Constitution of the South Carolina Aurora Club of the Blind, Inc.

Operating and doing business as the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina as adopted by the 1990 Convention of the NFB of SC, August 4, 1990 and as amended August 10, 2002, August 15, 2010, August 11, 2012, August 10, 2019, and August 22, 2020.

Article I: Name

The name of this organization shall be the South Carolina Aurora Club of the Blind, Inc., doing business as the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina.

Article II: Purpose

The purpose of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina shall be to advance the general welfare of the blind of South Carolina and the nation; to function as an integral part of the National Federation of the Blind; to serve as a vehicle for collective action by the blind of South Carolina; to operate as a mechanism through which the blind and interested sighted persons can come together in local chapters and state meetings to plan and carry out programs to improve the quality of life of the blind; to provide a means of collective action for parents of blind children; to forward the interests of blind students and provide them with a means of joint action and expression; to promote the vocational, cultural, spiritual and social advancement of the blind; to achieve the integration of the blind into society on the basis of equality with the sighted; and to take any other action which will improve the overall condition and standard of living of the blind.

Article III. Membership

Section 1. Though this organization exists to promote the economic, social and spiritual well-being of blind South Carolinians, active membership shall be comprised of both blind and sighted members. At least a majority of the active members of this organization must be blind. All members of this organization shall have the right to vote and hold office, except that only blind members shall be eligible to serve in the office of President or Vice President.

Section 2. All voting members of local chapters or divisions shall automatically become voting members of this organization with the right to vote, serve on committees, speak on the floor, and hold office.

Section 3. Any person who is not affiliated with a local chapter or division may become a voting member of this organization by receiving a majority vote of the voting members present and voting at a convention or by complying with requirements established by the Board of Directors.

Section 2 – Disciplinary Action

Any member may be expelled; and any chapter or division may be expelled, suspended or reorganized for violation of this constitution or for conduct unbecoming a member, chapter or division of the Federation by a majority vote of the active members present and voting at any regular business session of this organization, or by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors. The state convention of this organization may reinstate any person who has been expelled unless such expulsion has been confirmed by the National Convention or by the Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind, in which event the person may not be reinstated except by the National Board. Any person that feels he/she has been unjustly disciplined or expelled from this organization, or any chapter or division which feels that it has been unjustly disciplined, reorganized or expelled may appeal to the Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind, which may (in its discretion) consider the matter and make a binding decision; but until or unless the action of discipline, reorganization or expulsion is reversed by the National Board, it shall continue in effect.

Article IV: Local Chapters

Any organized group desiring to become a local chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina shall apply for affiliation by submitting to the President of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina a copy of its Constitution and a list of the names and addresses of its members and elected officers. When the National Federation of the blind of South Carolina, either in convention assembled or by action of its Board of Directors, shall have approved the application, it shall issue the chapter a Certificate of Acceptance. Annually, during the month of January, each local chapter shall provide to the Treasurer of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina a current list of its members, their names and addresses and their state dues. Upon request, a local chapter shall provide the state President with a list of names and addresses of the chapter members and with a detailed financial report of the chapter for the past year. The fiscal year of this organization shall be the calendar year. As new members enter local chapters, their names, addresses and state dues shall be sent without delay to the state Treasurer of the state organization. The President of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina shall be an ex-officio member of each local chapter. In the event of the dissolution of a local chapter, or if (for whatever reason) the local chapter ceases to be a part of this organization, its assets shall become the property of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina; and it shall forthwith cease to use the name National Federation of the Blind, Federation of the Blind or any variant thereof.

Article V: Divisions

The Board of Directors shall establish procedures for admission of divisions and shall determine the structure of divisions. The divisions shall, with the approval of the Board, adopt constitutions and determine their membership policies.

Article VI: Officers and their Duties

1. There shall be elected at the regular annual convention during each even numbered year, a President, a First Vice President, a Second Vice President, a Secretary and a Treasurer. The terms of these officers shall begin at the close of the convention at which they are elected and qualified. Officers shall be elected by a majority vote of the voting members who are present. There shall be no proxy voting. If no nominee receives a majority vote on the first ballot, the name of the person receiving the fewest votes shall be dropped from the list of nominees, and a second ballot shall be taken. This procedure shall continue until one of the nominees has received a majority vote from the voting members present. The duties of each officer shall be those ordinarily associated with that office.
2. The President is the principal administrative officer of the state organization. In this capacity his duties consist of: carrying out the policies adopted by the convention, conducting the day-to-day management of the affairs of the state organization, coordinating all activities of the state organization including the work of the officers and of committees, and taking all administrative actions necessary and proper to put into effect the programs and accomplish the purposes of the state organization.

Article VII: Board of Directors

The Board of Directors of this organization shall consist of the five constitutional officers, and ten additional members, five of whom shall be elected for two year terms at the annual convention during even numbered years, and five of whom shall be elected for two year terms at the annual convention during odd numbered years. The ten Board Members will consist of a representative from each of six Districts, and four at-large members. The six Districts shall represent the  forty-six  counties  across the state as follows: District 1 – Horry, Georgetown, Berkeley, Charleston, Dorchester, Beaufort, Jasper, Colleton ,  and Hampton. District 2 – Barnwell, Lexington, Orangeburg, Richland, Allendale and Calhoun. District 3 – Aiken, Saluda, Abbeville, Laurens, Greenwood, Edgefield and McCormick. District 4 – Cherokee, Greenville, Spartanburg, Union, Pickens, Oconee and Anderson. District 5 – Sumter, Kershaw, Fairfield, Newberry, York, Lee, Chester, Chesterfield and Lancaster. District 6 – Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Bamberg, Clarendon, Marion, Williamsburg and Marlboro. The five Board Members elected in even numbered years shall represent the Second, Fourth and Sixth Districts and two members-at-large positions. The five Board Members elected in odd numbered years shall represent the First, Third and Fifth Districts and two members-at-large positions.

The ten Board Members shall be elected in the same manner as that prescribed for the election of officers. The Board shall meet at the call of the President or on written call signed by any eight of the Board Members. The Board shall advise the President and shall have charge of the affairs of the organization between conventions. At least eight members of the Board must be present at any meeting to constitute a quorum to transact business. The Board may be polled by telephone or by mail ballot on any question.

Article VIII: Meetings

Section One – Annual Convention

This organization shall hold an annual convention, the time and place of which shall be determined by the Board of Directors. At least fifty voting members must be present to constitute a quorum to transact business at any annual convention.

Section Two – Special Meetings

The President of this organization may call a special meeting of the body at any time he/she or a majority of the Board of Directors, deems such action to be necessary. At such special meetings, at least fifty voting members must be present to constitute a quorum to transact business, and written notice must have been sent to the President of each local chapter and division and to the members of the Board of Directors at least ten days prior to the date of the meeting.

Article IX: Committees

The President may appoint such committees as he/she or the organization deems necessary including a Nominating Committee for the Board of Directors. The Nominating Committee shall be representative of chapters and divisions to the extent practical.

Article X: Affiliation

The National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina shall be an affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind and shall furnish to the President of the National Federation of the Blind annually, on or before January 1, a list of the names and addresses of its members and elected officers. A copy of the Constitution of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina and of all amendments of the Constitution shall be sent to the President of the National Federation of the Blind without delay.

The National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina shall not merely be a social organization, but shall formulate programs and actively work to promote the economic, social and spiritual betterment of the blind. This organization, its chapters and divisions, shall comply with the provisions of the Constitution of the National Federation of the Blind. Policy decisions of the National Federation of the Blind (whether made by the National Convention or the National Board of Directors) are binding on this organization, its chapters, divisions, and members; and this organization, its chapters, divisions, and members, shall participate affirmatively in carrying out such policy decisions. As a condition of affiliation, it is agreed by this organization that the National Federation of the Blind (whether by action of the National Convention or the National Board) has the power to expel or discipline an individual member and to expel or reorganize a state affiliate, local chapter or division. In the event of reorganization, the assets of the affiliate and its local chapters and divisions belong to the reorganized affiliate; and the former affiliate, its chapters, and divisions shall dissolve and cease to exist. The name, NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND, FEDERATION OF THE BLIND, or any variant thereof, is the property of the National Federation of the Blind; and this organization, or any of its chapters or divisions which cease to be a part of the National Federation of the Blind (for whatever reason) shall forfeit the right to use the name, NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND, FEDERATION OF THE BLIND, or any variant thereof.

Article XI: Delegates to the National Federation of the Blind Convention

The Board of Directors of this organization shall elect each year at least one delegate and at least one alternate delegate to attend the convention of the National Federation of the Blind. Priority shall be given to constitutional officers, but in the event no constitutional officer is available to serve as delegate, other board members shall be elected. To the extent of the resources of this organization, the expenses of delegates and alternate delegates to the convention of the national Federation of the Blind shall be paid.

Article XII: Dues

The dues of this organization shall be $10 per year, payable during the month of January. In accordance with Article IV of the Constitution, local chapters shall pay the state dues of their members. Members who are not affiliated with local chapters shall pay their dues before the annual convention by a date set by the board of directors. No person may vote who is delinquent in the payment of his/her dues.

Article XIII: Disbursement of Funds

The funds of this organization shall be deposited in a bank to be selected by the Treasurer with the approval of the President. The Treasurer shall be bonded. All financial obligations of this organization shall be discharged by check, issued on order of the President, and signed by the Treasurer or by an Assistant Treasurer approved by the membership or the Board of Directors.

Article XIV: Dissolution

In the event of the dissolution of this organization, or if (for whatever reason) it ceases to be an affiliate of the national Federation of the Blind, its assets shall be given to the National Federation of the Blind, to be held in trust for a reorganized affiliate in the state. In the event that no affiliate is reorganized in the state for a period of two years from the date this organization ceases to be an affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind, the assets become the property of the National Federation of the Blind.

If the dissolution of this organization should occur and if at that time the National Federation of the Blind is no longer a tax-exempt organization under the provisions of the federal Internal Revenue Code or if the National Federation of the Blind has been dissolved, all assets of this organization shall be given to another organization with similar purposes which has received tax-exempt certification from the federal Internal Revenue Service.

Article XV: Amendments

This Constitution may be amended at any regular meeting of this organization by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the voting members present, provided the proposed amendment has been submitted in writing and read at a previous business session and provided it is in compliance with the provisions of the Charter of Affiliation received from the National Federation of the Blind and with the policies of the National Federation of the Blind.