2019 Bylaws|General Discussions|Forum|Bow Hunters of Alabama

Bowhunters of Alabama, Inc.

SECTION I – CHAPTERS

In each county of the state where there are ten or more Bowhunters of Alabama members a chapter may be formed, taking the name as follows: “(Name of County or City) Chapter, Bowhunters of Alabama, Inc.”. The General Board must approve any other name. Each chapter’s organizational structures (officers and objectives) will be the same as the parent organization, which is recorded in this document. Each chapter should try to increase its membership immediately and write a chapter constitution.
Also, each chapter should raise money through any legitimate means in order to further the goals of this organization. Any chapter that does not comply with the before mentioned objectives of this organization shall be subject to disciplinary action, as specified in Article III of the Constitution, such as losing the right to participate in any BHA Sponsored event. In a county where a chapter already exists and another chapter is requesting membership, the new chapter must first attain approval from the existing chapter in order to be considered for acceptance. The existing chapter has the right to deny inclusion of a new chapter in their county. All BHA chapters must acquire liability insurance to protect their chapter, chapter members and BHA. This requirement will go into effect January 1st, 2011. Chapter insurance is due by January 31, if not turned in on time, scheduled shoot dates will be vacated and re-assigned by the Zone Director. Each chapter will also be required to maintain a chapter bank account for which local chapter funds and funds collected for BHA can be deposited. Each chapter shall be required to present a current bank statement at each Board meeting. A Financial Reporting Worksheet shall be required from each chapter at the February Board meeting.

SECTION II – ELECTIONS

The election of officers will be performed at the final Board meeting each year. The President will take nominations for each office and a majority vote will affect the appointment of that officer. The term of office for the state officers shall be twelve months and run from February 1 – January 31. The term of office for local chapter officers shall also be twelve months.

SECTION III – OFFICERS

EXECUTIVE BOARD—The Executive Board shall consist of the following officers: President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.
GENERAL BOARD MEMBERS—The General Board shall consist of the following officers: The Executive Board, Awards Chairman, Political Chairman, Zone Directors, Past Presidents, Editor, Web Master, Life Members, Chapter Presidents and IBEP State Chairman.

PRESIDENT — This officer will be the Chief Executive of the organization and preside at all meetings. They will lead the members and see that all activities are concerned with furthering the objectives of the organization.
VICE PRESIDENT — This officer shall be responsible for the administrative and organizational matters and assume the President’s duties if the President is unable to perform his/her duties.
SECRETARY — This officer shall be responsible for keeping minutes at all Board meetings and relaying the minutes to chapters. The Secretary will also handle all membership duties and assist the President and Vice President in other secretarial duties as needed.
TREASURER – This officer shall be responsible for keeping and maintaining complete financial records. They shall also be responsible for the implementation of day to day accounts payable and accounts receivables. The Treasurer will be responsible for maintaining BHA’s non-profit status with the IRS on a yearly basis The Treasurer shall maintain and keep all financial records and receipts for the length of their term. Upon completion of their term the current Treasurer will transfer all BHA records, in their entirety, to their successor no later than January 31st. Upon the transfer of the office of Treasurer, the old Treasurer shall add the new Treasurer to the existing BHA bank account. It will then be the responsibility of the new Treasurer to either maintain the existing account or open a new account at a different bank for their convenience. These records will be available to the Executive and General Boards upon request.
AWARDS CHAIRMAN—This officer shall be responsible for implementing the BHA awards program including personalized Life Member jackets, permanent Life Member Card and Plaque. Award to be given in August to each Chapter that is fundamental in starting a new chapter in another county.
POLITICAL OFFICER – This officer shall be responsible for handling all communications with the DCNR along with other state and national organizations. They will attend the Conservation Advisory Board meetings and represent BHA at any meeting at the state or national level.
WEB MASTER – This officer shall be responsible for overseeing the day to day operations and maintenance of the official BHA web site. This includes monitoring activities on the BHA website, ensuring software is up to date, and reviewing persons wishing to register on the website. This officer will recommend moderators from each zone to assist in monitoring the BHA website forum activity. Approval of the recommended moderators will be provided by the Executive Board. Moderators will have the authority to edit, move and delete posts as necessary to maintain the website and BHA’s standards of conduct. The BHA Executive Board will also retain access to website as moderators. There will be at least one Assistant Webmaster which will be nominated by Webmaster and approved by Executive Board. This Assistant Webmaster will have full access to all levels to website that Webmaster has.
EDITOR – This officer shall be responsible for all duties which involve publishing or printing information to promote BHA across the state. This includes items such as brochures and
published articles that reflect the views of or pass on information related to BHA and its members.
ZONE DIRECTORS – This officer shall be responsible for being the liaison between each of the zones and the Executive Board. This officer shall preside over all zone meetings for the purpose of setting up yearly tournament schedules for each zone. They will also be responsible to assisting the local chapter in their zone with administrative duties at the Trail Shoots.
TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR – This officer shall be responsible for enforcing all BHA rules at Trail Shoots and the State Tournament.
EDUCATION DIRECTOR – This officer shall be appointed by the President and shall have the responsibility of promoting education of hunting laws, rights and safety.
OFFICER QUALIFICATONS – In order for an officer to be qualified for nomination to hold any official position the individual must be an active bowhunter, have been a member of BHA at least two years and have exhibited the same values and beliefs as BHA in regards to archery and bowhunting. The officer must also actively attend Board meetings. All Board Members are subject to a criminal background check. There may be certain exceptions to these qualifications with approval of the Executive Board.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY – A Conflict of Interest Policy must be executed by each Executive Board Member at the first Board meeting of each year.
DICIPLINARY ACTIONS – The Executive Board has the authority to suspend an officer if it deems the actions of that officer to be detrimental to the best interest of BHA. The Executive Board must call a special meeting of the General Board or the matter can be addressed at a regular Board meeting if so desired. The General Board then has the authority to dismiss that officer from their duties upon a majority vote of the Board. The officer will be allowed to maintain their BHA membership status except in extenuating circumstances in which the Board has determined that the member’s actions are detrimental to BHA in which case the General Board has the right to revoke the membership.

SECTION IV – MEETINGS

The Board will meet at a minimum of three times yearly. Such times are to be determined by the Executive Board. The final meeting of the year will be called the BHA State Convention. The President, or 25% of the General Board, may call special meetings to occur any time during the year as needed. BHA will reimburse Executive Board Members for expenses incurred while attending events with the approval of the Executive Board. Some expenses may be reimbursed for other Board Members attending certain events with prior approval from the Executive Board. This is intended to mean customary charges such as fuel, hotel expenses, meals, etc. Any expenses to be reimbursed must be pre-approved and Board Members will be required to produce receipts prior to reimbursement. Each Board Member will be entitled to one vote, except as provided for in Article IV of the Constitution. A majority of the votes cast by Board

Members present shall transact business. A Board Member who is unable to attend a Board meeting may send a representative, other than an elected chapter officer, with full voting powers if the President is personally notified of such representation in writing prior to the Board meeting being called to order. No chapter can bring a proxy vote from another chapter; however, a chapter has the right to bring a proxy vote for their Life Members with an individual vote on specific issues to be voted upon at the Board meeting. A chapter President will have a blanket proxy vote of his chapters Life Members for issues being raised and voted upon at that meeting as long as the proxy is turned in to the President at the beginning of the meeting. A Life Member that sends his/her proxy vote on current issues will be considered to have attended a Board meeting for purposes of retaining Board Member qualifications. Meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order, latest revised edition. All items of business to be acted upon by the Board must be submitted by a Board Member. Each Chapter will be required to have a representative attend at least one board meeting per year, must turn in a current checking account statement at each Board Meeting and a financial reporting worksheet for the prior year at the February board meeting. Failure to meet any of these requirements, chapter will lose voting rights for the current year. If chapter requirements are not met before the start of the August board meeting (BHA State convention) chapter will be deemed inactive and must ask for re-instatement at the following February board meeting. To reinstate their right to vote the chapter must start attending Board meetings and petition the State President for their voting rights to be reinstated. The President has the right to waive this requirement in certain situations. Each meeting will be opened with a prayer and reading of Article II of the BHA Constitution.

SECTION V – AFFILIATIONS

Chapters may affiliate with other local conservation organizations at their own option. The Executive Board must approve state and/or national organization affiliations of individual Chapters.

SECTION VI – FEES AND DUES

Regular dues shall be $20.00 for single membership and $30.00 for a family membership. $15.00 additional family membership cost for Life Members. There is also a three-year membership rate of $45.00 for single membership and $70.00 for a family membership. A family is considered to be spouse or children 18 years of age or younger and active college students. Life Membership dues shall be $300.00. The Life Member will receive a personalized jacket, plaque and permanent membership card and be entitled to one vote at regular Board meetings. Life Memberships are non-transferrable and non-refundable. The membership dues collected should be transmitted to the Treasurer no later than January 2nd of each year, or as they are received throughout the year. Additional monies may be required to be submitted for Board approved affiliations and/or operations. Membership shall be renewable on February 1st of each year.

SECTION VII – COMMITTEES

All committees acting on behalf of BHA shall be assigned or approved by the President and/or Executive Board and shall function under the general guidance of the President.

SECTION VIII – AMENDMENTS

Any proposed amendments to this Constitution and/or By-Laws must be submitted in writing by a General Board Member at any Board meeting. The proposal will be discussed and then tabled. It will be raised at the BHA State Convention and voted upon at that meeting. Amendments will be passed by a 2/3-majority vote of General Board Members in good standing at that meeting.

SECTION IX – TOURNAMENT RULES

A copy of the current tournament rules is attached and is considered part of the BHA By-Laws. The tournament rules are to be enforced at all BHA sanctioned state events. These rules are to be followed by local chapters at their local events as a “recommendation of BHA”; however, the individual chapters are allowed to deviate from a rule for their local chapter shoot without incurring any penalties from BHA. This does not include BHA sanctioned events held at any local chapter. The tournament rules will remain in effect in their current state without change for a term of one year. The purposed of this is to reduce confusion regarding tournament rules, improve consistency in the application of rules at BHA sanctioned events and reduce time spent at Board meetings discussing possible rule changes. It will allow BHA as an organization to apply the rules properly through consistent understanding and enforcement. At the end of one year a Board Member can make a proposal for a rule change during any Board meeting. It will be discussed and tabled until the final BHA Board meeting in the calendar year. It will then be raised at the final BHA Board meeting in the calendar year and voted upon. Once changes have been made they will be in effect for another one year.

Trail Shoot Requirements:
BHA tournaments shall be 25 targets with cores if required or mid-section targets in good conditions to support the shoot.Scores must be posted by Monday night following the conclusion of the tournament on Sunday. All Payback checks must be mailed out by the Monday following the scores posted, for example if the shoot ends on 02/03/2019 the checks should be mailed out by 02/11/2019. The hosting chapter must provide at least three to four water jugs or bottled water on the range free of cost. Hosting Chapter must use the spread sheet that BHA provides to the chapter to turn in scores and post that following Monday. The hosting club is responsible for posting all scores and payouts, which is based off the ASA payout scale. BHA will provide you a packet of information containing all information necessary to properly execute the Trail Shoot as well as a move up list form the year before. The hosting Chapter must also provide Awards to every qualified class. The BHA SOY Trail (SOYT) shoots will be held in March, May, July and the State Championship in August. Fees will be $30 for all payout possible classes regardless of number of participants; and shall be split as follows $15 retained by hosting Chapter, $10 to use for payback and $5 for BHA for the Championship Series/State Championship only. Entry fees for all non-payout possible classes at SOYT legs and Championship will be $10 and will be split $5 for the chapter, $5 for BHA. The Hosting chapter of each SOYT leg and Championship is responsible for all money collection, payout, and score posting. Shoots will be 2 days with casual starts. Last card out time to be determined by the Hosting Chapter. Any class with 4 or less shooters, there will be no award for that Adult Class. Payback will follow ASA payback schedule for the current year.
BHA State Shooter of the Year (SOY) will be a cumulative score of two Championship Series Zone Shoots and the State Championship. Example shooter may shoot all three trail shoots plus state, but only two highest scores plus State will count for SOY. To be eligible for BHA SOY you must be a paid member at or before the State Championship of the Year.

No chapter shoots are to be scheduled on the same days as SOYT Leg, Bow-up, Bowmania, or State Championship without prior approval of the Executive Board. Approvals will be given within reason according to location and timing.
Officers, Zone Directors, and Chapter Presidents should plan to attend and man 1 state event (Bow-up, Bowmania, or other state event if scheduled) for approximately 2 hours or more each year. Each one that puts forth the effort to “give back” will be recognized at the State Banquet in August.

Section X – Bowhunter of the Year

Each chapter is required to submit 1 nominee from each of the following categories; male, female, and youth to their respective Zone Director. Zone Directors will meet or otherwise have chapters in their zone vote on their nominees. Zone Directors will then each present 1 from each category at the May Board meeting. Youth Bowhunter of the year shall be nominees less than 16 years of age during the current membership year.

In effect on this the 1st day of February, 2019.

______________________________________ Walt Pittman, President

______________________________________ William Chapman, Vice President

______________________________________ Sabrina Chapman, Secretary

______________________________________Chris Vainrib, Treasurer