CONSTITUTION

of  the

FLORIN   CHAPTER

JAPANESE  AMERICAN  CITIZENS  LEAGUE

PREAMBLE

            WE, AMERICAN CITIZENS OF JAPANESE ANCESTRY RESIDING IN AND AROUND THE VICINITY OF FLORIN, CALIFORNIA, in order to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America and the principles for which it stands against all enemies, foreign and domestic; to foster and spread the true spirit of Americanism; to build the character of our people morally, spiritually and socially on American ideals and traditions; to speed the ultimate and complete assimilation of the Japanese American into the American cultural patern; to promote the welfare and aid in the development of all Americans of Japanese extraction as an integral and inseperable part of the national life; and to enjoy the priveleges and benefits of the National Organization; ESTABLISH THIS CONSTITUTION FOR THE FLORIN CHAPTER OF THE JAPANESE AMERICAN CITIZENS LEAGUE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

ARTICLE  I

            Section 1.   The name of this organization shall be the Florin Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens league of the nited States of America.  the official abbreviation of the name of this league shall be Florin JACL.

            Section 2.   The Headquarter of this Chapter shall be in the city of Florin , State of Claifornia , unless otherwise provided by the general membership.

ARTICLE  II

            Section 1. The policy of this Chapter shall be to activate, sponsor, and promote the program of action of the National Organization in this area and to initiate such other projects as may be of service to the local community.

            Section 2.   the policy of this Chapter, too, shall be non-prtisan and non-sectarian in nature. This organization shall not be used for purposes of officially endorsing candidates for public offices; nor shall it engage in any other political activity whatsoever, including recomendations on legislative bills, except and unless the welfare and/or civil rights of the American Citizens of Japanese ancestry shall be directly influenced or affected.

ARTICLE   III

            Section 1.   The sole object of this chapter shall be to promote, sponsor, and encourage any and all programs, projects and activities which shall be designated to further the two national slogans of this League: (1) "For Better Americans in a Greater America", and (2) "Security Through Unity".

            Section 2.   This organization shall encourage every member to faithfully perform his duties and his obligations as a citizen and to participate actively in sharing the common lot and life of all Americans as an American and as a member of the State of California and the community of Florin  

ARTICLE  IV

            Section 1.   The membership of this chapter shall be composed of two classes, active and honorary, who are eighteen years of age or more and who shall have agreed to comply with and abide by the Constitution and By-Laws of this organization.

            Section 2.   Active members shall be American Citizens who have paid their annual dues and shall receive the National Active Membership Card from the National Headquarter of our League, and shall have the right to vote on all matters brought before this chapter for its consideration and to enjoy the rights, priveleges, immunities, and opportunities of active membership in this chapter.

            Section 3.   Honarary members shall be composed of non-citizens who shall have paid their annual local chapter dues, but will not be eligible to hold any offices except in advisory capacities.

ARTICLE  V

            Section 1.   The executive and legislative powers of this chapter shall be vested in a Board of Governors which shall act by and with the consent of the general membership.

            Section 2.   The Board of Governors shall be composed of the curent elected officers of the chapter and the immediate past Presidents, except when there shall be more than three past Presidents eligible to serve on the aforementioned Board, the President who shall have served the longest consecutive term as a past President on the Board shall be automatically retired. This means that at no time shall there be more than three immediate past Presidents on the board. This section shall not be construed to the effect that Presidents of this chapter shall not be eligible for re-election, or that any past Presidents shall not be eligible for any elected office in this chapter.

            Section 3.   The elective officers shall be the President, three Vice-Presidents, designated as the First Vice-President, the Second Vice-President, and Third Vice-President, the Recording Secretary, the Corresponding Secretary, the Treasurer, the Assistant Treasurer, the Official Delegate, the Alternate Delegate, the Historian, Member at Large, and Sergeant of Arms.

            Section 4.   the Board of Governors shall meet in executive and legislative session at least once a month, or upon the call of the President or the written request of ten or more members of the chapter; said meetings of the Board shall be open to any and all of the general membership of the chapter, unless specifically provided otherwise.

            Section 5.   The quorum necessary to conduct the business of the Board of Governors shall be a majority of the members thereof.

ARTICLE  VI

            Section 1.   The duties of the President shall be to preside at all meetings of the Board of Governors and all meetings and functions of the general membership, unless otherwise provided; to supervise affairs of the chapter by and with the approval of the Board of Governors and the general membership; to represent this organization at any and all meetings to which this chapter may be invited, or to appoint a suitable person in his stead; and to serve as an official delegate to meetings of the National Council and District Council.

            Section 2.   The duties for the various Vice-Presidents shall be those tasks which may be assigned to them from time to time by the Board of Governors, the President, or the general membership, except that the First-Vice President shall, in addition to other duties, act in the place of the President when he shall be absent and shall assume the office and duties of the President for the remainder of the term should a vacancy occur in that office.

            Section 3.   The duties of the Recording Secretary shall be those usually incident to this office and whatever other tasks may be assigned from time to time by the Board of Governors, the President, or the general membership.

            Section 4.   The duties of the Corresponding Secretary shall be those usually incident to this office and whatever other tasks may be assigned from time to time by the Board of Governors, the President, or the general membership.

            Section 5.   The duties of the Treasurer shall be those usually incident to this office and whatever other tasks may be assigned from time to time by the Board of Governors, the President, or the general membership. The Treasurer shall submit a report to the general membership and the public at least once every six months and his books shall always be open for the inspection for any and all members.

            Section 6.   The duties of the Assistant Treasurer shall be to assist the Treasurer and to assume his duties during his absence.

            Section 7.   The duties of the Official Delegates shall be to accompany the President to all meetings of the National council or the District Council and to represent the chapter at any and all such meetings, as well ass such other tasks may be assigned from time to time by the Board of Governors, the President, or the general membership.

            Section 8.   The duties of the Alternate Delegate shall be to act in the place of the President or the Official Delegate when either or both of the Official Delegates shall not be able to attend a session of the National Council or the District Council, as well as such other tasks as may be assigned them individually or jointly from time to time by the Board of Governors, the President, or the general membership.

            Section 9.   The duties of the Historian shall be to keep a running account of the activities and programs of the chapter in minute details including the keeping of a scrapbook of all newspaper clippings dealing with the chapter and its work, and whatever other duties may be assigned from time to time by the Board of Governors, the President, or the general membership. At the end of each calendar year, the Historian shall draw up and submit to the Board of Governors a detailed history of the chapter for the year: And shall be elected for a term of two years.

            Section 10.  The duties of the Sergeant at Arms shall be to make arrangements for all meeting places, and all other duties assigned to him from time to time by the Board of Governors, the President, and the general membership.

            Section 11.  The Board of Governors shall appoint active members to all vacancies which shall occur among elective officers and such appointees shall serve until the next election, except in the case of a vacancy in the office of President when the First Vice-President shall assume the office and duties of the President until the next election.  

ARTICLE VII

            Section 1.   The election of officers shall be annually, on or before the last general meeting of the calendar year.

            Section 2.   The tenure of the office shall be from the first of January to the thirty-first of December, or until their duly qualified successors shall have been inducted into office.

            Section 3.   The elections shall be by secret ballot prepared by the recording secretary and including candidates of the Nominations Committee, duly recognized nominations from the floor and blank spaces for “write-in” candidates who may be the choice of the member-voter.

            Section 4.   The Nominations Committee shall be appointed by the Board of Governors at least three meetings before the election meeting of the chapter and shall consist of as many members as the Board of Governors deem necessary and proper. This committee shall submit its list of candidates for the various offices to the general membership at the regular meeting before the elections. At this time, nominations from the floor shall be in order. The official list of candidates on the ballot shall be composed of the candidates of the Nominations committee and the nominations from the floor.

            Section 5.   the Board of Governors shall appoint two active members, neither of whom shall be a candidate for any office, to supervise the elections and to act as tellers.

ARTICLE  IIX

            Section 1.   the officers of this chapter shall be subject to removal of impeachment for misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance in office, provided that the Board of Governors, after careful investigation, present the case at a regular meeting of the organization and the general membership by a three-fourths majority vote adjudge the officer on trial as being guilty of the charges preferred against him.

            Section 2.   The Constitution and By-Laws of this chapter shall be subject to amendment  at regular meetings of the organiztion, provided that the Board of Governors shall have approved the proposed amendments by three-fourths majority vote and provided further that the general membership shall have been informed of the proposed amendment at least one meeting before it shall be brought up for a vote.

            Section 3.   the majority vote of  three-fourths of the general membership present at a regular meeting shall be necessary to pass an amendment to this constitution.

            Section 4. The majority vote of two-thirds of the general membership present at a regular meeting shall be necessary to pass an amendment to the By-Laws.  

BY-LAWS

ARTICLE I

            Section 1.   regular meetings of this chapter shall be held at least once a month, at a time and place designated by the President who shall, one week in advance of the scheduled meeting, inform every active member at least one week in advance of the scheduled meeting. In emergency cases when in advance as is possible. The regular meetings of this chapter shall be held on the second Monday of each month at Florin beginning at 8 p.m. unless otherwise provided.

            Section 2. the annual membership dues shall be three dollars and fifty cents with a year’s subscription to the Pacific Citizen and one dollay without the year’s subscription to the national publication, payables by the first January of each year, unless otherwise provided.  

ARTICLE II

            Section 1.   Standing committees on Constitution, Finance and Budget, Issei Relations, Legal Matters, Legislative Matters, Membership, Nissei Veterans, Resolutions, Program and Activities shall be appointed by the President, by and with the approval of the Board of Governors.

            Section 2.   Special committees shall be appointed from time to time by the President, by and with the approval of the Board of Governors.

            Section 3. The membership, tenure, and scope of activities for the various committees shall be determined by the President, by and with the approval of t the Board of Governors.

ARTICLE III

            Section 1.   The Board of Governors shall not authorize any expenditures in excess of fifty dollars without obtaining prior approval of the general membership.