ByLaws

CONNECTICUT FEDERATION OF REPUBLICAN WOMEN

As amended August 2009

 BYLAWS

ARTICLE I

NAME

The abbreviation of the name for the Connecticut Federation of Republican Women is hereby established to be the CTFRW.  The States of California and Colorado have recognized the duplicity of abbreviations for all three states and therefore have agreed to more definitively recognize Connecticut as CT.

ARTICLE II

OBJECTIVES

The Objectives of the CTFRW shall be to:

  1. Recruit Republican women to the federation;
  2. Disseminate pertinent information to all local clubs;
  3. Inform the public through political education and activity;
  4. Foster loyalty to the Republican Party at all levels of government;
  5. Promote the principles of the Republican Party;
  6. Work for the Republican candidates in all elections;
  7. Support the objectives and policies of the Republican National Committee; and
  8. Perform any lawful activity consistent with the foregoing.

ARTICLE III

MEMBERSHIP

 Section 1.  Member in Good Standing

An individual member in good standing is one whose current dues are paid to a local club, who supports ARTICLE II of these Bylaws and is a registered Republican.  A local club is one in good standing and one whose current dues and service charge are paid to CTFRW and to NFRW.

Section 2.  Eligibility for Membership

Membership in the CTFRW shall be extended to individual registered Republican women, either as members of local clubs or as members at-large.  Recognition and certification of a local club shall be one in which membership consists of ten or more members and its Bylaws provide for five stated meetings; payment of annual dues; and provisions which do not conflict with the Bylaws of this Federation.

  1. Local clubs shall be accepted to membership after submitting for approval by CTFRW and NFRW an application for membership, a copy of its bylaws, a list of members of the board, officers and appointees, a detailed membership list and shall include payment of dues and service charge for the CTFRW and NFRW.
  2. Local Club Associate Member.
  3. Republican women who do not have primary membership in a federated local club are eligible for associate membership in both local clubs upon payment of required annual dues. Associate members shall not be reported to the state, cannot hold office, vote or be counted for the purpose of determining the number of delegates to national, state meetings or conventions.
  1. Republican men are eligible for associate membership upon payment of the required annual dues to the local club. Republican men cannot hold office.  They do not have a voice or a vote and will not be counted for the purpose of determining the number of delegates to national or state meetings or conventions.  They do not become members of the state or national federations.
  1. National At-Large Membership – A Republican woman who is not a member of a state federation or local club and who contributes the required funds to the NFRW is eligible to be an at-large member. At-large members will receive all NFRW official publications and be entitled to participate in online discussions and they may attend NFRW, state federation or nearby local club meetings but will not have a voice or vote.

Section 3.  New Club Certification Requirements

  1. A local club shall consist of ten or more women who form a permanent Republican Women’s club and adopt bylaws in compliance with the CTFRW and NFRW Bylaws, pay CTFRW and NFRW dues and service charges, and who shall hold a minimum of two club meetings and five board meetings within a calendar year if more meetings are not possible.
  2. A local club that advocates a split party ticket or supports a candidate running on an opposition ticket shall not be admitted or continued in membership.
  3. A local club must be open and inclusive regardless of ethnicity, color or race, and shall welcome any registered Republican woman wishing to join as stated in the local club’s bylaws.
  4. The word “REPUBLICAN” shall be included in the title of all local clubs. Local clubs shall not use the word “Federation” in their titles, but may use the word “Federated”.  [NFRW Bylaws: Article III, Section 3 (D)]

Section 4.  Local Club Applications

  1. There shall be no limit to the number of local clubs that may be organized within any area in the State of Connecticut.
  2. A new local club shall be in good standing for at least six months prior to the NFRW Biennial Convention to be eligible for representation. The six-month period begins on the date the state president notifies the NFRW President in writing by mail, fax or email that the local unit’s bylaws have been approved at the state level and the local club’s dues and service charge have been received by the NFRW office.  This notification by the state federation president shall be accompanied by the name of the club, membership list, officers’ names and contact information and dues and service charge.
  3. Applications for a new club shall be finalized upon receipt from NFRW of a federated number identifying the club as being registered and approved.

Section 5.  Removal From and Reinstatement to CTFRW Membership

  1. A two-thirds vote of the CTFRW Executive Committee is required for removal of any local club from membership.
  2. A local club may be removed from membership for any of the following reasons:
  1. Bylaws which are in conflict with the CTFRW Bylaws;
  2. Non-payment of dues for the total membership and any current service charge due;
  3. Failure to support the Republican Party ticket, advocating a split ticket, supporting a candidate on an opposition ticket, or actions which are in conflict with the CTFRW Bylaws; and
  4. Failure to comply with the CTFRW membership rules; or affiliation with any political organization which is not officially recognized as working in concert with the CTFRW, NFRW and the Republican National Committee.
  1. Upon dissolution or removal of a local club, all of its assets shall be distributed to CTFRW. None of the assets shall be distributed to any officer or member of the local club or to any other organization with the exception of the local Republican Town Committee.
  2. The right to use of the name of a dissolved or removed local club shall revert to CTFRW.
  3. A local club, whether dissolved or removed, may be reinstated, upon approval by a two-thirds vote of the CTFRW Executive Committee, by filing an application with the required information, dues and service charge and current bylaws.
  4. A local club desiring reinstatement retroactive to the date of dissolution or removal must first pay dues for at least ten members and the service charge for the immediate past year as well as the dues and service charge for the current year.

ARTICLE IV

CTFRW OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES

 Section 1.  Eligibility Requirements

  1. A candidate may apply and run for only one office in any given election year.
  2. There may be a two term consecutive maximum limit for any member to serve on the same board position or office of the CTFRW board at the discretion of the Nominating Committee.
  3. A candidate shall present to the CTFRW Nominating Committee Chair a descriptive resume with club responsibilities and experiences that would support their application for a board position.
  4. To be eligible for the office of President of the CTFRW, a candidate shall;

1)  Have been a member in good standing for a minimum of five years in a local club or clubs.

2)  Have served on the CTFRW Board of Directors for a minimum of two (2) years and must apply for the position within a period of five years since having served on the CTFRW board.

  1. To be eligible for the office of Vice-President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer or Deputy Treasurer a candidate shall:

1)  Have been a member in good standing of a local club(s) for a minimum of two years; and

2)  Have served on a local club “RWC” board and or held similar responsibilities on a committee for the local club.

  1. An elected Executive Committee member may serve a maximum of two terms in any office, and may run for the same office after a two-year interim
  2. The offices of the Connecticut Republican National Committeewoman and the Governor’s Liaison will have no term limits.

Section 2.  CTFRW Officers

Elected officers of the CTFRW shall be the Executive Committee and consist of a President, Four Vice Presidents, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer and Deputy Treasurer.

Section 3.  CTFRW Terms of Office

The elected officers shall be elected at the biennial meeting for a term of two years beginning January 1, or until their successors are elected.  The term of office for elected officials shall be from January 1, following their elections, through December 31 of the second year, regardless of the date of installation.

Section 4.  Duties of the CTFRW President

  1. The CTFRW President shall be the chief Executive officer of the organization; and shall be charged with the general and active management and direction of the activities of the organization; and shall uphold the NFRW and the CTFRW Bylaws and see that all obligations and resolutions of the Board of Directors are effectuated.
  2. The President shall preside at all meetings of the organization, the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee; shall appoint members of all committees except the nominating Committee; shall have general superintendence and direction of all other officers and committees and shall see that their duties are properly performed; shall perform such other duties as the Board of Directors may direct.
  3. The President shall be an ex-officio a member of all committees with the exception of the Nominating Committee.
  4. The President shall appoint all standing and special committees except the Nominating Committee. The appointment of chairmen and vice-chairmen of standing committees shall be approved by the CTFRW Executive Committee.
  5. The President may appoint a Parliamentarian, and Historian; and shall make board appointments as may be necessary to conduct the business of the CTFRW.
  6. The President shall instruct and supervise the Treasurer in collecting and depositing all funds in an approved bank, which is either a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation; shall co-sign checks, in an emergency, with the Treasurer or another officer authorized by the CTFRW Executive Committee when the Treasurer is unable to do so; shall maintain the complete local club’s membership lists and direct the Treasurer to forward requested information on each local club and the number of paid members, their presidents and addresses to NFRW for delegate authorization.
  7. The President shall issue the call to the CTFRW board meetings at least 30 days prior to such meetings and shall issue, fax, have in the mail, or place the call to the CTFRW biennial meeting at least 30 days prior to the meeting.

Section 5.  Duties of the CTFRW Vice Presidents

The Vice Presidents in their respective order shall perform the duties of the President in her absence or inability to perform her duties and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to them by the CTFRW President.

Section 6.  Duties of the CTFRW Recording Secretary

  1. The Secretary shall record all minutes of all meetings of the CTFRW Executive Committee and Board of Directors. She shall be the custodian of all meeting records, and any papers or documents submitted to and from the local club membership to the CTFRW and to NFRW.  All committees shall issue copies to the Recording Secretary for any and all documents pertaining to the club as to maintain a file for reference and historical value.
  1. The Secretary shall maintain a permanent record book of all CTFRW minutes of all CTFRW meetings, and shall be made available upon request.
  2. The Secretary shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the CTFRW President.

Section 6 (a).  Duties of the CTFRW Corresponding Secretary

The Corresponding Secretary shall conduct the general correspondence of the Federation and shall perform such other duties as suggested by Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised.

Section 7.  Duties of the CTFRW Treasurer

  1. The Treasurer shall bear the financial responsibility of the club’s monies and record keeping. The Treasurer and the President shall have access to and be the co-signers of the bank account and shall hold custody of all funds for the organization.  The Treasurer shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the organization; and shall deposit or cause to be deposited all moneys and other depositories as may be designated by the Board of Directors and the President.
  2. The Treasurer shall disburse or cause to be disbursed the funds of the organization pursuant to any procedures that may be established by resolution of the Board of Directors, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall provide to the President and Board of Directors at its regular meetings and as required, an account of all her transactions as Treasurer and of the financial condition of the organization, and shall present a report at each meeting held by the club.
  3. The Treasurer at the end of her term shall hand over to a succeeding treasurer all books, check books, bank records, and documents in her possession belonging to the CTFRW club. The books shall be audited by person or persons approved by the CTFRW Executive Committee after the biennial meeting.  The Executive Committee, at its discretion, and by majority vote, may ask for an additional audit.
  4. The Treasurer shall send notices to each of the local clubs of any unpaid dues and/or service charge, and shall maintain and meet the schedules for submissions imposed by the CTFRW and NFRW Bylaws.
  5. The Treasurer, as required, shall prepare and submit financial reports to the State Elections Enforcement Committee, and shall issue a copy of all data submitted to the CTFRW President and the CTFRW Executive Committee.
  6. The Treasurer shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the CTFRW President.

Section 7 (a).  Duties of the CTFRW Deputy Treasurer

The Deputy Treasurer shall assist the Treasurer whenever necessary.

Section 8.  CTFRW Officers’ Records

All officers and all committee chairmen and vice-chairmen shall upon conclusion of their term in office deliver all records, files and properties of the CTFRW to their respective successors within one month after retiring from office unless otherwise directed by the President or the Executive Committee.

Section 9.  CTFRW Privacy Act 

Membership information such as telephone numbers, emails, faxes, cell phones, and text/machine messaging shall be kept by each club under complete confidence/restricted privacy and shall not be distributed, used, sold, given, loaned or used for any other purpose other than to conduct CTFRW / NFRW business.  No member shall use any of member information for personal business use or conduct any business from the membership list.  Distribution and/or use of the club’s information for uses other than described would be found to be sufficient cause for suspension and or termination of membership.

ARTICLE V

CTFRW BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1.  CTFRW Board of Directors

  1. The voting body of the CTFRW Board of Directors shall be the elected officers, three members-at-large, the immediate past CTFRW President, the president of each local club, and the Connecticut Republican National Committeewoman.
  2. The non-voting members of the CTFRW Board of Directors shall be the chairman and the vice-chairman of the standing and special committees.
  3. The president of a local RWC club may appoint a proxy to the CTFRW board meetings. Such proxy shall be a member of her local club who is not a current voting member of the CTFRW board.  Forms for proxies shall be provided by the CTFRW.  The CTFRW President shall be informed of the proxy voter(s) before the start of the meeting.

Section 2.  Duties of the CTFRW Board of Directors shall be to:

  1. Act as the governing body of the CTFRW between annual meetings;
  2. Consider for approval the program of action as presented by the CTFRW President;
  3. Approve the filling of vacancies in the elected offices that occur between biennial meetings;
  4. Approve the official program and order of business of all official meetings of the CTFRW;
  5. Approve all CTFRW policies and procedures as recommended by the CTFRW Executive Committee;
  6. Select the time and place of the CTFRW biennial meeting from recommendations made by the Executive Committee;
  7. Elect a Nominating Committee of at least three members from its own membership at the first CTFRW board meeting held in the calendar year in which the biennial meeting is held;
  8. Elect delegates-at-large and alternates-at-large to the NFRW Biennial Convention at the CTFRW Spring Board Meeting preceding the NFRW convention; and
  9. Adopt the CTFRW annual budget.

Section 3.  Meetings of the CTFRW Board of Directors

  1. The CTFRW Board of Directors shall meet in the spring and fall of each year. The call to the membership shall be mailed at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting.
  2. Special meetings of the board may be called by the President or by written request of three members of the Executive Committee. At least seven (7) days’ notice shall be given.
  3. A vote may be conducted by mail, phone, fax or email between meetings and ratified at the next meeting of the CTFRW Board of Directors.

Section 4.  Quorum

A majority of the voting members of the CTFRW shall constitute a quorum for all meetings of the CTFRW Board of Directors.

Section 5.  CTFRW Executive Committee

The CTFRW Executive Committee shall consist of the elected officers, the three members-at-large, and the immediate CTFRW Past President.

Section 6.  Duties of the CTFRW Executive Committee shall be to:

  1. Have jurisdiction over membership applications and removal and reinstatement to membership of local clubs;
  2. Recommend a site and date for the biennial meeting to the CTFRW Board of Directors;
  3. Support the CTFRW President’s recommendations of chairman and vice­ chairman of standing committees;
  4. Recommend CTFRW policies and procedures to CTFRW Board of Directors for approval;
  5. Recommend the CTFRW annual budget to the CTFRW Board of Directors and oversee the collection and disbursement of funds; and
  6. Approve the depository bank(s) which are members of the Federal Deposit Insurance or the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation;

The President and the Executive Committee upon taking office shall establish a calendar of events to include all activities required by NFRW and ensure that all requirements for the appropriate number of meetings and events are met.

Other meetings may be called by the President or upon written request of at least three members of the Executive Committee.  At least seven days’ notice shall be required for all special meetings.

A member’s removal from office and or duties/responsibility is permissible with a two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee.  Any CTFRW board officer, member-at-large, standing committee chairman, vice-chairman, special committee chairman, vice-chairman or appointee who fails, due to negligence, abandonment of responsibilities or misconduct, to fulfill the duties of her office according to the CTFRW Bylaws, shall be considered by the Executive Committee for removal from office.

Section 7.  Meetings of the CTFRW Executive Committee

  1. Meetings of the CTFRW Executive Committee shall be immediately preceding the CTFRW Board of Directors’ Meetings and following the conclusion of the biennial meetings, unless otherwise established by the Executive Committee and President’s calendar of meetings.
  2. Special meetings of the CTFRW Executive Committee may be called by the CTFRW President or upon written request of three members of the CTFRW Executive Committee. At least seven (7) days’ notice shall be required for all special meetings.
  3. A vote may be conducted between meetings by mail, phone, fax or email and ratified at the next CTFRW Executive Committee meeting.

Section 8.  Quorum

A majority of the elected CTFRW Executive Committee members shall constitute a quorum for all meetings of the CTFRW Executive Committee.

ARTICLE VI

CTFRW STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES 

Section 1.  CTFRW Standing Committees

  1. The CTFRW Standing Committees may include the following: Bylaws, Campaign Activities, Fundraising, Legislation and Research, Membership, Program and Public Relations, Social Activities, Educational and Community Programs, Political Issues Awareness, and Newsletter.
  2. The CTFRW Standing Committees shall prepare programs of action in their respective fields for consideration by the CTFRW President for recommendation to the CTFRW Board of Directors.
  3. The CTFRW Standing Committee chairman, or in her absence, the vice chairman, shall have a voice on the CTFRW Board of Directors. The CTFRW Standing Committee members shall also have a voice but no vote.
  4. CTFRW Standing Committee chairmen shall serve on the CTFRW Board of Directors until their successors have been appointed.

Section 2.  CTFRW Special Committees

CTFRW Special Committees shall be appointed by the CTFRW President as deemed necessary to accomplish the work of the CTFRW.  CTFRW Special Committee chairmen, vice-chairmen and members shall have a voice but no vote at CTFRW board meetings.

ARTICLE VII

NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

Section 1.  CTFRW Nominating Committee

  1. A Nominating Committee of at least three members shall be elected by majority vote of CTFRW Board of Directors from its own membership.
  2. The election of the Nominating Committee shall be conducted at the first meeting in the calendar year in which the biennial convention is held. (ARTICLE V, Section 2)  No one shall serve on the Nominating Committee for more than two consecutive terms.  Members of the Nominating Committee shall elect a chairman and secretary from their own members.
  1. Nominees to the CTFRW elective offices; President and Vice Presidents shall require a minimum of 2 years active membership in a club serving as a member on its board. Nominations submitted to the CTFRW Nominating Committee shall be members in good standing of the CTFRW and shall be in accord with the purposes, bylaws and policies of this organization and the Republican Party.  Oral or written consent to serve, if elected, shall be given to the Nominating Committee chairman.
  2. The Nominating Committee shall submit the name of one nominee for each office in a report which shall be sent to all members of the CTFRW Board of Directors and the local club presidents with the call to the CTFRW biennial meeting.
  3. Nominations for the elective offices may be made from the floor at the biennial meeting following the report of the nominating committee. Such nominees shall be members in good standing of the CTFRW and shall be in accord with the purposes, bylaws and policies of this organization and the Republican Party.  Candidates who wish to be nominated from the floor shall provide their written consent, if elected, to the CTFRW President prior to the opening of the meeting.

Section 2.  CTFRW Election of Officers

  1. Elections shall be held at the CTFRW biennial meeting.
  2. Elections shall be by ballot and a majority of all votes cast shall constitute an election. When there is only one candidate for an office, election may be by voice vote.
  3. An Election Committee of not less that three members shall be appointed by the CTFRW President at the Board of Directors meeting prior to the biennial meeting. This committee shall provide all election materials and shall act as tellers for the election.
  4. By the opening of the meeting, the CTFRW treasurer shall give to the elections committee a list of names and number of members entitled to vote.

Section 3.  CTFRW Vacancies of Elected Office

The Executive Committee shall fill a vacancy in an elective office until the next meeting of the CTFRW Board of Directors.  A member of the Board of Directors selected at its next meeting following the vacancy shall fill any vacant elective office for the rest of the unexpired term.  Notice of such vacancy shall be given with the call for the meeting or, if the vacancy occurs after the call is issued, by letter, phone, fax, or email.

ARTICLE VIII

DUES AND SERVICE CHARGES

Section 1.  CTFRW Annual Dues

  1. Changes in the CTFRW annual dues shall be by recommendation of the Executive Committee and a majority vote of the Board of Directors.
  2. Each established local club in the CTFRW shall pay state and national dues and service charge per club to the CTFRW Treasurer beginning January 1, of each year. All dues for the current membership list shall be due by March 31, unless extended by NFRW, of the same year.  Dues for additional new members or reinstated returning member shall be remitted to the CTFRW Treasurer as received.  Associate dues are not payable to the CTFRW or to National.  The Associate dues are part of the club’s fundraising efforts.
  3. A membership list complete with addresses, phone and email addresses when available shall accompany the dues. Associate dues are collected and kept by the local club for expenses and capital and they are not payable to the CTFRW or to the NFRW.
  4. The CTFRW Treasurer shall remit current per capita dues to the NFRW office as received by the local clubs.
  5. All correspondence to the CTFRW Treasurer shall include the local club federated number.

Section 2.  NFRW Service Charge

  1. Each local club shall pay the service charge as established by the NFRW Board of Directors to maintain its good standing.
  2. A local club removed from good standing for non-payment of the service charge may be reinstated upon payment of the service charge for the past year provided the current dues and service charge are paid.

Section 3.  CTFRW New Local Clubs

Upon application to the CTFRW, the dues per member and service charge shall be paid to the CTFRW Treasurer and accompanied by a copy of the club’s Bylaws, a list of members and officers including names, addresses and phone, fax and email numbers.

Section 4.  Removal of a Local Club from Membership

Failure by a local club to pay state and or national dues and service charge prescribed by the NFRW for all current members based on a per capita basis by March 31 of the current year, unless this date has been extended by the Executive Committee for extenuating circumstances, may be removed from membership by a majority vote of the CTFRW Executive Committee.

Once a local group has been removed as ‘a club not in good standing,’ its bank account must be turned over to the CTFRW in its entirety.  No part of these assets may be distributed to any officer or other organization with the exception of the local Republican Town Committee.

Section 5.  CTFRW Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of the CTFRW shall be from January 1 through December 31.  The fiscal year of the local units shall be from January 1 through December 31.

ARTICLE IX

BIENNIAL MEETING

Section 1.  Biennial Meeting Time and Location

  1. A biennial meeting shall be held in the spring of odd numbered years at a time and place determined by the CTFRW Executive Committee and approved by the CTFRW Board of Directors.
  2. A call to the biennial meeting shall be mailed to the CTFRW Board of Directors and to each local unit president at least thirty days prior to the meeting or sooner.

Section 2.  Local Club Representation Eligibility

  1. A local club must be in good standing to be eligible for representation at the biennial meeting. A local club’s delegate representation shall be based on the current dues received thirty days prior to the meeting.
  2. New clubs must be in good standing prior to the convention to be eligible for representation.
  3. Delegates and alternates to the CTFRW meeting must be members in good standing of a local club affiliated with the state federation.

Section 3.  Representation at the NFRW Biennial Convention

  1. The Biennial Conventions shall be determined by NFRW and are held in the fall of the odd number years. The voting body of the biennial convention shall be:
  1. One delegate and one alternate for every ten dues paying member or club in good standing for a period of at least 60 days prior to the convention;
  2. One member at large for each 500 members or a major fraction thereof in the state federation based on the payment to the NFRW of the current’s year’s dues;
  3. The president and all former presidents of the CTFRW;
  4. Each certified local club president and or an alternate; and
  5. The Chairman of CTFRW standing committees, or in the absence of chairman, the vice-chairman of the committee.
  1. All certified local clubs are entitled to an alternate for each elected delegate in the absence of a delegate, an alternate may vote.
  2. Credentials form postmarked at least 90 days preceding the convention:

The CTFRW President shall certify to the NFRW President via a NFRW credential form the names of the local clubs which are in good standing, including the number of members in each club, the names, addresses (zip codes), telephone/fax and email addresses of each local club president.  Only those clubs that are certified by the state federation shall be eligible for representation at the convention.

  1. Credentials form postmarked at least 30 days preceding the convention:

Delegates and alternates to the convention shall be selected in a manner determined by the local club’s Bylaws and in keeping with the CTFRW Bylaws.  The local club president shall complete the NFRW credential forms and forward the names, addresses, zip code, phone/fax/email information of the delegates and alternates to the NFRW and the CTFRW President.  The credentials form must be post marked no later than 30 days prior to the convention.

  1. Credentials form postmarked at least 20 days prior to the convention:

The CTFRW President shall submit to the NFRW President on NFRW credentials form the names, addresses (zip codes), phone/faxes and email addresses of all state delegates-at-large.

  1. Emergency changes must be forwarded in writing to the NFRW President and the CTFRW President for their approval, submitted on the NFRW forms and must be post marked no later than 10 days prior to the convention.
  2. Delegates and alternates to the NFRW Convention shall be selected in a manner determined by the local club and in accordance with the CTFRW and the NFRW Bylaws.

Section 4.  NFRW Biennial Convention Delegates and Alternates

CTFRW Delegates and Alternates-At-Large to the NFRW Biennial Convention shall be elected by the Board of Directors at the CTFRW Spring Board Meeting.  Five delegates-at-large from each state federation and one additional delegate-at large for each 500 members or major fraction thereof shall be elected based on the payment to NFRW of the current year’s dues and postmarked ninety days prior to the convention.

Section 5.  Voting

The CTFRW shall be open to all members of the CTFRW and visitors but only members in good standing shall be entitled to a voice and a vote.  Each delegate is entitled to one vote and there shall be no proxy voting.

Section 6.  Quorum

A majority of the delegates attending and credentialed shall constitute a quorum at a Biennial Convention.

ARTICLE X

PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, most current edition, shall govern the CTFRW in all cases in which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws or any special rules the NFRW or CTFRW Board of Directors may adopt.

ARTICLE XI

AMENDMENTS

These Bylaws may be amended at a CTFRW biennial meeting by a two-thirds vote, provided that the proposed amendment(s) shall have been sent to all CTFRW board members and to all local club presidents with the call to the meeting and provided that the proposed amendment(s) have been considered and approved by a two-thirds vote at the CTFRW Board of Directors meeting prior to the meeting.  These Bylaws may be revised only upon authorization of the members by a two-thirds vote at the Biennial meeting.  Amendment(s) shall go into effect at the close of the biennial meeting.

ARTICLE XII

DISSOLUTION

In the event of dissolution of this organization by a majority vote of the CTFRW Board of Directors, all of its assets, which remain after payment of all CTFRW liabilities, costs and expenses of such dissolution, shall be distributed to the NFRW.  None of the assets shall be distributed to any member or officer of the CTFRW.  The CTFRW shall file with the state dissolution documentation and shall comply with the state laws and the CTFRW Bylaws.