as shall be determined by the Board.  If the first meeting is held prior to October 1, any action taken shall become effective on October 1.

 

Section 4.  A special meeting of the District Board of Trustees may be called by the Governor or one-third (1/3) of the members of the entire Board.

 

 

Section 5.  The District Secretary shall notify each member of the District Board of Trustees and the International Secretary in writing of the time, place, and date of any meeting at least three (3) weeks in advance of the date of such meeting.

 

Section 6.  In the absence of the Governor (or Acting Governor) from a meeting, the District Board of Trustees shall designate one of its members to act as chairman.

 

Section 7.  One-half (1/2) of the total members of the District Board of Trustees shall constitute a quorum, and a majority vote of those present shall decide any question, with the exception of those questions for which a greater proportion is specifically required in these Bylaws.

 

Section 8.  Within thirty (30) days after any special or regular meeting of the District Board of Trustees, the District Secretary shall make a written report, as approved by the Governor, providing a synopsis of the actions taken and transmit the report to the International Secretary.  A copy of the report shall either be sent to the secretary of each chartered club within the district or be published in the next district bulletin.

 

ARTICLE VII. COMMITTEES

 

Section 1.  The title, structure and duties of district standing committees shall be those defined by the International Board of Trustees and set forth in the appropriate documents of Kiwanis International or District Policies.

 

Section 2.  Each standing committee shall at all times cooperate with the appropriate Committee of Kiwanis International and promote programs suggested by the Committee among the clubs of the district.

 

Section 3.  Subject to the approval of the District Board of Trustees, special committees may be appointed by the Governor and shall perform such duties as may be defined in their creation.

 

Section 4.  All committee members shall be subject to removal by the Governor.

 

Section 5.  The Committee of Past District Governors shall be composed of past district governors from this district who are active, senior or privileged members of clubs within the district. A quorum of the committee shall be eight (8) or more members. The committee shall have the duty to consider and recommend to the Board of Trustees the names and qualifications of candidates from this district for Offices of Kiwanis International.

 

 

ARTICLE VIII. MID-YEAR CONFERENCE

 

Section 1.  A mid-year conference or conferences of the chartered clubs of this District shall be held at such times and places during the months of January, February or March, as shall be selected by the District Board of Trustees.

 

ARTICLE IX. CONVENTIONS

 

Section 1.  The annual convention of the district shall be held at such place and date, between August 1 and September 15, as shall be mutually agreed upon by the District Board of Trustees and the International Board of Trustees, except that no district convention shall be held within the period of thirty (30) days prior to, during, or thirty (30) days following the Convention of Kiwanis International.  In determining the location of an annual convention, the District Board of Trustees may be guided and advised by the majority vote of the qualified delegates present and voting at an annual convention.

 

Section 2.  An invitation from any chartered club for holding an annual convention in its city shall be delivered in writing to the District Secretary.

 

Section 3.  Special conventions of the district shall be called by the Governor upon the request of a majority of the chartered clubs in good standing, or upon the request of three-fourths (3/4) of the members of the District Board of Trustees.

 

Section 4.  The District Secretary shall mail to each chartered club and to the International Secretary an official call to the annual convention at least sixty (60) days prior to the date of the convention, and an official call for any special convention at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of such convention.  The District Board of Trustees shall have full supervision and management of all conventions.

 

Section 5.  For each convention, the Governor shall appoint a Committee on Credentials and a Committee on Elections, each to consist of at least five (5) members, and a Sergeant-At-Arms and such Assistant Sergeants-At-Arms as are necessary or advisable.  All members of the Committee on Elections, and the Sergeant-At-Arms and Assistant Sergeants-At-Arms shall be delegates or delegates-at-large.

 

Section 6.  At any convention, each chartered club in good standing in the district shall be entitled to seat up to three (3) delegates.  Two (2) of the delegates should be the club president and president-designate.  To assure proper representation, each chartered club may choose up to three (3) alternate delegates.

 

Section 7.  Official delegates of a newly organized Kiwanis club shall be granted full privileges at district conventions if the charter has been issued by Kiwanis International, whether or not it has been formally presented to such club.

 

Section 8.  The delegates and their alternates shall be active, senior, or privileged members in good standing of the chartered clubs they represent, and shall be elected by such clubs not less than thirty (30) days prior to the date of the annual convention or less than fifteen (15) days prior to the date of any special convention.  Their election shall be evidenced by a certificate to the District Secretary duly authenticated by the president and secretary of the club.  Should any chartered club fail to so certify the election of its delegates and alternates, then the Committee on Credentials shall have the right to determine the seating of the delegates or alternates for such chartered club.  A Lieutenant Governor and/or a Past Lieutenant Governor may represent any one club in their division not otherwise represented by three (3) delegates.  The status of the Past Lieutenant Governor as a Past Lieutenant Governor shall be certified by the District Governor or the District Secretary.

 

Section 9.  All officers, Past Governors and Secretaries Emeriti of the district who are active, senior, or privileged members of a Kiwanis club of the district shall be delegates-at-large to all district conventions.

 

Section 10.  Each accredited delegate and delegate-at-large present shall be entitled to vote on each question submitted to any convention.  There shall be no voting by proxy or absentee ballot.  To be accredited, a delegate or delegate-at-large must be certified according to the provision of these Bylaws and must have paid a convention registration fee, if such is required.

 

Section 11.  The District Board of Trustees may establish uniform convention registration fees to be paid by all persons attending any convention of the district.  The proceeds derived from such registration fee shall be expended solely upon approval of the Board.

 

Section 12.  The convention may propose, discuss, and adopt resolutions, and recommend matters or concerns to Kiwanis International.  The convention shall also consider and act upon matters submitted to it by Kiwanis International.

 

Section 13.  In the absence of the Governor (or acting Governor) from any convention of the district, the District Board of Trustees shall designate the Governor-elect, Immediate Past Governor, or a Lieutenant Governor to act as chairman.

 

Section 14.  A quorum at any convention of the district shall comprise the official delegates present, and must represent not less than one-third (1/3) of the total number of clubs within the district.

 

Section 15.  Within thirty (30) days after any convention, the District Secretary shall make a written report, as approved by the Governor, providing a synopsis of the actions taken, and shall transmit the report to the International Secretary.  A copy of the report shall either be sent to the secretary of each chartered club within the district or be published in the next district bulletin.

 

Section 16.  In the event that in any year the District Board of Trustees shall determine by resolution that there exists a condition of emergency in the district that compels cancellation of the annual district convention, the Board shall then establish procedures to transact any and all business that would normally be transacted by and at such convention.  The preference will be to call a council meeting to be held during the period provided for district conventions.  Such council shall be comprised of the Board and other persons having the status of delegates-at-large to all district conventions.

 

ARTICLE X. CONVENTION PROCEDURE

 

Section 1.  The official program of a convention as approved by the District Board of Trustees shall be the order of the day for all sessions.  Changes in the program may be made from time to time by a majority vote of the delegates and delegates-at-large present and voting.

 

Section 2. 

 

a.  Proposed resolutions may be submitted by majority vote of a club's board of directors to the District Secretary not less than sixty (60) days prior to the date of the district convention.  Proposed resolutions may also be submitted by the District Board of Trustees or originated by the Committee on Resolutions.

 

b.  All proposed resolutions shall be referred to the Committee on Resolutions for its consideration and recommendation to the convention.  No resolutions other than those submitted to or originated by the Committee on Resolutions shall be considered, unless consideration thereof shall be recommended by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the District Board of Trustees.  Debate on such resolutions shall not be in order until they have been reported out by the Committee on Resolutions or the Board.

 

Section 3.  Reports of committees, resolutions, and all motions, except those that are "undebatable," may be debated upon the floor of the convention unless, by a two-thirds (2/3) vote, the house of delegates decides to dispose of them without debate.

 

ARTICLE XI. NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS

 

Section 1.  Officers Other than Lieutenant Governors.

 

a.  No person shall be eligible to serve as a District officer (with the exception of the office of Lieutenant Governor) who has not served a term as Lieutenant Governor of some district of Kiwanis International.

 

b.  The election of officers except the District Secretary and the Lieutenant Governors shall be held at the annual convention.

 

c.  The District Secretary who is to assume office on October 1 shall be appointed by the Governor-designate, with the approval of the District Board of Trustees designate, unless the District Secretary has an employment agreement with the District extending through the term of office of the Governor, which shall be subject to the following:

 

(1)                 The District may enter into or renew an employment agreement for employment of a District Secretary for a term not to exceed five years provided that at least three members of the “Special Committee on Employment of the District Secretary” consent in writing to said employment agreement and provided further that the employment agreement is approved by a majority vote of the current Board of Trustees.

 

(2)                 “The Special Committee on Employment of the District Secretary” shall consist of the current Governor, the Immediate Past Governor, the Governor-elect, the current Chairman of the Past Governors and the District Treasurer.

 

(3)                 An employment agreement with the District Secretary entered into by the District pursuant to this section may not be terminated by the District except for good cause by a majority vote of a Board of Trustees or without cause by an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of a Board of Trustees, present and voting.

 

d.  The official program of the annual convention shall indicate the time and place of the election of officers.

 

e.  The nominating and election procedure for officers to be elected at the annual convention shall be as follows:

 

                                (1)           The Governor-elect shall be the sole candidate for the

                                                office of Governor.

 

                                (2)           All candidates for the offices of Governor, Governor-elect

                                                and Treasurer must submit written notice of candidacy to the

                                                District Secretary no later than the beginning of the first

                                                business session of the annual convention.  At that session

                                                the Secretary shall make a report of the candidates giving

                                                such notice.

 

                                (3)           A majority of all valid votes cast for each position shall

                                                be necessary for the election of the Governor, Governor-

                                                elect and Treasurer.  In the event that any ballot cast for

                                                Governor or Governor-elect or Treasurer does not show a

                                                majority for any nominee for the foregoing offices, the

                                                Governor shall designate a time and a place for further

                                                balloting for such office.  Prior to the second ballot, the

                                                nominee having the lowest vote on the first ballot shall be

                                                dropped; and on each succeeding ballot, the same procedure

                                                shall be followed until a nominee shall have received a

                                                majority of all votes cast.

 

f.  The voting shall be by ballot only where there are two (2) or more candidates for the same office.  Only accredited delegates or delegates-at-large shall be allowed to vote.  There shall be no voting by proxy or absentee ballot.

 

g.  Nothing in this Article shall be construed as limiting the right to make further nominations from the floor of the convention.

 

h.       Cumulative voting shall not be permitted.

 

i.  Each candidate for Governor, Governor-elect and Treasurer shall make their own nominating speech, not to exceed five (5) minutes in length.  There shall be only one seconding speech from the platform for each candidate, not to exceed two (2) minutes in length, and no seconding speeches from the floor.

All seconding speeches shall be made by qualified delegates or delegates-at-large.

 

j.  In case only one name is placed in nomination for any given office, the election of such officer may be by acclamation, or the Secretary may be instructed, by viva voce vote of the delegates and delegates-at-large, to cast a unanimous ballot in favor of such single nominee.

 

Section 2.

 

a.  Before the election, the District Secretary shall make available to the Committee on Elections a list of the delegates and delegates-at-large as shown by the report of the Committee on Credentials.

 

b.  The Committee on Elections, shall have general charge of the election and of distributing and counting the ballots.

 

c.  The Committee on Elections shall report promptly to the convention the results of the balloting and the report shall be signed by a majority of the committee.

                               

Section 3.

 

a.  The Lieutenant Governor of each division shall hold, not later than the second week in April, a conference for the purpose of electing a Lieutenant Governor and a Lieutenant Governor-elect.  The time and place of this conference shall be designated by the Lieutenant Governor.  Written notice shall be sent, not later than ten (10) days prior to the conference, to the president of each club in the division, and to all Past Governors of this district and Past Lieutenant Governors of that division who are active, senior, or privileged members of a club in the division.

 

b.  The personnel of the conference shall be the president and immediate past president of each club in the division, or their duly elected alternates, the Lieutenant Governor of the division, and all Past Governors and Past Lieutenant Governors of that division who are active, senior or privileged members of a club in the division.

 

c.  The representatives present, representing not less than two-thirds (2/3) of the clubs of the division, shall constitute a quorum at the conference, and each club shall have one (1) vote for each representative present.  The Lieutenant Governor and the Past Governors and Past Lieutenant Governors in attendance at the conference shall have the privilege of the floor without the right to vote, except in the event of a tie vote, in which case the Lieutenant Governor shall be entitled to vote.

 

d.  The Immediate Past Lieutenant Governor shall be chairman of the conference or, if absent, the immediate predecessor, and so on.  In the absence of a Past Lieutenant Governor, the conference shall elect one of its members as chairman.   The conference shall elect one of its number as secretary, and such tellers as may be necessary.

 

e.  Upon completion of organization as above outlined, the conference shall proceed to elect a Lieutenant Governor and a Lieutenant Governor-elect.  The Lieutenant Governor-elect shall be the sole candidate for the office of Lieutenant Governor.  However, nothing shall preclude additional nominations from the floor.