Adopted by the Virginia NOW Bylaws Convention on August 14, 1977. Amended: 1978; August 4, 1979; June 7, 1980; June 13, 1981; June 19, 1982; April 1, 1984; April 5, 1986; April 5, 1987; May 21, 1989; June 15, 1991, May 2, 1992, June 5, 1993, April 26, 1998, June 1, 2002, July 15, 2006.

SECTION 1. PURPOSE

The purpose of Virginia NOW shall be to provide a structure whereby NOW members of the Commonwealth of Virginia may work together to carry out the purposes and goals of the National Organization for Women Inc. No person shall be excluded from participating, segregated, or otherwise discriminated against within Virginia NOW because of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, economic status, parenthood, sexual preference, or political affiliation.

SECTION 2. POLICY

1. Virginia NOW shall be bound by the National NOW bylaws and National NOW policy and may take no action contrary thereto.
2. In the absence of national policy, Virginia NOW policy shall be established at the annual state conference.
3. Chapter policy shall be established by members of the individual chapters.

SECTION 3. STRUCTURE

Virginia NOW shall consist of:

1. Any person who is a member of National NOW and who is a member of a Virginia NOW chapter or is a member at-large residing in Virginia shall be eligible to become a member of Virginia NOW, and upon payment of state dues, shall be so enrolled;

    

2. The chapters within the state;

    

3. The State Council; and

    

4. The executive committee, consisting of the officers elected by the state conference.

SECTION 4. RESPONSIBILITIES OF STATE COUNCIL AND THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

1. President 

1. Shall be the executive officer of Virginia NOW;
2. Shall help resolve intra- and inter-chapter conflicts upon request of the chapter(s)
3. Shall provide communication between chapters and keep chapters informed of activities of other chapters;
4. Shall provide for state meetings, caucuses, and conferences;
5. Shall serve as or appoint a spokesperson for Virginia NOW;
6. Shall preside at all meetings of Virginia NOW and the State Council;
7. Shall appoint, with the advice of State Council, members of the nominating committee and elections committee and to any other committees specially or regularly constituted by the State Council, the state conference, or mandated by National NOW;
8. Shall appoint, with the advice of the state conference, the State Council, or the chapters of Virginia NOW, coordinators to implement programs, resolutions or plans mandated by the state conference, the State Council, or the chapters;
9. Shall be, or appoint with approval of the State Council, the Chair of Virginia NOW PAC (Political Action Committee);
10. Shall serve as, or appoint with approval of the State Council, a representative to state coalitions.
11. Shall be an ex-officio member of all committees except the nominating committee.

2. Executive Vice-President/Secretary 

1. Shall assume the responsibilities of the President if the President is unable to perform them;
2. Shall convene and preside at meetings in the absence of the President;
3. Shall keep minutes of meetings of the executive committee, State Council and state conference;
4. Shall be responsible for the general correspondence of the state;
5. Shall be responsible for implementing mailings to the leadership list and general membership;
6. Shall maintain state records and state membership database; and
7. Shall keep and distribute current copies of Virginia NOW bylaws. 

    
   

3. Treasurer 

    

1. Shall draw up a projected annual state budget for the program year beginning after the end of the annual state conference and shall present it to the next executive committee and State Council meetings;
2. Shall collect and deposit state funds and disperse them in accordance with the approved budget upon receipt of duly approved vouchers and by check signed by either (a) the state Treasurer or (b) the State President in the absence of the state Treasurer;
3. Shall keep a record of all financial transactions to be submitted for audit. An audit, defined as a review of the books with supporting detailed description of revenues and expenses, shall be initiated by the Treasurer and the Vice President, Action with such other membership support as they deem necessary, on no less than an annual basis. The results of their review shall be presented to the executive committee at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the body following the close of the fiscal year, and a report made thereafter to Council. The Treasurer will, at the direction of the executive committee, present the state books to an outside firm for formal audit at least once every five years.
4. Shall submit a Treasurer's report at each State Council meeting;
5. Shall receive all monies and deposit in the state treasury;
6. Shall provide guidance to the executive committee in management of financial resources of Virginia NOW; and
7. Shall serve as, or appoint with approval of the State Council, the Treasurer of Virginia NOW PAC (Political Action Committee). 

    

4. Vice-President, Action 

    

1. Shall assist the State President in the operations of the state organization;
2. Shall chair the nominating committee;
3. Shall provide for an audit of the state financial records;
4. Shall accept amendments to the state bylaws for distribution to the membership;
5. Shall assist with mobilization of Virginia NOW members on specified issues and shall facilitate planning and organizing actions. 

    

5. Vice President, Diversity and Development 

    

1. Shall coordinate the identification and contacting of the at-large membership with existing chapters to expand existing chapters or convene new ones;
2. Shall assist all chapters in development of programs and projects, including administrative development;
3. Shall assist chapters in communication with other levels of NOW with relation to chapter development responsibilities;
4. Shall provide coordination, training and information to chapters on member recruiting and retaining, including National and Virginia NOW recruitment incentives and procedures;
5. Shall keep statistics on chapter and at-large membership and report them to the Council at least annually;
6. Shall have special responsibility to coordinate Virginia NOW's program of outreach to people of racial and cultural diversity and people with disabilities as called for in Virginia NOW's Affirmative Action Plan;
7. Shall preferably be a person representing racial and cultural diversity. 

    

6. Vice President, Fundraising

    

   1. Shall coordinate, train, and provide legislative information to chapters;
   2. Shall develop and carry out fundraising activities;
   3. Shall establish a committee to help raise funds when necessary;
   4. Shall assist chapters with fundraising training and information.

       

7. Vice President, Legislative 

    

1. Shall coordinate, train, and provide legislative information to chapters;
2. Shall coordinate lobbying and testimony on state and national legislative issues;
3. Shall serve as or appoint a spokesperson on legislative issues;
4. Shall assist in drafting legislation in accordance with Virginia NOW's Legislative Agenda;
5. Shall communicate with National NOW about state and national legislative issues;
6. Shall be a member of Virginia NOW PAC (Political Action Committee); and
7. Shall maintain communication with the Senators and Delegates of the Virginia General Assembly, with Virginia's Congressional Representatives, and with other elected and appointed state officials.
8. Vice President, Media 

    

1. Shall produce press releases and other press information for the State President;
2. Shall maintain lists of addresses of press and media;
3. Shall develop or assist in the development of Virginia NOW advertising.

9. Vice President, Publications

    

1. Shall serve as the editor of the state newsletter;
2. Shall create and update state brochures and publications.

10. State Council shall consist of elected state officers, immediate past State President/Coordinator (ex officio), the President of the Virginia NOW Legal Research, Defense, and Education Fund (ex officio), one representative elected from each chapter and duly appointed conveners; and voting at Virginia State Council meetings shall be based on the concept of one office, one vote; 
     
1. Shall meet at least three (3) times per year upon two weeks written notice from the State President or on request of one fourth of the chapters in the state;
2. Shall implement state policy as set at the annual state conference by the state members;
3. Shall consult chapters and appoint a replacement when a vacancy occurs in any state office other than State President. In the event of a vacancy in the position of State President, the Vice-President shall assume the position of State President;
4. Shall vote on the annual state budget;
5. State Council meetings shall be open to the membership but only elected State Council members and duly appointed conveners present may vote; and
6. Proposed agenda and meeting information shall be mailed to each State Council Representative and Chapter President not less than fourteen (14) days prior to each State Council meeting. 

    

11. Special Coordinators 
     
1. At any duly called meeting of the State Council or at the state conference, the State President may appoint special coordinators. Said special state coordinators will have the responsibility for implementation, planning, organizing or otherwise facilitating special programs, meetings, or projects called for in resolutions at the state conference or by majority vote of the State Council or mandated by National NOW;
2. Special Coordinators shall regularly report to the State Council on implementation of their designated duties;
3. Special Coordinators shall present budgetary requests and such requests shall be passed on in keeping with the guideline in 4.D.(2);
4. Special Coordinators shall not be eligible to vote in the proceedings of the State Council unless they are duly elected or appointed representatives of chapters. 

    

12. Executive Committee 

     

    1. Shall consist of the officers elected by the state conference; Shall meet at least four times per year by mutual agreement;
    2. Shall carry out state business between State Council meetings;
    3. Shall conduct the audit.

SECTION 5. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

1. Nominating Committee

    

   1. Shall consist of the Vice President as voting chair;
   2. Shall request nominations at least sixty (60) days prior to the annual state conference;
   3. Shall prepare a ballot.

       

2. Persons wishing to be a candidate for state NOW office shall forward biographical data and a brief description of their platforms to the Vice President no less than 30 days prior to the annual state conference.

    

3. Elections Committee 

    

1. Shall be composed of three Virginia NOW members appointed by the State President. Said members shall be ineligible to run for any state office; and
2. Shall set election rules; explain and monitor balloting procedures; supervise the balloting, insuring that only qualified Virginia NOW members vote; and count the ballots and declare the winner for each office. 

    

4. The State Officers shall be elected at the bi-annual state elections by a majority vote on a secret ballot of those state members present and in good standing and shall hold office until the annual state conference in the next even year or when a successor is elected.

    

5. Special Elections [See Section 4.K.(4)]

SECTION 6. ANNUAL STATE CONFERENCE

1. The annual state conference shall be held between Candlemas and Independence Day of each year; date and place selected by the State Council. The State Officers will be elected at the annual meeting during even years and will serve a two-year term.

    

2. The membership shall be advised of the date and, if possible, the place no less than sixty (60) days in advance of the conference.

    

3. State conference, through resolutions passed there, is the policymaking body of the state.

    

4. A request for bylaws changes shall be sent to chapter coordinators no less than ninety (90) days in advance of the conference. Amendments to the state bylaws shall be submitted to the Vice President no less than forty-five (45) days prior to the annual state conference. All proposed amendments to Virginia NOW bylaws shall be mailed to chapter coordinators not less than thirty (30) days prior to the date of the state conference. Any such amendment passed by two-thirds vote of those state members present and in good standing shall become part of these bylaws.

    

5. All voting Virginia NOW members present shall constitute a quorum.

    

6. At-large Virginia NOW members shall caucus to elect at-large delegates to the National NOW Conference. Notice of this caucus shall be included in an every member conference announcement.

SECTION 7. STATE DUES

1. Amount of dues and dues structure shall be proposed by resolution of the State Council and approved by a vote of the chapters. One ballot shall be mailed to each chapter and convening chapter within fifteen (15) days of the proposed State Council meeting. A majority of ballots returned shall decide.

    

2. Chapters shall remit the state portion of new members' dues to the Treasurer at least monthly.

SECTION 8. PROCEDURE

Except as herein provided, Roberts Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern all procedings of Virginia NOW

SECTION 9. REMOVALS AND SUSPENSION

The State Council, after written notice and opportunity by hearing of thirty (30) days, may, by written vote of two-thirds of its actual membership, suspend or remove from office any member of the executive committee whose actions are contrary to the policies of NOW.

SECTION 10. DISSOLUTION

1. The state organization may be dissolved only by approval by mail ballot of a majority of state members in good standing.

    

2. Upon dissolution of the state organization, the State Council shall, after paying or making provisions for the payment of all liabilities of the organization, dispose of all assets equally among the existing chapters of the state.

SECTION 11. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

In the event of a grievance, each side of the controversy will designate one arbitrator and these two arbitrators will select a third arbitrator. Any person who has a conflict of interest may not serve as an arbitrator. The arbitrators will conduct a private hearing on the matter, at which both sides to the controversy may present their case. The arbitrators shall endeavor to resolve disputes to the mutual satisfaction of the parties. Should they fail to resolve the controversy, the matter may be referred to National NOW.