AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary 0035 Bylaws and Standing Rules Revised 01/07/2025 Approved 01/26/2025


BYLAWS AMVETS LADIES AUXILIARY 0035 CRESTVIEW, FLORIDA Article I: Name The name of this organization shall be AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary 0035, Department of Florida. Article II: Objective The objective of this organization shall be to further the AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary programs according to the principles of Department Bylaws and AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary Constitution and to aid in the fulfillment of the aims and purposes of AMVETS, our parent organization. Nothing herein shall be in conflict with the Constitution of AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary. All meetings, including committee meetings, are open meetings except those of the Appeals Board and Grievance Committee or unless specified that the meeting is in "executive session." ARTICLE Ill: Membership Section 1: The rules of eligibility for membership shall be the same as set forth in the AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary Constitution. Eligibility for membership in the AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary shall be limited to the mothers, wives, grandmothers, and widows regardless of age, and daughters, stepdaughters, sisters and granddaughters, not less than 18 years of age, of regular members of AMVETS; and to the mothers, and widows, regardless of age, of deceased veterans who would have been eligible for membership in AMVETS, and to the daughters, sisters and granddaughters, not less than 18 years of age, of deceased veterans who would have been eligible for membership in AMVETS. Acceptable proof of eligibility is the DD214 of veteran, id, and proof of relationship.
If joining under a veteran from another AMVETS Post, a copy of their current membership card is also required. If the veteran is deceased acceptable proof of eligibility is DD214, proof of relationship, and death certificate is required. Section 2: New Membership applications and transfers shall be presented to the body at monthly meetings and applicants voted on prior to acceptance. Acceptance will by majority vote. Section 3: Cards will be mailed out upon receipt from Department headquarters. Section 4: A member shall be allowed to transfer only once every TWELVE (12) months. No person shall be a member of more than one Auxiliary. Section 5: The membership year is the calendar year: January 1 through December 31. All annual and honorary membership expires on December 31. When a NEW member joins after June 1 and pays the annual membership fee their membership is good through December 31 of the following year. All annual dues must be paid as depicted above to remain a member in good standing. Failure to pay your membership by December 31 will result in termination of membership. Section 6: A candidate for honorary membership must have supported and worked with Auxiliary for a period of six (6) months before being nominated for honorary membership. Section 7: Honorary membership shall be for one (1) membership year. Honorary members must remain active in the Auxiliary to maintain honorary status. At the December meeting each year, the membership chairman shall call for a vote to renew or decline each current honorary member. Section 8: A member in good standing shall be defined as any member, whose current dues are paid in full as set In Article III; Section 4, has no other monetary obligation to this Auxiliary, Department, or National and meets the criteria set in Article X; Section 2 ARTICLE IV: Dues Section 1: Annual dues of this Auxiliary shall be $40.00 of which the appropriate amount shall be sent to the Department of Florida for proper distribution. Section 2: Life membership shall be $500.00 of which the appropriate amount shall be sent to the Department of Florida for proper distribution. Section 3: When National and/or Department increase their dues, this Auxiliary shall raise dues accordingly. Section 4: A charge of $15.00 shall be assessed for an Annual replacement card and a charge of $25.00 shall be assessed for a Life member replacement card to be sent to the Department of Florida for proper distribution. Section 5: Dues for Honorary membership shall be $40.00 of which the appropriate amount shall be sent to the Department of Florida for proper distribution. A charge of $15.00 shall be assessed for a replacement card.




Article V: Officers Section 1: The President is the executive leader of the Local. 1. She shall preside over the Local. The President with the approval of the Executive Board shall appoint all such officers as deemed necessary, i.e., Secretary, Chaplain, SEC Council woman, Parliamentarian, Americanism Chair, Hospital Chair, Scholarship Chair, Sgt-At-Arms, etc. 2. She shall preside over regularly scheduled meetings and may call special meetings with reasonable notice to consider specific matters. 3. She shall serve as an ex-officio member of all committees, except Grievance; Appeals Board and Audit Committee. 4. She shall keep the Local First Vice President informed of all important and pending matters and situations. 5. She shall attend the AMVETS Trustees meetings to keep them informed of Auxiliary activities and request approval for any activities that we wish to hold at the Post home. 6. She shall answer roll call at the AMVETS general meetings and give a report of Auxiliary activities when called upon to do so. 7. If she is unable to attend a meeting, she shall inform her First Vice to attend in her absence and present her report. 8. She shall contact the Department President to be excused from the state meeting she cannot attend. 9. She shall perform any other duties that are required for this office as they arise. Section 2: The First Vice President shall serve as Membership Chairman. 1. She shall promote membership. 2. She shall complete the Dues Remittance forms and send them to Department Executive Secretary in a timely manner. 3. In the absence of the President, she shall assume the President's responsibilities. 4. She shall perform any other duties that are required for this office as they arise. Section 3: The Second Vice President shall serve as Child Welfare Chairman. 1. She shall chair all Children's Events and appoint a committee to help her. 2. She shall be responsible for chairing any fundraisers she holds for her programs and will appoint a committee to help her. 3. She shall perform any other duties that are required for this office as they arise. Section 4: Third Vice President shall serve as Community Service Chairman. 1. She shall be responsible for chairing any fundraisers she holds for her programs and will appoint a committee to help her. 2. She shall perform any other duties that are required for this office as they arise. Section 5: Other Service Officers - Hospital, Scholarship and Americanism - shall serve as Chair of her specific committee. 1. She shall be responsible for chairing any fundraisers she holds for her programs and will appoint a committee to help her. 2. She shall perform any other duties that are required for this office as they arise. Section 6: The Secretary shall tape minutes of all meetings and transcribe same prior to regularly scheduled meetings and shall forward to the President for her approval prior to meeting. 1. She shall keep a roster of all members of the Executive Committee. 2. She shall conduct the roll calls. 3. She shall be responsible for all incoming correspondence and any other requests by the President pertaining to the office, including letters to non-compliant members. 4. She shall send the revalidation form to the Department Headquarters immediately following the May meeting and when any officer’s position is changed, she shall send two copies of a new revalidation to the Headquarters within ten (10) days. 5. She shall perform any other duties that are required for this office as they arise.
Section 7: The Treasurer shall be responsible of all Auxiliary funds. 1. She shall prepare and sign checks, disburse funds of the Auxiliary with approval. 2. All checks must have two (2) approved signatures. 3. No checks for reimbursement will be written without a dated receipt. 4. She shall be the Chair of the Finance committee and prepare all budgets. 5. She shall distribute a printed financial report at every regularly scheduled meeting. 6. She shall file IRS form 990 to the IRS for fiscal year June 1 to May 31 in a timely manner. 7. The books of the Treasurer and financial records of this Auxiliary shall be audited by the Finance Committee. The President shall appoint the Finance Committee and it shall consist of a minimum of three (3) members. The Finance committee shall do an audit every six {6) months. The finance committee may present an annual budget to the membership for approval. 8. She shall perform any other duties that are required for this office as they arise. Section 8: The Chaplain shall offer prayer at the opening and closing of all meetings. 1. She shall send cards of condolence or get well wishes from the Auxiliary as the need arises. 2. She shall drape the charter for deceased members. 3. She shall perform any other duties that are required for this office as they arise. Section 9: The SEC Woman shall attend all SEC meetings or schedule her alternate to attend in her absence. 1. She shall perform any other duties that are required for this office as they arise. 2. She shall contact the Department President to be excused from the state meeting she cannot attend. Section 10: If any officer (elected or appointed} misses two (2) consecutive meetings, unexcused, she may be replaced at the next regular meeting. Article VI: Executive Board Section 1: The Executive Board shall consist of all elected officers, the Immediate Past President and the Parliamentarian. Section 2: The Executive Board shall have the authority to make emergency decisions involving financial matters providing they have approval of at least four members of the board. Article VII: Executive Committee Section 1: The Executive Committee shall be all elected and appointed officers, and chairs of standing committees. Section 2: The Executive Committee shall be charged with the administrative affairs and property of this Auxiliary. The President shall be chairman of the Executive Committee. Article VIII: Nominations Section 1: All Nominations shall be made from the floor at the meeting in April, followed by final nominations and elections at the meeting In May. Section 2: Installations of Officers will be held at the close of the annual meeting in May. The outgoing President shall select the installing officer with the consent of the newly elected President. Section 3: A roster of newly elected officers shall be forwarded by the Auxiliary Secretary to the Executive Secretary of the AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary Department of Florida. Section 4: All newly elected Officers shall assume their duties at the next meeting following installation as outlined in the Constitution. Article IX: Elections Section 1: The Auxiliary shall elect a President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Third Vice President, and Treasurer. Section 2: Members shall have attended at least three (3) regularly scheduled meetings of the current fiscal year to be eligible to vote in the elections in May. Section 3: When a new officer is elected, the outgoing officer must turn over all equipment, manuals or other materials pertaining to the position to the incoming officer per our bylaws. If she does not do so within the 30-day period, she will be a member not in good standing and shall lose all membership privileges until she has complied. Article X: Meetings Section 1: At regularly scheduled meetings, six (6) members in good standing, of which three (3) must be an elected officer shall constitute a quorum. Section 2: Regularly scheduled meetings of this Auxiliary shall be held beginning at 6:30 PM on the first Tuesday of each month. The annual meeting shall be held in May. Section 3: Special Meetings may be called by the President or any four (4) members of the Executive Board. Notification of Special Meetings may be by telephone, email, or mail (if time permits). Section 4: Everyone attending a regularly scheduled meeting shall sign in. Article XI: Delegates Section 1: Election of delegates to State Convention shall be elected from members that will be attending convention and are in good standing with the Auxiliary. Section 2: Registration will be paid only for members who have attended at least three (3) of the previous four regularly scheduled local Auxiliary meetings in the current fiscal year. Members wishing to attend must notify the President of their intentions to attend before the cutoff date for early registration. Section 3: If pre-registration is paid by the Auxiliary and the member does not attend all meetings while there, or if she does not attend the SEC/Convention at all, she shall be required to reimburse the Auxiliary the cost of registration and any other fees incurred. Section 4: This Auxiliary shall make a diligent effort to see that it is represented by a delegation or a member (in good standing) to the SEC meetings and state convention. Article XII: Allowances Section 1: If funds are available, the Auxiliary will pay for one (1) night’s hotel room for the President and one (1) night’s hotel room for the SEC woman. If one or the other does not attend the SEC/Convention then the one attending will receive both nights paid. The SEC Woman shall receive a $50.00 expense allowance. No other monetary compensation will be paid.
Section 2: If funds are available, provided that room is not funded by other sources, this Auxiliary will pay for one (1) hotel room for every two (2) officers and/or delegates to attend the SEC meetings in October, February, and the June convention with the stipulation that they attend the Friday opening session, the Saturday and Sunday business sessions, the awards ceremony and the training session. If all of these sessions are not attended, the delegate will be required to reimburse this Auxiliary the cost of said room and will lose all membership privileges until said funds are paid. No other monetary compensation will be paid. Sections 3: The Auxiliary may hold fundraisers to pay for the hotel rooms or other expenses upon presentation of receipts for the ladies attending the SEC/Convention. Each individual attending state meetings shall be involved in the raising of funds. Article XIII: Amendments Section 1: Proposed Bylaws amendments shall be read twice before action may be taken. Section 2: These By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members in good standing and present at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Auxiliary, provided they have been presented at a prior regular business meeting and voted on at the second regular meeting. Article XIV: Discipline, Section 1: All Discipline shall be handled in compliance with the Department and/or National Grievance procedures as outlined in Article XII, Section 1, in the AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary Constitution on page 18. Section 2: The Grievance procedure shall be followed as outlined in Article XII, Section 2, in the AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary Constitution on pages 18 - 20. Section 3: The Rights of Appeal procedure shall be followed as outlined in Article XII, Section 3, in the AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary Constitution on pages 20 - 22. Article XV: Electronic Meetings Section 1: All Electronic Meetings for Department, District, and Local Auxiliaries shall be followed as outlined in Article XIV in the AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary Constitution on pages 25 - 26. Article XVI: Rules Section 1: Roberts Rules of Order, revised, shall govern the business of this Auxiliary not covered in AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary Department of Florida, and the Local By-Laws. These By-Laws have been revised and approved on the floor of Auxiliary 0035 on this 7th day of January 2025.


Standing Rules 1. Members providing items for a function will not be reimbursed unless prior approval for the expenditure has been given by the membership at any regularly scheduled meeting. Any member requesting reimbursement must submit dated receipts before reimbursement can be made. 2. Flowers shall be sent only in the case of hospitalization of a member or in the case of a death in the immediate family. Cost of said flowers will be determined by the minimal charge in effect at the time of need. Immediate family shall consist of husband, child, stepchild, mother, father, mother- in-law, father-in-law, brother, and sister. 3. There will be no smoking allowed at regularly scheduled meetings. 4. Any member who has a check returned by the bank for any reason shall be charged any bank fees incurred by this auxiliary as a result of the return. Said member will be a member not in good standing until check and fees are paid. 5. Standing rules may be amended by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members in good standing and present at a regularly scheduled Auxiliary meeting.