BYLAWS OF DEMOCRATS FOR ISRAEL — LOS ANGELES

PREAMBLE, NAME & AFFILIATION

In order to continue to fulfill our responsibilities inherent in a democratic society, to stimulate active participation at all levels of government, and to perpetuate the ideals of the Democratic Party, we do hereby continue to associate ourselves together as a Democratic Club chartered by the Los Angeles County Democratic Party under the name of DEMOCRATS FOR ISRAEL — LOS ANGELES, (hereinafter “the Club”). Upon adoption, these By-Laws shall be effective and supersede all prior By-Laws.

 

ARTICLE I: POLICY

The Club shall seek to: grow the Democratic Party, develop Party leadership, promote harmony among Party members, advance the principles of the Democratic Party, and promote support of Israel within the Democratic Party.

 

ARTICLE II: CLUB MEMBERSHIP RIGHTS AND LIMITATIONS

Section 1: Membership to this Club shall be limited to registered Democrats, except that a person who indicates an intention to register as a Democrat upon becoming eligible to register to vote may be a member. The minimum age for membership shall be 14 years.

Section 2: A “member in good standing” is one who has applied for membership and has paid dues for the current year or has them waived due to economic hardship. A grace period of sixty (60) days following expiration of membership shall be granted during which a person may exercise all privileges of membership, provided dues are paid or have been waived before exercising the right to vote.

Section 3: Annual dues shall be set by the Executive Board (which shall include a reduced rate or be waived for persons in need). Dues for household membership may also be established by the Executive Board. Members under a household membership must be individually listed upon payment of dues for membership purposes. The membership shall be for a period of one year starting in October or at any subsequent period set by the Executive Board.

Section 4: Members shall have the following privileges conditioned upon full payment or waiver of dues:

1. Right to cast one vote in any election or issue, provided new members shall not be entitled to vote until thirty (30) days after payment of their dues. As used herein “new members” include all members whose membership expired for a period of more than 6 months for non-payment of dues.

2. Right to run for Club office after being a dues paid member for at least thirty (30) days prior to the election and for the length of time specifically required herein for certain offices.

3. Right to attend all meetings.

4. Right to participate in any agendized Club discussion.

Section 5: No Club member, including Executive Board members, may do any of the following without approval of a majority of the Executive Board:

1. Represent oneself as an agent of the Club or commit to spending Club funds.

2. Use, copy, or distribute Club assets, including funds, stationery, mailing lists, labels, phone, and logo.

Section 6: A member may be removed based upon a Petition setting forth charges and signed by ten (10) other members and a vote of two thirds of the Executive Board. Grounds for removal shall include, but not be limited to, ceasing to be a Democrat, and violating provisions of the By-Laws. In the event of removal, such a member may obtain a pro rata share of annual dues the member has paid.

 

ARTICLE III: CLUB MEETINGS

Section 1: The President and Executive Board shall schedule at least two Club meetings per year.

Section 2: Written notice of all meetings shall be sent at least ten (10) days in advance. Written notice shall be given to all members of the Club and notice may be given by email. Such additional notice shall be given as may be required by the Los Angeles County Democratic Party.

Section 3: The President may call a special membership meeting, should the need arise. Notice of special meetings must include the limited purpose for which the meeting is being called. No other business may be discussed or voted on at that meeting.

Section 4: A quorum shall exist at any duly noticed Club meeting at which at least ten (10) members are present.

Section 5: Proxy attendees and proxy voting are not permissible at any meeting.

 

ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES

Section 1: The elected officers of this Club shall be: Chair, President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Communications Director.

Section 2: The President may establish committees as necessary and appoint chairs and members of such committees. The President may delegate committee membership appointment to committee chairs. Membership on all committees is open to all Club members.

 

ARTICLE V: EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1: The Executive Board shall consist of the members elected pursuant to the provisions of Article VII.

Section 2: The Executive Board shall meet at the call of the President, who shall schedule at least six (6) meetings a year to plan the Club’s activities.

Section 3: Meetings of the Executive Board shall be open to all members of this Club, but only members of the Executive Board shall have a vote on Executive Board matters.

Section 4: Proxy attendees and proxy voting are not permissible at any meeting.

Section 5: A quorum shall exist at any duly noticed at which at least five (5) members of the Executive Board are present, including either the President or Vice President.

Section 6: The President or a majority of the Executive Board shall give at least fourteen (14) days written notice (including email) to all Executive Board members of an Executive Board meeting. Any meeting agenda items must be noticed in writing (including email) to the Board at least three (3) full days before a meeting.

Section 7: Under exceptional or emergency circumstances, the President may call a meeting upon at least twenty four (24) hours written notice to all members (including email). The emergency meeting may be conducted by telephone, email, or similar means. The President will set the agenda for such meetings.

Section 8: There shall be a minimum of six (6) and a maximum of eighteen (18) members of the Executive Board, the precise number to be determined and fixed by the Executive Board prior to the annual election meeting. The number includes the officers of the Club. Only Club members may be members of the Executive Board. Between election meetings the Executive Board may by majority vote appoint members of the Executive Board, provided the total number of members shall not exceed 18.

Section 9: An Executive Board member may be removed if two board members give written notice (including email) of proposed removal to the entire Executive Board and the Executive Board votes, by a two thirds margin of Executive Board members present, for removal. Written notice must include:

1. The names of the board members who propose removal;

2. The reasons for the proposed removal; and

3. The date, time, and place of the Executive Board meeting during which the removal shall be considered.

If such removed board member resigns within twenty four (24) hours after the vote for removal, the vote shall be expunged from the minutes. Cause for removal shall include, but not be limited to excessive absences from Executive Board meetings and violation of provisions of these By-Laws.

 

ARTICLE VI: DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section 1: The Chair shall provide advice and counsel to the Executive Board.

Section 2: The President shall preside over all meetings, shall call meetings, shall be responsible for the overall direction of the Club’s activities, and act as the spokesperson. The President shall have been a member of good standing of this Club for at least one year prior to election.

Section 3: The Vice President shall preside over meetings in the absence of the President, shall assist the President, be the lead events coordinator for all Club events, and shall perform such other duties as the President may designate. The Vice President shall have been a member in good standing of this Club for at least six months prior to the election. The Vice President shall become President when there is a vacancy in the office of President.

Section 4: The Secretary shall keep a written record and a copy of all reports submitted to the Club. The Secretary shall timely prepare and transmit minutes of previous minutes for approval.

Section 5: The Club may elect a Treasurer, who shall be responsible for establishes banking relationships, presenting all financial statements, maintaining all financial records for the Club, receiving contributions, managing disbursements, accounting for the funds of this Club, other banking responsibilities, and maintaining compliance with all federal, state, and local laws. Alternatively, the Club may contract for outside services of a professional treasurer. The Treasurer may be simultaneously elected and receive compensation from the Club for providing professional services, but such compensation may only be set upon the approval of two thirds of non-interested Executive Board members present for such vote. The Treasurer or Agent may only make expenditures on behalf of the Club upon the express authorization of a majority of the Executive Board.

Section 6: The Communications Director shall be responsible for all external and official correspondence of the Club.

Section 7: The President shall establish a “give and get” monetary requirement for all Executive Board members for a given year of service. Such requirement may be met by: raising money, contributing money, or providing services to the Club commensurate with the amount set.

 

ARTICLE VII: ELECTIONS

Section 1: The President shall appoint a nominating committee of Club members to nominate Executive Board officers no later than June 1. That committee shall make its report at a membership meeting between August 1 and October 15, at which time nominations may be made from the floor. A list of the Nominating Committee’s nominees shall be sent to the Club’s members in the notice of the meeting at which the election will be held. The new officers shall begin their tenure of office after the meeting at which they are elected. The term of office shall be one year.

Section 2: At the election any qualified member may be nominated or self-nominate.

Section 3: When a vacancy exists in any office other than President, the President, with approval of a majority of the Executive Board, may appoint a successor. The appointee shall carry out the duties until the next election.

 

ARTICLE VIII: PARTICIPATION IN CDP ENDORSEMENT PROCESS

Section 1: Club representatives to the California Democratic Party Pre-Endorsement Conferences shall be allocated as follows: one representative resident in the Assembly District and duly registered as a member of the Democratic Party of California, for each full (not a fraction thereof) 20 members in good standing registered to vote in the Assembly District who are listed on the roster submitted to Los Angeles County Democratic Party and to the appropriate Regional Director of the CDP no later than July 1 of the year immediately prior to the endorsement process.

Section 2: Only members in good standing as of the July 1 deadline who are duly registered as a member of the Democratic Party of California will be included in the roster submitted for purposes of participation in the California Democratic Party endorsement process. The status of each member shall be certified by the Chair, President, Secretary or Treasurer.

Section 3: The Club’s representative to the CDP Pre-Endorsement Conferences may only be from the same roster described above. The overall list of representatives to all Pre-Endorsing Conferences shall be equally apportioned between men and women to the extent possible.

Section 4: Said representatives shall be selected by majority vote of the Executive Board.

 

ARTICLE IX: ENDORSEMENTS AND SUPPORT OF CANDIDATES AND ISSUES

Section 1: This Article provides the exclusive means by which the Club may endorse or support candidates for election to any public or Democratic Party office, ballot measure questions (including initiative, referendum, and recall measures), or any official Democratic Party position.  The Executive Board may vote to endorse or oppose candidates by a majority and endorse or oppose a ballot measure by a 60% majority.

Section 2: Only candidates who are registered Democrats may be considered for endorsement or support. If prior to an election the Club learns it endorsed or gave a supportive rating to any candidate who was not a Democrat or ceased to be a Democrat, such endorsement or support shall be automatically revoked.

Section 3: If any candidate for office who has been endorsed or positively ranked by the Club enters a runoff election, any endorsement or positive ranking of the candidate in the primary shall remain in effect for the candidate in the runoff. Nothing herein shall preclude the Executive Board from making different endorsements or giving positive rankings to additional candidates in a runoff election. A candidate who has been endorsed or given a positive ranking in the primary election who successfully enters the runoff election may only have their endorsement or positive ranking revoked pursuant to Section 2 of this Article or a two thirds vote of the Executive Board.

Section 4: Except as otherwise provided herein, the Executive Board may on behalf of the Club adopt resolutions and take positions on issues by a majority vote.

Section 5: The Club may not provide financial support to any candidate or ballot initiative group (either in favor or opposition) that has not received the endorsement or positive ranking of the Club.

 

ARTICLE X: AMENDMENTS

Section 1: A proposed amendment to these bylaws may be adopted by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Board. There must be at least thirty days’ prior written notice (including email) of the proposed amendment(s) before such vote.

Section 2: An amendment passed as described in Section 1 of this Article shall become effective at the next meeting of this Club after the one at which it is adopted.

 

ARTICLE XI: PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

In matters of procedure not otherwise provided for in these By-Laws, the most recent edition of Robert’s Rules of Order-Newly Revised shall govern.

 

ARTICLE XII: NON-DISCRIMINATION

The Club shall not implement or use any test of membership or oath of loyalty which has the effect of requiring prospective or current members to acquiesce in, condone or support discrimination on the grounds of race, color, creed, national origin, physical ability, sex, age, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, or economic status. The Club strictly prohibits any discrimination, in its governance or operation, on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, ethnicity, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical ability, age, religion, or economic status.

Our bylaws were adopted September 2, 2015