Revised July 13, 2007

 

SOUTHWEST SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION OF THE DEAF, INC.

 

CONSTITUTION

 

 

ARTICLE ONE – NAME

 

1.1        NAME

The name of the Association shall be the Southwest Softball Association of the Deaf      (SWSAD).

 

1.2        NON–PROFIT CORPORATION

The Association is incorporated under the State of Texas Non-Profit Corporation Act.

 

 

ARTICLE TWO – OBJECTIVES

 

2.1        OBJECTIVES

            The objectives of the Association are:

2.1.1     To promote, foster and regulate uniform rules of softball competition among deaf persons

             through cooperation efforts by autonomous clubs and independent teams of the deaf in

Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, environs of Memphis, Tennessee and

Texas.

2.1.2     To promote and protect the mutual interest of the member organizations.

2.1.3     To promote annual regional softball tournament of the deaf.

2.1.4     To maintain affiliation with the National Softball Association of the Deaf (NSAD) in order

to participate in its national softball tournament and world deaf softball competitions.

2.1.5     To promote deaf awareness by dissemination of general information and by any other

             means permissible by law to the public.

2.1.6     To improve and maintain the standards of the softball among the deaf to the point where

             they can gain and hold respect in competition with other hearing softball teams.

 

 

ARTICLE THREE – ARTICLE OF AMENDEMENT

 

3.1        The organization is organized exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, and scientific purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501 © (3) of the Internal Revenue code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

3.2        No part of the net earning of the organization shall insure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except the organization shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes as set forth in the purpose clause hereof. No substantial part of the activities of the organization shall be the carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the organization shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign or behalf of any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision of this document, the organization shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by an organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501 © (3) of Internal Revenue code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or (b) by an organization, contribution to which are deductible under section 170 © (2) of Internal Revenue code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

ARTICLE FOUR – OFFICERS

 

4.1        SWSAD EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

The four (4) SWSAD Executive Officers are Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner,  Secretary-Treasurer, and Information Director.

 

4.2        SWSAD COMMISSIONER REPRESENTATIVE

            The SWSAD Commissioner shall represent SWSAD on the NSAD's House of Delegate

            and/or Executive Council meetings.

 

4.3        ELECTION OF OFFICERS

4.3.1     The SWSAD Officers shall be elected by ballot and majority vote at the SWSAD general

business meeting during the SWSAD softball tournament.

4.3.2     Each Officer shall serve for a term of three (3) years or until the next successor is elected

             and qualified. The term shall be from October 1st to September 30th.

 

4.4        INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS

            Each Officer shall be administered the oath at an installation ceremony: "Do you solemnly

             swear to uphold the Constitution, By-laws, Rules and Regulations and Policies of the

             SWSAD; to faithfully perform the duties of your office to the best of your ability; to be firm,

             yet fair, to all; to work diligently at all times toward the betterment of the SWSAD?". Each

             newly sworn officer is to respond affirmatively: "I do".

 

 

ARTICLE FIVE – MEETINGS

 

5.1        ANNUAL SWSAD BUSINESS MEETING

5.1.1     The annual SWSAD general business meeting shall be held during annual SWSAD

softball tournament at times designated as not to conflict with the scheduled games.

5.1.2     The quorum for SWSAD general business meeting shall be least one-tenth (1/10) of the representatives from the clubs, independent, delegate-at-large, and majority of the SWSAD Executive Committee.

5.1.3     Each Officer, club and independent representative and delegate-at-large shall have one (1) vote each.

5.1.4     Any person who is representative or player of one (1) club and/or independent shall not

allow as representative for a different club and/or independent.

5.1.5     The elections of SWSAD Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, Secretary-Treasurer,

and Information Director shall be conducted at the SWSAD general business meeting.

 

5.2        SWSAD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING

5.2.1     There shall be regular Executive Committee meeting at the annual SWSAD business

meeting. The Committee shall carry out its duties and powers as prescribed in the

SWSAD by-laws at this meeting.

5.2.2     The Executive Committee may meet during the annual SWSAD softball tournament on

             the call of the SWSAD Commissioner.

5.2.3     The Executive Committee may vote by mail, TTY, fax, e-mail or instant messenger

(computer) for collective decisions on urgent matters at such times the Committee when the whole cannot meet.

 

 

ARTICLE SIX – AMENDMENTS

 

6.1        AMENDMENTS

The SWSAD Constitution may be amended by two-third (2/3) vote of the club and   independent representatives present and voting at the annual SWSAD general business meeting held during the SWSAD softball tournament.

6.2        ADVANCE NOTICE

The SWSAD Deputy Commissioner shall notify the SWSAD Executive Committee, club,  and independent representatives of the proposed amendments at least thirty (30) days prior to the annual SWSAD general business meeting held during the SWSAD softball tournament.

 

6.3        REVISION AND UPDATE AND REPRINT

The SWSAD Constitution, By-laws, Softball Rules-Regulations, All-Tournament Ballot System and Hall of Fame Policies shall be revised, updated and reprint every year.

 

 

ARTICLE SEVEN – DISSOLUTION

 

7.1        GENERAL PROCEDURE

SWSAD, which is organized as non-profit corporate; therefore, it does not contemplate    pecuniary gain or profit to the members. On the winding up and dissolution of the corporate, after payment of or adequate provision for the debts and obligations of the corporate which are organized and operated exclusively for charitable, religious and/or scientific purposes and which have stabled their tax-exempt status under section 501 © (3) of the Internal Revenue code, shall be carried out to be determined by the Executive Committee.