By-Laws
Arkansas Bowhunters Association By-Laws
Revised September 20, 2015
ARTICLE I – NAME
The name of the organization shall be Arkansas Bowhunters Association, Inc (ABA).
ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP
A. MEMBER: A Membership shall be granted to anyone who has reached the age of 16 and has paid dues to the Association. All Memberships are considered family memberships. Family is defined as members of the immediate family living at home (any family member 16 or older, other than the spouse, will need to have their own membership). A member is privileged to: 1. Participate in all ABA functions; 2. Vote; 3. Have the option to become a Life Member; 4. Receive all official publications of the ABA; 5. Hold office in a resident of Arkansas.
B. LIFE MEMBER: any current Member is entitled to a Life Membership by paying a set fee. All Life Members are considered family memberships. A Life Member shall be entitled to all the privileges of a Member at no additional cost, in addition to a numbered wall plaque, a Life Membership card and a Life crescent.
C. HONORARY LIFE MEMBERSHIP: An Honorary Life Membership may be granted to any Member, who in the opinion of the entire Executive Committee, is deserving of the honor. All are family memberships. Privileges are the same as a Life Member.
D. JUNIOR MEMBERSHIP: A Junior Membership shall be granted to any person under the age of 16 who is sponsored by a Member of the Association. Family members under the age of 16 are Junior Members. Junior Members shall have the same privileges as a Member except for voting and holding office.
E. Loss of Membership and Privileges: The Executive Committee may suspend or expel any member who is guilty of acts unbecoming a sportsman, acts of willful game violation, and/or acts unbecoming to a member of the ABA by a unanimous vote of those present at a regular scheduled Executive Committee meeting. The regularly scheduled meeting must have a quorum present. If the person subject to suspension is a member of the Executive Committee, then that person will not have a vote in determining unanimous approval.
ARTICLE III – EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
A. The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Immediate Past President, and Field Governors.
B. The Executive Committee shall control and manage the ABA’s activities, policies, and property.
C. The Executive Committee shall meet four times each year during March, once between May 1 and July 31; September, and once between November 1 and January 31; and by called meeting either by phone or letter of the President or a majority of the Executive Committee. All meetings will be conducted by Robert’s Rule of Order. All Executive Committee members are required to attend at least 50% of the meetings.
D. All actions of the Executive Committee shall be conducted by mail directed to the Secretary or by a vote of the Executive Committee in an Executive Committee meeting. If the vote is taken by mail, the Secretary and President, or appointee, shall count the ballots and a simple majority of the entire Executive Committee shall decide the question. The Secretary shall submit the report to the President, who shall declare the vote as an official action of the Executive Committee.
E. 1) A vacancy in the office of President, Vice-President, Secretary, or Treasurer shall be filed by appointment made by the Executive Committee for the unexpired term of the office vacated. 2) The President shall appoint a Field Governor in the event of a vacancy in the district. The appointment is subject to approval by the Executive Committee at its next meeting.
F. The Executive Committee, by a majority vote of all committee members, may remove any Officer or Field Governor who refuses to cooperate with the Executive Committee or abide by its decision.
G. A quorum shall be considered a majority of the entire Executive Committee.
ARTICLE IV – OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES
A. The officers shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
1. President: The President shall preside at meetings of the Executive Committee and the ABA, unless absent, where the authority to preside is rendered to the Vice-President. The President shall be responsible for the execution of all directives of the ABA and the Executive Committee. The President shall be the spokesperson for the ABA and shall be given the power to appoint standing committees and handle developing the activities which will accomplish the purpose of the ABA. The President is responsible for having a representative as the spokesperson for the ABA at all pertinent Arkansas Game and Fish meetings. The President shall solicit memberships.
2. Vice-President: The Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President if the President is absent or unable to perform the duties of the office. The Vice-President is responsible for the proper preparation of the range for all ABA functions and shall function as range captain for ABA shoots and be the final authority for all disputes regarding shooting rules, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee. The Vice-President is responsible for procuring the awards to be presented to the winners at all ABA shoots. The Vice-President shall solicit memberships.
3. Secretary: The Secretary shall keep all records of the ABA and the Executive Committee, shall submit the minutes of those meetings to the Executive Committee, and shall be responsible for the official publication of the ABA; shall see that each member of the Executive Committee has a copy of the By-Laws; shall perform the duties incidental to the office, and shall present a year-end report at the Annual Business Meeting. The Secretary will arrange all affairs of the office in such a manner that the records of the ABA may be returned immediately and without litigation in the event of death or incapacitation. The Secretary shall be responsible for soliciting door prizes to be presented at designated ABA functions. The Secretary shall solicit memberships.
4. Treasurer: The Treasurer shall receive all monies; shall keep an accurate account of all monetary transactions; shall perform all duties incidental to the office, shall present a financial report at each Executive Committee meeting, and shall present a year-end report at the Annual Business Meeting. The Treasurer shall arrange all affairs of the office in such a manner that the records of the ABA may be returned immediately and without litigation in the event of death or incapacitation. The Treasurer shall have the responsibility for the concessions at all ABA shoots and functions. The Treasurer shall solicit memberships.
B. All checks issued by the ABA must be signed by two of the four officers.
ARTICLE V – FIELD GOVERNORS
A. Field Governor shall represent the members in a given geographical district of the state. A Field Governor shall serve on the Executive Committee; represent the district’s members by directing pertinent information to the Executive Committee. A Field Governor is to contribute to Bowhunter education and communication within the district. A Field Governor shall solicit memberships.
B. There shall be two Field Governors representing each district. The number of Districts shall be no less than the current number of districts as prescribed by the United States House of Representatives. The geographical boundaries of the district shall be determined by a majority vote of the entire Executive Committee.
ARTICLE VI – ELECTIONS AND TERM OF OFFICE
A. Elections of Officers and Field Governors will be from nominations and by written, online, email, absentee, and/or early ballot, which will be counted at the Annual Business Meeting. A ballot must be signed to be valid. Candidates are allowed to run for one office and Field Governor at the same time. If elected to both positions, the officer’s position will prevail.
B. The term of all officers is two years. The President and Treasurer shall be elected in the odd number years. The Vice-President and Secretary shall be elected in even number years. Terms shall run from October 1 of the year elected until September 30, two years hence.
C. The term of office for Field Governors shall be two years and running from October 1 of the year elected until September 30, two years hence.
D. The President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be members in good standing for at least two years immediately preceding their taking office. Field Governors shall also be members in good standing.
ARTICLE VII – FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal of the ABA shall begin on September 1, each year for financial accounting purposes. For all other purposes, the fiscal year will begin on October 1, and run through September 30.
ARTICLE VIII – DUES AND FEES
A. MEMBERS – $15.00; LIFE MEMBERS – $350; HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS – $0; and JUNIOR MEMBER – $0
B. Fees for Shoots shall be established by the Executive Committee.
C. Any Member delinquent in the payment of dues shall not be eligible to vote or participate in any activity of the ABA.
D. All dues-paying memberships shall run until the end of the twelfth month following the date paid.
ARTICLE IX – ANNUAL MEETING AND SHOOTS
A. The Fall Shoot shall be held no later than the third Sunday of September.
B. The Spring Shoot shall be held on the weekend of the third Sunday of March and may include a Spring Banquet.
C. The Annual Business Meeting shall be held no later than the weekend of the third Sunday of September.
D. The time and place for the Annual Business Meeting, Fall Shoot, and Spring Shoot shall be set by the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE X – ALTERATION AND AMENDMENTS TO THESE BY-LAWS
A. The By-Laws may be amended by a 2/3 majority vote of all members with voting privileges present at the Annual Business Meeting or responding to a mail-out ballot.
B. Only written, online, email, absentee, and/or early ballots will be presented at the Annual Business Meeting on amendments or alterations submitted to the Executive Committee and approved by a majority of the Executive Committee at a regularly scheduled meeting or at a special called meeting by the President. All ballots must be signed by the member casting the vote.
C. A mail-out (absentee, and/or early) ballot shall be mailed to all members with voting privileges by the Secretary. All ballots postmarked within three weeks after the mailing date and signed by the voter will be counted. The Secretary and the President, or appointee, shall count the ballots in the presence of one or more other members of the Executive Committee and the Secretary shall submit a record of the vote to the President who in turn will declare the vote an official action of the members. Acceptance or rejection shall then be published.
ARTICLE XI – CLUB AFFILIATION AMENDED 8/23/2005
A. Any archery or bowhunting club may become an affiliate of the ABA by meeting the requirements set forth by the Executive Committee.
B. Requirements include but are not limited to the following:
1. Submission of a complete club membership list
C. Rights of Club Affiliation include but are not limited to the following:
1. Entry of a team in the team completion at the Spring and Fall shoot at no additional cost.
2. Submit a club member as a candidate for Bowhunter of the Year.
3. Club is entitled to a one-time 1/3 page add in the ABA magazine at no additional cost.
ARTICLE XII – AWARDS
A. MEMBER OF THE YEAR: The Executive Committee shall determine the ‘Member of the Year’ at the September Executive Committee Meeting by majority vote. Each candidate shall be a member in good standing for one year and shall have exemplified themselves as an outstanding representative of the ABA. The announcement of the winner shall be made at the Annual Business Meeting and shall be presented at the following Spring Shoot or Spring Banquet.
B. BOWHUNTER OF THE YEAR: The Executive Committee shall determine the ‘Bowhunter of the Year’ award from nominations submitted by affiliated clubs and nominations at large at the September Executive Committee Meeting. An announcement will be made at the Annual Business Meeting including but not limited to the following:
1. A member in good standing for no less than one year.
2. A hunter with a successful harvest of game in the state of Arkansas.
3. All game must be taken in an ethical manner according to the rule of fair chase.
4. Point system adopted by the Executive Committee.
C. SHOOTER OF THE YEAR: The Executive Committee shall determine the ‘Shooter of the Year’ at the September Executive Committee Meeting by the best total shooters score of the 3 ABA tournaments. You must attend all 3 tournaments to qualify. Each candidate shall be a member in good standing for one year and shall have exemplified themselves as an outstanding representative of the ABA. The announcement of the winner shall be made at the Annual Business Meeting and shall be presented at the following Spring Shoot or Spring Banquet.