ARTICLE I: Name
The name of this corporation shall be the “New Hampshire State Chiropractic Society”, hereafter referred to as “the Society” or “NHSCS”.
ARTICLE II: Objectives
The objectives of this Society are:
SEC. 1. To promote straight chiropractic through the adjustment of the spinal column for the correction of vertebral subluxation; and
SEC. 2. To educate patients and the public in general to the benefits of chiropractic care in obtaining and maintaining a state of optimum health.
ARTICLE III: Membership
There will be five classifications of membership in this Society: executive, active, associate, honorary, and student, described as follows:
SEC. 1. EXECUTIVE MEMBER. Licensed by and practicing in the State of New Hampshire. This member shall have full voting privileges and may be elected to any office or appointed to any committee. Continuing education seminar fees are included in the annual dues.
SEC. 2. ACTIVE MEMBER. Licensed by and practicing in the State of New Hampshire. This member shall have full voting privileges and may be elected to any office or appointed to any committee.
SEC. 3. SUPPORTIVE FRIENDS OF NHSCS Open to any out of state or retired chiropractor, non-chiropractic spouse of a chiropractor, office staff member, or anyone interested in the Society’s objectives as written in Article II. This member has no voting privileges. They are not advertised on the website.
SEC. 4. HONORARY MEMBER. Any person the NHSCS Board of Directors chooses to honor for special services rendered to the cause of chiropractic. This member has no voting privileges.
SEC. 5. STUDENT MEMBER. Open to any chiropractic student while actively enrolled in chiropractic college. This member has no voting privileges.
SEC. 6. APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP. All applications for membership shall be submitted to the Treasurer of the Society together with such fees as the Bylaws may prescribe. The Treasurer shall then bring these applications to the Board of Directors for action according to the Bylaws. Chiropractors who are members of any other New Hampshire statewide chiropractic group whose objectives are found by the Board of Directors to be inconsistent with Article II of this Constitution must present proof of their resignation from such group when applying for membership to the NHSCS.
SEC. 7. SUSPENSION OF OR REJECTION FOR MEMBERSHIP. Any member may be suspended or any application rejected by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. Such suspension will be in effect until the next semi-annual general meeting of the Society at which time the suspended member shall be given a fair and impartial hearing. Final disposition shall be made by a vote of members by majority ruling. Ten days’ prior notice of this hearing shall be given to the members.
SEC. 8. MEMBERSHIP CERTIFICATE AND MEMBERSHIP CARD. Each executive, active, associate, and student member of the Society, having paid his dues, shall receive a certificate of membership from the Membership Director, signed by President and Secretary of the Society. With the exception of student members, this card shall be revalidated or reissued annually by the Membership Director, after the payment of dues as provided Article III of the Bylaws. Each reissued membership card shall be signed by the Secretary of the Society.
SEC. 9. Each member shall have access to a copy of the Constitution and Bylaws of this Society from the internet or from the Secretary with a written request within one month of the approval of his membership or within two months of any change to the Constitution or Bylaws.
SEC. 10. Chiropractors who do not hold as their primary objective the correction of vertebral subluxation shall not be eligible for membership in this Society.
ARTICLE IV: Officers and Duties
SEC. 1. The elected officers of this Society shall consist of a President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and four Directors. All officers and directors shall serve without compensation, except as otherwise provided herein. At each fall semi-annual meeting of the Society, the members shall elect all officers and two directors. Each officer shall serve a one-year term; each director shall serve for a period of two years or until his successor is elected. The President, 1st and 2nd Vice Presidents, Secretary, and Treasurer, by virtue of their offices, shall be members of the Board of Directors.
SEC. 2. DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT. The President shall be the executive officer of the Society and shall preside over all of its sessions and appoint all committees except as the Bylaws otherwise provide. He shall serve as chairman of the Board of Directors. He shall call emergency meetings of the Board of Directors as he deems necessary.
SEC. 3. DUTIES OF THE 1ST AND 2ND VICE PRESIDENTS. The 1st Vice President shall take charge when the President is incapacitated or unable to be present at any given meeting. The 2nd Vice President shall take over when both the President and the 1st Vice President are unavailable.
SEC. 4. DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY. The Secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings of all meetings of the Society, fall and spring semi-annual membership and Board of Directors, and shall have the custody of all the books and papers belonging to the Society, with the exception of financial records. S/he shall keep a list of all members’ names, addresses, and telephone numbers. S/he shall cause notice of all meetings of the Society to be sent to all members at least 10 days prior to the date specified. S/he shall submit a report of his office at each fall and spring semi-annual meeting of the Society and be prepared to make other reports as the Board of Directors might request. The Secretary shall send notice of said meeting, along with a copy of the preceding meeting’s minutes, to all Board members and to general members who request them.
SEC. 5. DUTIES OF THE TREASURER. The Treasurer shall keep a record of all the financial transactions of the Society. S/he shall maintain a list of all members’ names with their current and past dues records. S/he shall notify all members of dues owed 30 days prior to the date specified. S/He shall have in the Society newsletter a general notification of dues owed. Financial matters shall be timely and current. The Treasurer shall submit a report of his/her office at each semi-annual membership and all Board of Directors meetings, and be prepared to make other reports as the Board of Directors might request. S/He shall be the custodian of all money of this Society, and shall receive all dues and funds. He shall keep these funds in a bank of his choice, in an account entitled “New Hampshire State Chiropractic Society”, and shall make all payments by check. The Treasurer shall assist in the duties of the auditing committee as well as in compiling its report for each semi-annual meeting.
SEC. 6. DUTIES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. The Board of Directors shall have full power of the Society during the interim between Society fall semi-annual meetings, except for changing the Constitution and Bylaws. They shall be charged with the management of the Society.
A majority of the members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
The Board of Directors shall examine and accept or reject all applications for membership.
The Board of Directors may retain the services of an attorney or other professional (i.e., lobbyist, accountant, public relations specialist, etc.) to attend generally to the legal or otherwise indicated affairs of the Society.
ARTICLE V: Committees
SEC. 1. Committees shall be of two classifications: standing or permanent, and special or temporary.
SEC. 2. Such standing committees shall be appointed by the President as provided for in the Bylaws.
SEC. 3. Special committees may be appointed by the President from time to time to perform duties not provided for by standing committees. Such committees shall not be continuing and shall cease to exist when their duties have been completed.
ARTICLE VI: Society Semi-Annual, Special, Board, and Emergency Meetings
SEC. 1. The semi-annual meetings shall be held in conjunction with the fall and spring conventions where the date, time, and speaker of the next semi-annual meeting will be announced.
SEC. 2. Special meetings of the Society may be called by the President or by any five of the other eight members of the Board of Directors. The Secretary shall give notice of said special meetings at least 10 days prior to the set date.
SEC. 3. Board of Directors meetings shall be held on the first Thursday of every month, unless otherwise determined by the Board. Only Board members can make a motion, second a motion, or vote at the Board meetings.
SEC. 4. Emergency membership or board meetings may be called by the President or by five Board members when the issue at hand requires immediate attention and the 10-day notice must be forgone. Emergency meetings may occur either face-to-face or by conference call.
SEC. 5. Any member in good standing may be present at and take part in any semi-annual membership, special, or Board, meeting. Only executive and active members in good standing shall be permitted to vote at the semi-annual membership meetings of the Society.
ARTICLE VII: Membership Contract
SEC. 1. The Constitution and Bylaws of the Society shall be a part of every contract of membership.
SEC. 2. RULES AND REGULATIONS. Any motion not contrary to the Constitution and Bylaws of the NHSCS that is properly presented, seconded, and passed by a simple majority of those voting, shall automatically become part of the rules and regulations.
ARTICLE VIII: Amendments
The Constitution may be amended only upon the affirmative vote of three fourths of the members present and voting at a fall semi-annual membership meeting or a special meeting called for that purpose. All proposed amendments shall have been submitted in writing and a copy thereof mailed, emailed, faxed and/or sent via the most up-to-date technology to each member at least 10 days before said meeting.
ARTICLE IX: Rules
“Robert’s Rules of Order” shall govern all questions of order and regularity where the same do not conflict with the Constitution and Bylaws. The Secretary shall make a copy “Robert’s Rules of Order” available at all meetings.