Fraternity-Testvériség, 1985 (63. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)

1985-04-01 / 2-3. szám

Page 28

TESTVÉRISÉG

BY-LAWS

of the

HUNGARIAN REFORMED FEDERATION

OF AMERICA FOUNDED 1896

As amended and revised by the Convention held in Ligonier, Pennsylvania from September 17 to 21, 1984.

FRATERNAL BENEFIT SOCIETY Washington, D. C.

1984 EDITION

BY-LAWS

ARTICLE I ORGANIZATION

Name — Date of Organization — Incorporation Home Office

1. The name of this organization is: “Hungarian Reformed Federation of America”. It was organized July 5th, 1896, at Trenton, N.J., and incorporated by an act of the Congress of the United States of America in the District of Columbia, on March 2,1907. The Home Office is in Washington, DC.

Purpose — Objectives

2. The purposes and objectives of the Federation are: to furnish its members with life and accident insurance; to assist in placement of children of deceased members of the Federation, and to support a home for the aged, known as the Bethlen Home of the HRFA in Ligonier, Pa.; and to promote social, fraternal and cultural activities among its members, among Americans of Hungarian descent and all others who are willing to conform with the fraternal objectives of the Federation.

Language — Seal — Motto

3. The official language of the Federation is English. The Hungarian language may be used by choice. The seal is encircled with the inscription bearing the name of Federation. In the center is an angel with widespread wings, holding in one hand the Gospel and in the other a trumpet. The motto of the Federation is: “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31.)

ARTICLE II

GOVERNMENT

Legislation — Administration

4. The legislative and executive body of the Federation is the Convention held quadrennially.

5. The Federation is governed during the interim between conventions by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall not have the power to amend the by-laws of the Federation.

Administration and Referendum of the Branches

6. The Federation is composed of branches. Each branch shall elect its own officers and conduct its local affairs.

7. During the interim between Conventions, the branches may originate legislation in the following manner: if the majority of the adult members of the branch present and voting accept the matter proposed for legislation, the same shall be forwarded to the President who shall bring it before the Board of Directors. If the majority of the members of the Board of Directors agree to refer the motion to the branches, the President shall forward a copy of the motion to each branch for its vote. The vote of each branch is determined by the majority of the adult members present and voting at the meeting. The vote of each branch may be only “yes” or “no”, because the branch does not have the right to change the motion. The branches shall send the results of the vote taken to the President within sixty days who shall acknowledge the receipt thereof and immediately report the result to the Executive Committee, the Board of Directors and the branches.

MEETINGS

Discussion — Procedure — Quorum

8. There are two kinds of meetings of the Federation: regular and special. The regular meetings are those prescribed in these by-laws: Conventions, meetings of the Board of Directors, Executive Committee and branch meetings. The special meetings are called pursuant to the appropriate provisions of these by-laws.

9. The presiding officer shall be the President of the body in meeting. The President shall vote only in the case of a tie. It is the duty of the President to order a secret ballot if ten percent of the members present request it. A member may speak only once on a question. The President may grant him the right to speak a second time only if he has been personally challenged. The maker of the motion shall have the right of the closing remarks in the discussion.

10. Convention, meetings of the board of Directors, meetings of the Executive Committee or branch meetings have the right to make decisions only if the following quorum of the respective meetings are present:

a) fifty percent of the members of the Convention;

b) sixty-five percent of the members of the Board of Directors;

c) all three members of the Executive Committee;

d) Five percent of the membership of any branch at the annual or special meetings and at least five members at the regular meeting of the branches.

If a quorum is not present at the first meeting of a Branch for the election of delegates to the Convention, a second meeting shall automatically be called two weeks later at the same location and time. Those present, regardless of number, shall constitute a quorum.

THE CONVENTION

Aim — Time — Place — Membership

11. The Federation shall hold a Convention every four years in September following the second regular meeting of the Board of Directors. The time and place shall be designated by the Board of Directors. It shall receive reports of the preceeding four years, shall decide upon actions for the future and shall encourage and foster fraternalism. In order to postpone a Convention the consent of sixty-five percent of the delegates is required.

12. The members of the Board of Directors and the delegates of the branches constitute the Convention. Each member of the Convention is entitled to one vote.

13. The Board of Directors shall determine and designate the number of guests and other persons to attend the Convention.

Election of Delegates

14. Each branch having a minimum adult membership of 300 shall send one delegate to the Convention. Branches having more than 300 members shall send one additional delegate for each multiple of300 members. Branches having less than 300 members will be grouped in units of not less than 300 and not more than 375 members, and may jointly send one delegate. The grouping of these units will be arranged by the President of the Federation according to geographical location in concurrence with the Executive Committee and with the approval of the Board x>f Directors, and published in the Fraternity during the first quarter of the Convention year. The delegates and alternates shall be elected by a plurality vote on separate ballots at a special meeting to be held during the months of April and May following the announcement in the official publication of the meeting date of the Convention by the President as directed by the Board of Directors. In case of a tie vote in a delegate election of a grouping of Branches, the Board of Directors shall decide by lot. Their names shall be certified to the President within 10 days after the election. Each certification shall be accompanied by a copy of the minutes of said meeting, the names and cerificate numbers of the members present at the meeting and their signatures.

The delegate and alternate must have been a member of the Federation and of the branch, or one of the branches of the group he is representing, for at least one year prior to his election, and must have fulfilled all his memberhsip obligations. Alternate delegates elected shall fill vacancies of elected delegates in the order of the number of votes received. Branches formed within one year preceding the Convention shall be exceptions. Officers or employees of similar organizations or employees of the Federation cannot be delegates.

15. The elected delegates shall constitute no less than two-thirds of the voting members of the Convention.

ELECTION IRREGULARITIES

16. In the event that any irregularity in the method of convening of any meeting for the election of delegates and alternates or in the mode of election of said delegates or alternates or in the event a protest or complaint concerning the method of convening or election is received by the President, he shall forthwith request full detailed and notarized written