Updated May, 2010
Article I: NAME
The name of this organization shall be FLORIDA COUNCIL OF CITIZENS WITH LOW VISION, hereinafter called F.C.C.L.V. This organization is to be a non-profit membership organization and shall do all things necessary to qualify for tax-exempt status, pursuant to Internal Revenue Service code 501(c)(3).
Article II: PURPOSE
F.C.C.L.V. is a service membership organization, the purposes of which are:
1. To establish the rights of all persons with Low Vision to utilize their remaining vision with all necessary devices, services and technology.
2. To educate the persons with Low Vision, as well as the public and the professionals in the field of Low Vision, to potentialities, capabilities and needs of people with Low Vision.
3. To provide an avenue through which persons with Low Vision can express his individual requirements, interests, and preferences unique to each person.
4. To establish and maintain outreach programs to ensure that all individuals with Low Vision have access to all necessary and new services and products for people with Low Vision.
5. To promote research to prevent blindness and encourage development of devices and technologies to assist persons with Low Vision.
Article III: MEMBERSHIP, VOTING AND DUES
A. MEETINGS
1. A regular meeting of this organization shall be held once a year, to be known as the Annual Convention. A majority of the delegates certified and seated at the Convention shall constitute a quorum to conduct business.
2. The Board of Directors shall be the governing body of this organization between Conventions, provided that it take no action in conflict with existing policies or actions of the members present at the Convention.
3. Officers of this organization shall perform the usual functions of officers as prescribed in Roberts Rules of Order - Latest Revision. The Treasurer of this organization, in addition to the usual duties of such office, shall forward to the Membership Secretary the names of all currently paid members in a timely manner, to comply with the rules of Florida Council of the Blind. The Treasurer shall also furnish a financial report at regular meetings of the Board of Directors.
B. MEMBERSHIP
Any person with low vision or any interested individual or organization may become a member by complying with the provisions of dues and membership. F.C.C.L.V. will consider a person to have Low Vision if the best corrected vision in the better eye does NOT exceed 20/100 or who has a visual field restriction of no more than thirty (30) degrees of field.
C. AFFILIATION
F.C.C.L.V. is an affiliate chapter of the Florida Council of the Blind. F.C.C.L.V. is also an affiliate chapter of the Council of Citizens with Low Vision International and is a part of the American Council of the Blind.
D. DUES
To be a member in good standing of F.C.C.L.V., one must pay such dues as was voted upon at the last annual meeting.
E. VOTING
1. Each member in good standing in attendance at a State Convention shall be entitled to one (1) vote. In addition, delegates to the Florida Council of the Blind Convention shall be entitled to cast one (1) vote for each ten (10) members or fraction thereof. Delegates shall be elected from the floor of the F.C.C.L.V. State Convention by a simple majority of those members present and voting.
2. The right of a member to vote shall be contingent upon the payment of dues prior to the business meeting of the convention.
Article IV: OFFICERS
A. Officers of this organization shall be a President, one or two Vice Presidents, a Recording Secretary, a Treasurer and a Membership Secretary. The term of each office shall be for two (2) years. The positions of Treasurer and Membership Secretary may or may not be held by the same person.
B. There shall be elected at the convention one (1) person to serve on the Florida Council of the Blind State Board. This person shall serve for a term of one (1) year. If this person cannot serve the entire one year term, the Board shall appoint a replacement.
C. The officers of this organization and the Immediate Past President (ex-officio) shall constitutive the Board of Directors.
D. The President and Vice Presidents of this organization shall not be elected to the same office for more than two (2) consecutive terms. All members of the Board of Directors except for Recording and Membership Secretaries and the Treasurer must be persons with low vision.
E. Officers shall be elected by a majority vote of the membership present at any regular annual State Convention.
F. The President, with the concurrence of the Board of Directors, shall appoint chairpersons for any committees deemed necessary for the functioning of this organization.
G. When an officer or Board Member misses three (3) regular meetings in a row they will be dropped as an officer and/or Board Member.
Article V: Powers and Duties of the Convention, the Officers, the Board of Directors, and of Committees
A. Any voting member of this organization may propose motions, make or second motions, and be elected to office.
B. Officers of this organization shall perform the usual funtions of officers as prescribed by Roberts Rules of Order Revised, unless otherwise provided herein or by the Board of Directors. The Treasurer of this organization, in addition to the usual duties of such office, shall forward to the Membership Secretary the names of all voting members as received.
The Treasurer shall furnish a financial report at each meeting of the Board of Directors.
C. The Board of Directors shall be the governing body of this organization between conventions, provided that it shall make no policy decisions or take no actions in conflict with existing decisions or actions of the convention.
D. All committees shall be appointed by the President.
Article VI: Meetings
A regular meeting of this organization shall be held once a year, to be known as the annual Convention. A majority of all of the delegates certified and seated at the convention shall constitute a quorum to do business.
Article VII: Procedure
In the absence of provisions contained herein, all procedures of this organization shall be governed by Roberts Rules of Order Revised.
Article VIII: Amendments
These By-Laws may be amended at any annual convention of this organization by a simple majority vote of those present and voting according to voting procedures contained herein, provided that such proposed amendment shall be read from the floor in the first section of new Business and provided further that such proposed amendment shall be presented in writing to the By-Laws Committee thirty (30) days prior to the first day of the Convention.