BYLAWS

BYLAWS OF
THE TEXAS SOCIETY GENERAL SOCIETY WAR OF 1812, INC.
(As adopted through April 16, 2024)

ARTICLE I - MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1. Application for membership shall be made through a Local Chapter upon forms, in duplicate as prescribed by the National Society, and shall in each case set forth the name, occupation, residence of the applicant, line of descent, and the name, residence and service of his ancestor or ancestors in the War of 1812, from whom he claims eligibility.  Any application for membership containing references to persons born on or after January 1, 1930, shall not be considered unless accompanied by an affidavit of the applicant to the effect that the line of descent upon which the applicant relies is entirely by blood and included no relationship created by adoption or otherwise. However, if there is no Local Chapter within the radius of one hundred miles of the residence of the applicant, the application may be made directly to the State Secretary.

SECTION 2. Two members in good standing must endorse an applicant for membership and he shall make oath that the statements in his application are true to the best of  his knowledge and belief. If  the application is approved by the Local Chapter, it shall then be forwarded to the State Registrar together with the proper documentation and appropriate fee. After review, the State Registrar shall prepare the necessary records, affix the required signatures and then transmit the application and documentation to the Registrar General of  the National Society. No applicant shall be admitted to membership until the Registrar General of the National Society approves such application.

SECTION 3.   Each member shall be entitled to receive a Certificate of Membership from the National Society duly attested by the President General and Secretary General. Such Certificate of  Membership shall be countersigned by the President and Secretary of this Society.

SECTION 4.   The  official  designation  of   members  of   this  Society  shall  be “War Hawk”.

ARTICLE II - DEFINITIONS

SECTION  1.  Whenever  the  term  “National  Society”  is  used  it  shall  mean  the National Society of the General Society of the War of 1812, Inc.

SECTION 2. Whenever the term “this Society” is used it shall mean the Texas Society of the General Society War of 1812, Inc.




ARTICLE III - LOCAL CHAPTERS

SECTION 1. The membership of this Society shall be organized in Local Chapters in the manner specified in the Constitution of this Society.

SECTION 2. Each Local Chapter shall regulate all matters pertaining to its membership and affairs, subject to the provisions of the Constitution and Bylaws of  the National Society and this Society.

SECTION 3. Whenever any Local Chapter shall become defunct by the surrender, forfeiture or revocation of  its Charter, any member thereof  may, upon application made within one year after such Local Chapter so becomes defunct, if  the applicant was at the time of the surrender, or loss, of said Chapter, a member in good standing of such Local Chapter, be admitted to any other Local Chapter without payment of  any initiation fee; subject, however, to the acceptance of such applicant in due form by the Local Chapter to which the application is made.

SECTION 4. Each Local Chapter shall submit to the State Secretary of this Society on a continuing basis by name any additions, transfers, deaths and any other changes in the membership.  The Local Chapter shall, using a format and form provided by this society, report its activities that occurred during the preceding year, and make such suggestions as it shall deem proper for the promotion of the objects of this Society.

SECTION 5. Each Local Chapter President shall send an advance copy of  the Annual Report of his chapter to the appropriate District Vice President thirty days prior to the next Annual Meeting with the information as required in Section 4 of this Article.

SECTION 6. The State Secretary may, at any time, require a report from Local Chapters, giving list of officers, members in good standing, meetings held, an account of activities for the period covered and such other data and information as may be desired.

SECTION 7. Whenever a member in good standing desires to transfer his membership from one Local Chapter to another, he shall first seek to be accepted into the Local Chapter of his choice, which shall be reported by the gaining Local Chapter to both the State Secretary and the losing Local Chapter. However, his membership shall continue in the former Chapter until he becomes a member of  his new chapter. In the case of  the formation or reorganization of a Local Chapter, the release of the charter members of the new Chapter by the old Chapter shall not be necessary. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent a member from having memberships in more than one local chapter.

SECTION 8. The President of the Local Chapter may serve for no more than three consecutive years at which time the Local Chapter shall hold an election to elect another member to serve as President of said Local Chapter.


ARTICLE IV - DUTIES OF OFFICERS IN GENERAL

The duties of the officers of this Society shall be such as usually appertain to their offices, and they shall have such other duties as are hereinafter imposed and such powers as shall be delegated to them by the Annual Meeting of  this Society or by the Board of Managers. They shall render reports at the Annual Meetings of this Society. The officers may receive compensation as may be prescribed from time to time by the Board of Managers. All officers of  this society are encouraged to have and use e-mail and some form of  word processing in carrying out the duties of their respective offices.

ARTICLE V - PRESIDENT

The President, in addition to his general duties, shall maintain a general supervision over the  business  and  affairs  of  this  Society.  He shall  appoint  all  committees  unless otherwise provided for, and he is the Ex-Officio Chairman of the Board of Managers, and a member of all committees of this Society. The President shall generally preside at all meetings of the Texas Society of the War of 1812.  He shall sign all official letters and documents. 

ARTICLE VI – FIRST VICE PRESIDENT

The First Vice President shall automatically become President at the conclusion of  his term as First Vice President unless two-thirds of  the delegates at the Annual Meeting vote to reject the First Vice President. The First Vice President shall be an ex-officio member of all standing and special committees and have direct responsibility for the work of the various District Vice Presidents, and shall coordinate the work of  committees under the direction and control of the President. The First Vice President shall perform such duties as may be assigned to him by the President. However, under no circumstances shall the office and duties of the First Vice President intrude into or impinge upon the functions and duties of the office of the President or any other regularly elected officer of this Society, or Chairman or member of a Committee. The First Vice President shall have no authority to initiate, pursue, or maintain any course of action unless authorized by the President consistent with this article.


ARTICLE VIII - STATE SECRETARY

The State Secretary shall maintain the member records of this society.  He shall render the Annual Report to National on membership. He serves as the primary point of contact between this society and the National Society. He transmits information from the National Society to the State Society and its membership.  He receives and processes all correspondence to and from the National Society other than new and supplemental membership applications.   He shall maintain all records related to the operation of  this society that are required on an annual basis by the National Society.  He shall perform other necessary correspondence regarding National, Members of the Board, local Chapters and members of the society.  He shall perform other duties the President may assign to him. This position requires high-level computer skills including a basic understanding of database, spreadsheets and word processor software.

ARTICLE IX – RECORDING  SECRETARY

The Recording Secretary is responsible for maintaining the official records of the Texas Society.  He shall keep a written record of the proceedings of each Texas Society meeting.  The Recording Secretary shall notify all members of the Board of Managers of Board of Managers Meetings.  The notification may be made by first class mail, telephone, e-mail or any other means reasonably calculated to give notice.  He shall have primary responsibility for planning the schedule of business for Board of Managers and State Conventions as directed by the State President. He shall notify all Chapter Presidents and Secretaries of the Annual Meeting and proposed amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws to be voted upon at the Meeting at least 30 days in advance of said meeting. Notification may be made by use of the Society’s website and e-mail.  He shall take and publish  the minutes of official meetings. He shall be a permanent member of the State Meeting Committee. He shall perform other duties the President may assign to him. This position requires high-level computer skills including a basic understanding of database, spreadsheet and word processor software.


ARTICLE X - TREASURER

SECTION 1. The Treasurer, in addition to his general duties, shall have the general supervision of collecting, safekeeping, depositing and disbursing all funds and securities of this Society, and shall conform to the following:
A. All funds shall be deposited in the name of the Texas Society General Society War of 1812 in such accounts and depositories as shall be designated by the Board of Managers.
B.  Disbursements shall be made by check signed as designated from time to time by the Board of Managers.
C.  He shall be placed under bond for the faithful performance of his duties in such amounts as shall be determined by the Board of Managers.
D.  The accounts of this Society shall be audited by a Certified Public Accountant selected by the Board of Managers at the pleasure of the Board of Managers and whenever there is a change in the position of the Treasurer.

SECTION 2. The Treasurer shall assist the State Secretary in the completion of the Annual Report to the National Society.

SECTION 3. This position requires high-level computer skills to include a basic understanding of databases, spreadsheets and various word processors. The current system operates using Microsoft Office XP.

The Treasurer is elected at the annual meeting to hold office for a two-year term, or until a successor is elected and qualified, and is eligible for re-election for one additional consecutive two-year term.


Requirements:
1.   Financial knowledge of the organization.
2.   Should have a Bachelors degree in accounting or finance.
3. 	Should be a CPA, CMA or MBA or other profession with extensive accounting training.
4. Personal commitment to devote the time necessary to perform the responsibilities of Treasurer.
5.   Understanding of financial accounting for nonprofit organizations.

Responsibilities:

1.   Serves as Chair of the Finance Committee.
2.  Manages, with the Finance Committee, the Board of Manager’s review of, and action related to, the Board of Manager’s financial responsibilities.
3.  Works with the President and finance manager to ensure that appropriate financial reports are made available to the Board of Managers on a timely basis.
4.  Assists the President and financial manager in preparing the annual budget, and presenting the budget to the Board of Managers for approval.
5. 	Works with the Finance Committee and the President to develop Fiscal Policies for recommendation to the Board to ensure the financial integrity and sustainability of the organization.
6. 	Works with the Finance Committee and the President to develop long-term financial strategies.
7. 	Keeps currently informed of legal, regulatory and sector developments relating to the Board of Manager’s financial responsibilities.
8.   Coordinates with the State Compliance Officer on Sarbanes-Oxley matters.

ARTICLE XII - REGISTRAR(S)

SECTION 1. The Registrar(s) shall keep complete and accurate records of all new and supplemental applications for membership and shall cooperate closely with the State Secretary in producing the Annual Report to the National Office. He shall provide the State Secretary with data on new members as the State Secretary may require. 
SECTION 2. The Registrar shall serve as point of contact for the National Society General Society War of 1812 Staff in matters related to New and Supplemental Memberships.

SECTION 3.   Duties of the Registrar.   The Registrar receives all new and supplemental applications.  He reviews the proofs of bloodline, communicating with local chapter officers when additional proofs or clarifications are needed.  He maintains a bank account in cooperation with the State Treasurer that is used to receive and disburse new and supplemental member dues and fees to the National and State Treasurers.  He prepares a transmittal to National and the Texas Society Treasurer showing the basic information of name, sponsoring chapter, sponsor number, check number and a breakout of monies for each member and totals.  He sends a copy to the State Secretary and Treasurer, attaching the State and Chapter portion of the dues and fees to the Treasurer’s copy.   This reporting should be accomplished using a program consistent with those used by the Secretary and Treasurer.     This position requires high-level computer skills to including a basic understanding of database, spreadsheet and word processor software.

ARTICLE XIII - HISTORIAN

The Historian shall make recommendations to the Board of Managers for the acquisition and preservation of historical and genealogical materials.   He shall cooperate with the historians of the local chapters in collecting information in reference to historical sites and other related matters, and shall make a report at the annual meeting.

ARTICLE XIV - CHANCELLOR

The Chancellor shall be an attorney at law. It shall be his duty to give opinions on legal matters affecting the Texas Society when such questions are referred to him by the proper officers. He shall also act as the Parliamentarian at all meetings of this Society and the Board of Managers.

ARTICLE XV- CHAPLAIN

The Chaplain shall be a regularly ordained and licensed Minister, and shall open and close meetings of this Society with the services usual and proper on such occasions. He shall represent this society to the families of deceased members of the society and shall maintain a record of deceased members that shall be forwarded to the Secretary and the Texas Compatriot Editor quarterly.

ARTICLE XVI- BOARD OF MANAGERS

SECTION 1. The Board of Managers shall be the custodian of all real and personal property belonging to the State Society. If any Local Chapter becomes defunct or its Charter is forfeited, the Board of  Managers shall take over as Trustee for all real and personal property belonging to such Local Chapter and same shall be disposed of as prescribed by any Annual or Special Meeting of this Society.

SECTION 2. The Board of Managers shall have charge of and manage the business affairs of this Society and perform such other duties that shall be committed to it by any annual or special meeting of this Society. However, the Board of Managers shall not have power to sell, encumber or in any manner dispose of any real estate belonging to the State Society or incur any liability other than for ordinary current expenses, unless authorized by an Annual or Special Meeting of this Society or by an affirmative vote of  not less than three-fourths of the members of the Board of Managers.

SECTION 3. The Board of Managers may in its discretion allocate reasonable sums of money for the purpose of carrying out the program of any committee or committees of this Society. The allocation of any such money shall be considered as “ordinary current expenses”.

SECTION 4. The Board of Managers shall have the power to admit or reorganize as a Local Chapter any association of six or more persons duly qualified for membership in this Society. Such Local Chapters shall be admitted, or reorganized, and shall always exist under such Charters from this Society, which may be granted and which may be revoked, altered or amended by the Board, subject to the appeal to the next Annual Meeting of this Society.

SECTION 5. The President may call a meeting of the Board of Managers at any time he may deem necessary, and shall call such meetings upon the written request of any seven members thereof. However, for any meeting, other than such as may be called during the session or immediately upon adjournment of an annual meeting of this Society, and other than a meeting conducted by mail, e-mail, telephone, or telephone conference ballot, not less than ten days notice of the time and place of such a meeting shall be given.

SECTION 6. The Board of Managers shall designate the places where the Annual Meetings of this Society and Special Meetings of this Society are to be held, unless an Annual Meeting of this Society designates the place of the next Annual Meeting; nevertheless the time for holding of same shall in any event be designated by the Board of Managers.

SECTION 7. The Board shall have  the authority to discipline or to expel any member who by conduct disloyal to the ideals or prejudicial to the interest of the General Society War of 1812 shall render himself  unworthy of  membership therein; provided the accused shall have due notice and such opportunity to be heard. Any member who feels himself aggrieved by the action of the Board acting under the power shall have the right to appeal to the next succeeding Annual Meeting.

SECTION 8. In the event of  the resignation, death or disability of  any of  the officers of  this Society, the Board shall have the power to elect a successor to fill the unexpired term of office.

SECTION 9. The Board shall perform such other and further duties as may be conferred upon it by any annual or Special Meeting of this Society. However, the duties so conferred shall be ineffective if in conflict with the duties conferred by the Constitution or these Bylaws.

ARTICLE XVII - OTHER COMMITTEES

SECTION 1. The President shall appoint the following committees: Auditing, Credentials,  Resolutions,  Nominations,  and  such  other  committees  as  he  may  deem necessary or that may be authorized by any Annual or Special Meeting of this Society, or by the Board of Managers.

SECTION 2. The nominating Committee shall consist of  one member of  each chapter present at the Annual Meeting, selected, designated and certified by the Local Chapter.    The  State  President  appoints  the  Chairman.  The  Chairman  should  contact potential  officers  and  prepare  a  slate  of   officers  for  the  committee  to  consider. Nominations can be made within the committee so long as the proposed officer has been contacted and agreed to serve if elected.  This Committee shall meet before the election, on call of the Chairman, for a workshop and discussion, and at least an hour before the Annual Meeting on the day of  the election, to select nominees for all offices. Nothing herein contained shall limit or prohibit nominations from the floor prior to the election save that the proposed officers have agreed to serve.  District Vice Presidents shall be nominated by district representatives in that district or by agreement of the chapters in the district.

SECTION  3.  The duties  of  all  such  committees  shall  be  as  usually  pertain  to committees of like character.

SECTION 4. Resolutions shall, so far as possible, first be submitted to and passed by the Local Chapter, and in turn, sent to the State Secretary, who shall cause the same to be reproduced in sufficient copies and made available to the Annual Meeting for study by members of the Resolutions Committee.

SECTION 5. The acceptance of  a Committee report, whether by the Board of Managers or by the delegates at an Annual Meeting of this Society shall constitute nothing more than an acceptance of the work done by the officer or committee and permission to file same with the Secretary of this Society. In order for such report or any portion thereof to constitute an act by the Board of Managers of this Society, the particular action desired to be taken shall be presented in the form of a resolution or other proper motion and shall be dealt with in accordance with accepted parliamentary procedures; otherwise the same shall constitute neither a resolution nor an expression of policy. Provided that resolutions adopted at any meeting of this Society shall constitute and be part of the policy of the Society and shall remain so unless or until expressly repealed.

SECTION 6.   All committees shall have power to act by the use of  mail, e-mail, telephone, or telephone conference ballot in lieu of a face-to-face meeting.  The committee chairman may cause a mail, e-mail, or telephone vote to be taken, or conduct a telephone conference, on any business that may be transacted by the committee at any meeting, unless specifically herein otherwise provided.   The committee chairman may personally call and conduct such ballot if  he so desires.   If  the committee chairman shall be unavailable, disabled, or refuse to call such a ballot, the vice chairman, or if there be no available, able, or willing vice chairman, a member designated by the State President, may call a meeting of the committee.   Not less than a majority of  the then existing membership of  the committee shall be required to vote upon any question presented by use of mail, telephone, e-mail, or telephone conference or in person ballot, and shall constitute a quorum.  An affirmative vote of the majority of those voting shall be necessary for adoption.  No prior notice of such a ballot shall be required but at least twenty-four hours must be allowed to return ballots by email.   The result of  balloting by mail, email, telephone or telephone conference shall be given to all members of the committee and shall become part of the minutes of the next succeeding committee meeting.

SECTION 7. There shall be an Executive Committee with a total membership not to exceed ten (10) Compatriots.  The Executive Committee shall include the following members:  the President, immediate Past President, First Vice President, State Secretary, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, Chancellor, the two Registrars (Coastal and Inland) and a Communication Secretary chosen by the President.  The Executive Committee shall act as an advisor, assisting the President in his supervision of the business and affairs of the state society.  The President may call a meeting of the Executive Committee at any time.

Article XVII(A) - COLOR GUARD 
AND COLOR GUARD COMMITTEE

SECTION  1.  The Color Guard Committee is a standing committee of the Texas Society of the General Society War of 1812. The chairman of the committee shall be appointed by the president of the society, who may, in his discretion, appoint the commander of the Color Guard as the chairman. If the president appoints a person other than the commander of the Color Guardas the chair of the committee, the commander of the Color Guard shall be a voting member of the committee and shall serve as ex officio vice-chairman of the Color Guard Committee. Other members of Color Guard Committee shall be appointed as provided in these Bylaws. The Color Guard Committee shall be responsible for the following:
a.   Organizing and notifying the Color Guard commander of various events the Color Guard is to participate in;
b.   Determining the awards of the Texas Society of the General Society War of 1812 Color Guard and promulgating the requirements for those awards;
c.   Determining whether a Color Guard event shall be considered a chapter event or a state event and making appropriate petition to the National Society of the General Society War of 1812 for the recognition of Color Guard events in Texas as national events; and,
d.   Such other matters as may be directed to the committee.

SECTION 2.   There is created as an official and major component of the Texas Society of the General Society War of 1812 a Color Guard. The Color Guard, by the wearing of revolutionary war period clothing, promotes the Texas Society of the General Society War of 1812 and the patriotic, educational, and historical mission of the General Society War of 1812 and fosters respect for and education about the flag of the United States of America at TXSSAR and community functions.

SECTION 3.   The TXSSAR Color Guard, subject to the approval of the Color Guard Committee and the Board of Managers, may promulgate (1) a command structure and criteria for the selection and removal of officers, (2) bylaws necessary for the proper function of the Color Guard and (3) such incidental documents, such as handbooks, uniform guides, drill manuals or the like that may be necessary for the proper functioning of the Color Guard.

SECTION 4.   The TXSSAR Color Guard may accept donations of materials for the proper functioning of the Color Guard, including, but not limited to flags and flag holders, muskets, rifles, side arms and clothing. Such items shall be held by the TXSSAR Color Guard in the name of and on behalf of the State Society.

SECTION 5.   As the Texas Society of the General Society War of 1812 is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization under the United States Internal Revenue Code, neither the Color Guard Committee nor the Color Guard shall take any action which demonstrates or implicates support of a particular partisan or political point of view. 

ARTICLE XVIII- FEES AND DUES

SECTION 1.  The annual dues to this Society must be presented and recommended by the Treasurer to the delegates to the annual convention for approval.  The Treasurer shall cause to be published a complete schedule of dues and fees published on the  Society’s  public  website (or otherwise published to the membership)  each  year  following  the  annual  convention.  The Society Secretary shall send that schedule to all chapter presidents and secretaries by e-mail, electronic transmission or first-class mail.    Dues are payable to the State Treasurer.  Dues shall be distributed according to this schedule to the Chapter, State and National Society.

SECTION 2. This Society will charge an application fee, which must cover costs related to the processing of new member and supplemental applications. A Fee Committee composed of the State Secretary, Treasurer, and Registrars will recommend to the Board of  Managers application fees for new member and supplemental applications. The Board of managers will set the application fee yearly or as needed to cover costs. The Board of Managers will determine what costs are to be considered by the Fee Committee.

SECTION  3.  The  annual  dues  shall  be  payable  on  or  before  the  last  day  of December of each year. The State Treasurer shall give notice of such dues to each member on or before November 1st of each year. Any Active Member who fails to pay such dues on or before the last day of December of each year shall be deemed to be delinquent.  If such dues are not paid on or before the first day of February of the next succeeding year, that delinquent member may not again become an Active Member of this Society unless through reinstatement as elsewhere prescribed by the Bylaws.   An Active Member paying dues by February 1 shall be eligible to participate in any Annual or Special Meeting of this Society that year.

SECTION 4.

A.        On or before May 15th of each year, the State Treasurer shall remit to each Local Chapter the local portion of  the dues collected from the Active Member of  such chapter. However, the State Treasurer shall be authorized by the Board of Managers to withhold the Local Chapter's portion of the Active Member’s dues until such time as the Chapter's Annual Reports have been filed and received by the Secretary.

B.        The State Treasurer shall remit to the National Society the national portion of the dues collected from the members of this Society as indicated by the Annual Report of the Texas Society.

SECTION 5. Local Chapters of this Society may require the payment of additional dues for membership in the Local Chapters. At the request of the Local Chapter, such dues shall be collected by the State Treasurer and remitted to the Local Chapter. At its option, the Local Chapter may collect such additional dues directly.

SECTION 7. An Active Member who is delinquent in the payment of his dues shall not be entitled to any of the privileges of a member of this Society or any Local Chapter. If any Active Member is holding an office or is a member of  a committee at the time he becomes delinquent in the payment of his dues, he shall automatically be dropped from such office or committee.

SECTION 8. A member who is delinquent in the payment of  dues may again become an Active Member of this Society by payment to the State Treasurer of such annual dues of the current year.

SECTION 9. In the event of any change in the dues or the charges by the National Society they shall be automatically adopted as part of these Bylaws without the necessity of any amendments thereto.

SECTION 10. Dues of Members whose membership applications are approved by the National Society within the last three months of the fiscal year shall be considered paid for the next fiscal year.

SECTION 11. A Member may hold membership in more than one Local Chapter. Such a member shall make arrangements directly with the chapter he wishes to be dual member of.  All rights and privileges of membership held in the original chapter shall apply to the other chapter, except that the member shall represent only one chapter with respect to state matters. The State will no longer maintain a list of dual chapter members.

SECTION 12. Members transferring to this Society from out of State shall pay the Annual State Society's and Local Chapter dues, and provide a Record Copy of the individual's application, or pay the fee specified by the National Society for the Record Copy.

ARTICLE XIX - FISCAL YEAR

The Board of Managers from time to time shall establish and determine the Fiscal Year for this Society, as it shall deem to be convenient.

ARTICLE XX - DELEGATES AND MEMBERS MEETINGS

SECTION  1.  If a member is in good standing, the   following  shall  be  members  of  the  Annual  Meeting  or  any meeting and entitled to vote therein:

A.        All resident National Officers and State officers, all duly-elected and serving or past National Trustees and Alternate National Trustees and all Past State Presidents and resident Past National Officers.

B.        One delegate at large from each Local Chapter.

C.        In addition to the delegate at large, each Local Chapter shall be entitled to one delegate for every seven members or major fraction thereof of each Local Chapter, provided, however, that any Local Chapter having less than seven members shall  be entitled to one delegate. The delegate shall be selected in accordance with the rules prescribed by each Local Chapter, provided, however, that all delegates must be members of this Society in good standing.

D.        Local Chapters shall not be entitled to vote their entire authorized delegate strength unless the number of authorized delegates is personally present at the meeting. Only those delegates personally present shall be entitled to vote, and each such delegate shall be entitled to only one vote.

E.        Any member entitled to vote under more than one of the foregoing paragraphs shall elect under which category he shall cast his vote and shall not be entitled to vote under more than one category.


SECTION 2.  Local Chapters shall be represented at Annual and specially called meetings of this Society by members chosen in either of the following manners:

A.       By members of the Local Chapter in accordance with the usual procedure, not inconsistent with the Bylaws of this Society, before the time set for the meetings; or

B.        In the event that such delegates are not physically present at the meeting, the members of such Local Chapter who are present may designate which of their members present shall be their voting representatives.

C.        In the event that a Local Chapter does not have a delegate attending a meeting of this Society, such Local Chapter is authorized, in such a manner as the Local Chapter shall determine, to select a member of another Local Chapter in the same District to be its duly accredited representative and proxy with all the rights, powers and privileges of  a member of  said Local Chapter chosen in the manner provided in the preceding subsection. However, no Local Chapter shall have the right to choose in excess of one proxy hereunder and no person chosen as such a proxy shall have the right to cast more than one vote in behalf of the Local Chapter designating him as its proxy in any matter coming before the meeting of this Society. Further, such proxy shall not be entitled to vote as a delegate, or otherwise of the Local Chapter of which he is a member. .

ARTICLE XXI - PERMANENT FUNDS

There may be created and maintained by the Board of  Managers one or more permanent funds of this Society. In the event of the creation of such funds, they shall be maintained and their use governed by the Board of Managers, provided, however, that any and all actions by the Board of  Managers with respect to the creation of, or any other matters  concerning,  such  funds  shall  be  authorized  by  at  least  two-thirds  vote  of  the members of  the Board present at the meeting, provided further that the creation and maintenance  of  such  funds  and  all  regulations  and rules  with  respect  thereto,  may  be adopted by a regular or special meeting of this Society.

ARTICLE XXII - SEAL

SECTION 1. If at the time of adoption of these Bylaws a seal for this Society has been adopted it shall remain the seal of this Society. If, however, such a seal has not been adopted, then the Board of Managers shall adopt such a seal in conformity with the Constitution and Bylaws of the National Society.

SECTION 2. The seal of  this Society shall be used on all documents and larger certificates.

ARTICLE XXIII - INSIGNIA

SECTION 1. The insignia of this Society shall be the insignia adopted and in use by the National Society. All such insignia shall be used in conformity with and as provided by the Constitution and Bylaws of the National Society.

SECTION 2. Insignia for the President. The Board of Managers of this Society is hereby directed, from this Society funds, to purchase the General Society War of 1812 ceremonial badge prescribed by the National Society for the State President within sufficient time before the Annual meeting of this Society at which the officers are elected, and such ceremonial  badge  shall  be  presented  to  the  newly  elected  President  of  this  Society immediately upon his induction into office.

ARTICLE XXIV- OFFICIAL STANDARD

SECTION 1. The flag of this Society shall consist of three equal vertical bars, blue, white and red, the blue bar at the hoist. Upon the center of the white bar is the insignia of the Texas Society, General Society War of 1812

SECTION 2. The flag of this Society shall be displayed in concert with the General Society War of 1812 Flag at all times and shall not be used as a substitute for the national flag of the General Society War of 1812.

ARTICLE XXV - ORDER OF BUSINESS
AT ANNUAL AND SPECIAL MEETINGS

SECTION 1. The following shall be the order of business at all Annual and Special Meetings of this Society:

A.        Calling the meeting to order by the President
B.        Opening prayer by the Chaplain
C.	Pledge of Allegiances to National Colors and Texas Flags.
D.        Address by the President
E.        Appointment of Committees on: Credentials Rules and Order of Business Official Reports and Recommendations Resolutions
F.        Report of Committee on Credentials
G.         Reading of Proposed Changes, Alterations, or Amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws
H.        Reading of the Minutes of the last meeting
I.        Report of the Board of Managers
J.         Report of the Officers
K.          Report of the Standing Committees
L.        Report of the Special Committees
M.        Old and Unfinished Business
N.       New Business, including the election of Officers
O.        Adjournment

SECTION 2. The meeting may suspend this order of business by a two-thirds vote.

ARTICLE XXVI - QUORUM FOR ANNUAL AND SPECIAL MEETINGS AND MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF MANAGERS

SECTION 1.   A quorum of any Annual or Special Meeting of this Society shall be at least a total of twenty-five delegates from three or more Local Chapters.

SECTION 2.  A quorum at the Board of Managers shall consist of fifteen members of the Board of Managers.

ARTICLE XXVII - AMENDMENTS

These Bylaws may be changed, altered, amended or substituted in whole or in part by a two-thirds vote at an Annual or Special Meeting of this Society, provided that a copy of such proposed change, alteration, amendment or substitution shall be provided to the President and Secretary of each Chapter of the State Society by the State Secretary not less than thirty days prior to the Annual Meeting at which the same is to be voted upon. The deposit of said copy by the State Secretary in the United States Mail, first class postage prepaid, not less than thirty-three days prior to the said Meeting and separately addressed to each President and Secretary of said chapter at the last known mailing address of each respectively, as shown by the records of the State Secretary, shall constitute a compliance with the requirements of this provision.




ARTICLE XXX- EFFECTIVE DATE

These Bylaws shall be in full force and be in effect immediately upon their respective adoption dates and the meeting at which time they are adopted shall be governed thereby.

Signed April __, 2024

_______________________
David Hamaker, President

_______________________
                           , Secretary


Signed original on file with the Society State Secretary.