Article V: House of Delegates

Section 1.
House of Delegates Power, Authority, and Composition
The power, authority, and composition of the House of Delegates shall be as detailed in the Constitution. Except for such mail votes as are provided for by the Constitution and these Bylaws, and as otherwise required by law, all the powers, rights, and privileges of the association’s membership exercisable at any meeting, whether annual or special, shall be exercised by the House of Delegates.

Section 2.
House of Delegates Representation

1. Delegates. Each certified chapter, council, and student chapter shall choose Delegates in accordance with procedures adopted by such units, which procedures shall conform to the Constitution, these Bylaws, and any policies and adopted procedures of the Board. The Board shall adopt procedures for the selection of delegates representing the members-at-large units. Each unit shall be entitled to the number of delegates equivalent to one percent of such unit’s membership count, rounded up to the next whole number. Each such unit may select up to an equivalent number of alternate delegates. Each delegate shall have one vote and an alternative delegate may not vote without replacing the delegate. No delegate may represent more than one unit. Delegates shall serve a term starting at the beginning of the annual conference after their selection and ending at the beginning of the following annual conference.
2. Record Date. The Board may fix record dates for determination of membership status for apportionment of delegates to units and for registration of delegates in advance of a meeting. The record date for registration of delegates shall not be more than 60 or less than 10 days before such meeting. A certified unit shall mean certified by the President as in compliance with these Bylaws and the Board’s adopted policies and procedures as of the record date for apportionment of delegates to units.

Section 3.
House of Delegates Meetings

1. Annual Meeting. The House of Delegates shall hold an Annual Meeting at the association’s annual conference at such time and place as determined by the Board. If the Board fails to establish a time and place for the Annual Meeting before the end of the calendar year in which the Annual Meeting is to take place, or if the Board is unable to comply with the advance notice requirements for the planning of an annual conference by the end of the calendar year, the Board may call for a special meeting in lieu of Annual Meeting as soon as practicable, at which meeting the House of Delegates may transact any business required to take place at the Annual Meeting.
2. Special Meetings. The Board of Directors, fifteen certified units, or 500 members representing at least five units may request a special meeting of the House of Delegates by informing the President and stating the purpose for which the special meeting is to be called. The special meeting shall take place at such time and place as determined by the Chair in consultation with the President, but shall be scheduled not later than 60 days after the President has received the request for a special meeting. The President shall call the special meeting and provide delegates with notice of the time and place of the meeting, stating the purpose for which the special meeting is to be called. No business shall be transacted at a special meeting except in regard to the purpose mentioned in the notice of the meeting.
3. Notice. As required by law, written notice of meetings of the House of Delegates, whether annual or special, shall indicate the time, place, and purposes of the meeting. The President shall either
   1. transmit such notices to all members of the House of Delegates at least 10, but no more than 60, days before the date of such meeting; or
   2. prominently display such notice in an association publication published at least twice annually and distributed to all members of the House of Delegates, provided that the publication including such notice is transmitted at least 10, but no more than 60, days before the date of such meeting.
4. Organizing Committees. The Executive Committee shall serve as the Credentials Committee, Rules Committee, and Program Committee for the House of Delegates, with such customary duties as prescribed by the association’s parliamentary authority. The Executive Committee may delegate the performance of any such duties to the President.
5. Agenda. The agenda shall include reports of officers and committees and business items received by the President from any member of the House of Delegates at least 30 days before the date of the House of Delegates meeting.
6. Annual Membership Meeting and Attendance of Members at House of Delegates Meeting. Unless otherwise provided by the Board of Directors, the association’s Annual Membership Meeting shall immediately precede the House of Delegates meeting. All association members are invited to attend meetings of the House of Delegates, but they may not make motions, or vote. Association members may speak if granted permission by the Chair. By majority vote, the House of Delegates may go into executive session and only members of the House of Delegates and those specially invited to attend may remain in the meeting room. For purposes of this provision, alternate delegates when not serving as delegates shall have the same rights as all other association members.
7. Procedural Rules. The House of Delegates may adopt rules for its own proceedings. Twenty members of the House of Delegates may demand that any vote be counted. Forty members of the House of Delegate may demand that any vote be taken by roll call or ballot. The Board will approve the minutes of a House of Delegates meeting, which shall then be distributed to the delegates.
8. Quorum. A quorum of the House of Delegates shall consist of 50 members of the House of Delegates qualified to attend the meeting.
9. No Proxies. Members of the House of Delegates cannot attend or act at meetings by proxy.

Section 4.
Referral
As provided in the Constitution [Art. VII, § 1], any action taken by the House of Delegates shall be in the nature of a recommendation. The President shall provide a summation of the action taken by the House of Delegates to the Board of Directors and association staff for review.

Section 5.
Membership Votes without a Meeting

1. Authorization. The Constitution, these Bylaws, or the Board by resolution may authorize a vote of the membership on specific issues. Any such vote shall be taken by ballot without a meeting.
2. Record Date. The record date for determination of membership status before distribution of ballots for a vote without a meeting shall be the date of the President’s submission of ballots to the members.
3. Procedure. The President shall submit any such ballot to all members in good standing. The ballot should include instructions regarding the manner of voting, the method of submission of ballots, and the date and time for members to submit completed ballots to the President. All members may submit ballots to the President by mail or other form of physical delivery, or by secure facsimile, e-mail, Internet submission, or such other electronic means as authorized by the Board. To be valid, votes must be received by the President no more than 45 days after the President has submitted the ballot to the members. The Board may adopt detailed procedures implementing the balloting procedure.
4. Quorum. In any vote submitted to the membership by ballot without a meeting, unless otherwise required by law, the result shall be valid if at least 20 percent of the total members in good standing submit ballots.
5. No Proxies. In any vote submitted to the membership for a vote by ballot without a meeting, members may not vote by proxy.