KENTUCKY
ASSOCIATION OF THE DEAF, INC.
As amended at
38th KAD State Convention
at Louisville, KY June 9, 2001
CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I –
NAME
Section 1. This Association shall be known as The Kentucky
Association of the Deaf, Inc. hereafter
referred to as the “KAD”.
Section 2. The Association is organized exclusively for civic,
charitable and educational purposes.
Section 3. a) The Association shall be an affiliated member
of the National Association of the
Deaf (NAD).
b) The Association shall meet
all of its obligations as an affiliated
member, including payment of the
annual payment/dues as set by the
National Association of the Deaf.
c) The Association shall send
to the National and Regional Conferences
the maximum number of representatives
to which it is entitled under the
By-Laws of the National Association
of the Deaf, providing that the
KAD Executive Board finds this financially
feasible.
Section 4. The principal office of business of the Association
shall be located at the current
President’s residence; and the name
and address of the Association shall
be President, Kentucky Association
of the Deaf, Inc. P.O. Box 463,
Danville, Kentucky 40423.
ARTICLE II – OBJECTIVES
Section 1. To educate the public about deafness and to advocate
for the rights of the deaf citizens;
Section 2. To provide for mutual assistance, encouragement,
welfare, and empowerment of persons
who are deaf, deaf and blind and
hard of hearing;
Section 3. To secure moral, intellectual and social improvement
of their education and vocational
opportunities;
Section 4. To promote measures to better the condition and
standing in society at large of
deaf persons and;
Section 5. To gain strength and usefulness of the deaf citizens
of Kentucky who have joined this
Association, to further the above
purposes.
ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Membership in the Association shall be in five
(5) classifications: Active, Associate,
Honorary, Senior Citizen and Student.
Section 2. Active membership shall be open to deaf, deaf
and blind and hard of hearing residents
of Kentucky, upon payment of dues
as defined in the bylaws.
Section 3. Associate membership shall be open to hearing
persons and non-residents of the
Commonwealth of Kentucky attending
state conventions/conferences. They
may have the privilege to voice
on the floor but can not vote. An
associate member shall not hold
any office and may serve on the
committees.
Section 4. Honorary members who served with excellence and
longevity within the Association
may be nominated at the discretion
of the Executive Board and voted
by a one-half (1/2) majority vote
of attending members at the state
convention/conference. They shall
be entitled to all the privileges
of active members except holding
office. They shall not be subject
to the dues of the Association.
Section 5. Senior Citizen membership shall be open to those
who are 55 years or older and are
residents of Kentucky. Senior Citizen
members shall have the same privileges
as active members.
Section 6. Student membership shall be open to any high school
or college student who is a resident
of Kentucky. The student membership
shall be based on one-half (1/2)
of the active membership dues plus
the NAD payment/dues. Student members
shall have the privileges of active
members except the voting and holding
office. The Association President
shall present or mail one (1) year
free Association membership cards
to graduating students at Kentucky
School for the Deaf and deaf and
hard of hearing graduates from any
other secondary schools in the Commonwealth
of Kentucky every year.
Section 7. Membership and membership dues shall be for one
(1) or two (2) year from month that
dues are paid to same month of the
following year (s).
ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS
Section 1. At the last business meeting of the Association
on the last day of each state convention/conference,
a majority of all the members present
at the said meeting shall elect
officers after the nominating committee
submits its proposed list of interested
candidates for office.
Section 2. The officers of the Association shall be a President,
the Immediate Past President, a
Vice President, a Secretary, a Treasurer
and four (4) Directors. They shall
constitute the Executive Board.
Section 3. The terms of all elective officers shall be for
a term of two (2) years from state
convention/conference to state convention/conference
or until their successors are elected.
Section 4. a) To be eligible for President of the Association,
any active member who is bona fide
resident of Kentucky and member
of the Association for past two
(2) consecutive years preceding
the present state convention/conference
may be a candidate. The 2-year requirement
may be waived at the state convention/conference
by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote.
b) To be eligible for any office
other than the President of the
Association, any active members
who is a bona fide resident of Kentucky
and member of the Association for
at least one (1) year preceding
the present state convention/conference
may be a candidate. The 1-year requirement
may be waived at the state convention/conference
by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote.
Section 5. Newly elected officers shall assume office immediately
after final adjournment of the current
state convention/conference and
continue in office until their successors
are elected and qualified. The outgoing
President or other member in good
standing shall administer the following
oath:
“
I solemnly promise to observe
and uphold the Constitution and
By-Laws of the Association, to
promote its welfare, and to protect
it from those who would willfully
harm it. I shall at all times
discharge the duties of my office
to the best of my ability”.
Section 6. The outgoing President shall assume the office
of the Immediate Past President
and serve on the Executive Board,
with his/her term ending at the
next state convention/conference.
Section 7. In the event of resignation of an officer, a formal
notice with a statement of reason
thereof shall be submitted to the
President who shall be empowered
to appoint a qualified member of
the association to fill the vacancy
for the rest of the term until the
next state convention/conference,
subject to the approval of the Executive
Board.
Section 8. In case of death or resignation of the President,
the Vice President shall serve as
the President for the rest of term
until the next state convention/conference.
ARTICLE V -DISSOLUTION
Section 1. In the event of dissolution, the assets of the
Kentucky Association of the Deaf,
Inc., shall be given to the National
Association of the Deaf or similar
organization(s) which qualify as
exempt under Section 501 (c) (3)
of the Internal Revenue of 1954
operating exclusively for charitable,
educational, and scientific purposes
serving the deaf community.
ARTICLE VI - AMENDMENTS
Section 1. Amendments to the Constitution of Association
shall be approved by a two-thirds
(2/3) majority vote of the active,
honorary and senior citizen attending
members at the State Convention/Conference.
Section 2. Amendments to the Constitution of Association
shall be made in writing and submitted
to the Chair of Governance Committee
two months prior to the state convention/conference.
The Chair of Governance Committee
shall provide proposed changes to
active, honorary and senior citizen
members at least thirty (30) days
in advance of the state convention/conference
at which they are to be proposed.
Section 3. The amendments to
the Constitution shall be effective
immediately, unless stated otherwise
in the amendment, when adopted by
a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Association
membership.
BY-LAWS
ARTICLE 1 – DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section 1. The President shall:
a) preside at all meetings of the Association and of the Executive Board.
b) have the power to call the State Convention/Conference and Executive
Board meetings.
c) enforce order, and by the due observance of the Constitution and By-laws
of the Association.
d) appoint the chairs of all committees, subject to the approval of the
Executive Board.
e) rule on matters in dispute.
f)
head the list of Association
representatives at regional and
national conferences of the National
Association of the Deaf and shall
be the Association liaison officer
in matters in which the state and
national associations are concerned.
g) serve, by law, as a member of the Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and
Hard of Hearing (KCDHH). In the
event of being unable to
serve, the President shall appoint
his/her designee to take his/her
place, subject to the approval of
the Executive board.
h)
serve as the association’s representative to the Kentucky Registry of
Interpreters for the Deaf (KYRID)
as an ex-officio member of the KYRID
Executive Board. In the event of
being unable to serve, the President,
subject to the approval of the Executive
board, shall appoint his/her designee
to take his/her place.
Section 2. The Immediate Past President shall:
a) assist and advise the President
and the Executive Board.
b) serve on the Executive Board.
Section 3. The Vice President shall:
a) assume temporarily the duties of the President in President’s absence.
b) serve as President for the remainder of presidential term in the event
the President resigns or vacates
his office.
c) serve as the Chair of Governance Committee and should be knowledgeable
of the basic Parliamentary Procedure.
d) act as an ex-officio representative to all community, local, state
and other functions as designated
by the President.
Section 4. The Secretary shall:
a) keep a correct record of the
proceedings at various meetings
and prepare the same for publication
as may be directed by the Association.
b) be in charge of all papers and correspondence of the Association.
c) perform such other duties, which properly pertain to that office, as
assigned by the Executive Board.
Section 5. The Treasurer shall:
a) be the charge of all monies belonging to the Association
except the Educational Aid Fund.
b) keep account of all receipts and expenditures.
c) collect membership dues between and during state conventions/conferences.
d) manage the funds of the Association.
e) pay all bills except over five hundred dollars ($500.00) unless approved
by the Executive Board, and countersigned
by the President or Chair of the
Auditing Committee.
f) secure a surety bond for the coverage of the Association Fund.
g)
submit to this Association’s
auditing committee for its review
all monies, books, accounts, papers,
vouchers, receipts and records including
bankbooks
h)
transfer all monies, books,
accounts, papers, vouchers, receipts
and records including bankbooks
to his/her successor, when elected.
Section 6. The Board of Directors shall:
a) perform duties as designated by the President or the Executive Board.
Such duties may include membership
drive, public relations, fund raising
and awards.
ARTICLE 2 – EXECUTIVE BOARD
Section 1. The Executive Board, stated in the Constitution,
Article IV, Section 2, is empowered
to conduct affairs of the Association
between state conventions/conferences.
Section 2. The Executive Board meetings shall be called by
the President and be held as often
as needed.
Section 3. The Executive Board shall have the power to call
a special meeting of the Association
whenever twenty-five (25) or more
of the active members make a petition
asking for such a meeting.
Section 4. The Executive Board shall have the power to use
any available funds of the Association
to promote the interests of the
Association.
Section 5. Any proposed Board transaction made through electronic
media, i.e. phone, fax, email, video
conferences, shall be acceptable.
All business conducted via electronic
media shall be ratified before conducting
any new business at the next scheduled
board meeting.
Section 6. The Executive Board shall have the power by a
two-thirds (2/3) vote to suspend
any officer with sufficient reason(s)
from the privileges of the Association.
However, such suspended member shall
have the right to appeal to the
Executive Board at its meeting following
the suspension and thereafter to
the membership at large at the next
state convention/conference.
Section 7. The Executive Board shall have the power by a
two-thirds (2/3) vote to remove
any officer who fails to attend
three (3) consecutive Executive
Board meetings or who fails to carry
out his/her duties.
ARTICLE 3 – COMMITTEES
Section 1. a) The President, subject to the approval of the
Executive Board, shall appoint the
chair of each standing committee.
b) Each chair of its said committee,
subject to the approval of the Executive
Board, shall appoint the committee
members.
Section 2. Governance Committee:
The Governance Committee shall
consider all proposed amendment(s)
to the Association Constitution
and By-Laws. When such proposed
amendments are properly submitted,
the Committee shall recommend their
acceptance or rejection. This Committee
shall provide a new and updated
copy of the revised Constitution
and By-Laws to the members within
90 days after the state convention/conference.
Section 3. Auditing Committee:
The Auditing Committee shall
be responsible to examine the reports
of Treasurer, his books, vouchers
and other records. It shall review
see all monies received are accounted
for and that all disbursements are
authorized. The audit shall be made
at least twice a year, or whenever
so ordered by the President or the
Executive Board. This committee
shall advise the Treasurer on financial
matters and assist in budget planning
for future goals and proposed biennial
budget(s). The committee chair shall
present auditing committee report
at the Executive board meeting,
if needed and at the state convention/conference.
Members of the Executive Board shall
not serve on the Auditing Committee.
Section 4. Legislative Committee:
The Legislative Committee shall
look after all proposed legislation
at the Kentucky General Assembly
affecting the interests of the deaf
community, the Kentucky School for
the Deaf, and the Kentucky Commission
on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
This committee shall disseminate
information any proposed legislation
to the members and the deaf community.
Section 5. Educational Aid Committee:
The Educational Aid Committee
shall be vested in its Board of
Trustees, a majority of whom must
be members of the Association. At
each state convention/conference
of the Association, the President
of the Board of Trustees or another
officer shall submit a report of
its operations to the Association.
This Board of Trustees shall meet
two times a year to audit the treasurer’s
report. The Board of Trustees shall
submit a copy of its annual financial
report to KAD Treasurer on or before
April 30th each year.
The committee shall present up to
two awards annually at the Kentucky
School for the Deaf Awards Day program
to deserving high school students
who have the highest total scores
of the Standard Achievement Test.
Section 6. Ways and Means Committee:
The Ways and Means Committee
shall evaluate any proposed policies
and procedures for feasibility prior
to final enactment.
Section 7. Necrology Committee:
The Necrology Committee shall
keep a record of known members of
the Association, who have passed
away between state conventions/conferences.
The list of deceased members shall
be distributed to the members at
the state convention/conference.
Section 8. Membership Committee:
The Membership Committee shall
encourage people to be members of
the Kentucky Association of the
Deaf.
Section 9. Nominating Committee:
The Nominating Committee shall
consist of three (3) Association
members. This committee shall meet
prior to and during the state convention/conference
and present a proposed slate of
nominees.
Section 10. Awards Committee:
The Awards Committee shall consist
of three (3) Association members
including one (1) senior citizen
member. This committee shall meet
at least three (3) months prior
to its said state convention/conference.
Section 11. Miss Deaf Kentucky Pageant Committee:
Miss Deaf Kentucky Pageant (MDKP)
Committee shall be vested in its
Board of Trustees, a majority of
whom must be members of the Association.
At each state convention/conference
of the Association, the Director
or other committee member shall
submit a report of its operations
to the Association. The Board shall
meet two times a year to audit the
MDKP treasurer’s report. The committee
shall submit a copy of its annual
financial report to the KAD Treasurer
on or before April 30th
each year.
Section 12. Resolutions Committee:
The Resolutions Committee shall
consist three (3) Association members.
The Chair shall submit proposed
resolution(s) at the state convention/conference.
Section 13. Newsletter Committee:
The Newsletter Committee shall
collect information, edit, and distribute
an official newsletter of the association,
“Deaf Kentuckians” to members of
the Association, and to Presidents
of other State Association of the
