Texas State Court of Chevaliers By-laws
Table of Contents
Article I – NAME
Article II – ALLEGIANCE
Article III – MEMBERSHIP
Article IV – OFFICERS
Article V – COMMITTEES
Article VI – MEETINGS
Article VII – DUES
Article VIII – ENDOWMENT
Article IX – PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
Article X – AMENDMENTS
ARTICLE I
NAME
This Court, by authorization of the Executive Officer in Texas for the International Supreme Council of the Order of DeMolay shall he known as the Texas State Court of Chevaliers of the Order of DeMolay.
ARTICLE Il
ALLEGIANCE
The Texas State Court of Chevaliers owes its allegiance to the International Supreme Council of the Order of DeMolay and is under the direction and control of its Executive Officer in Texas. The Statutes of the International Supreme Council, and the orders and edicts of its Executive Officer in Texas are supreme. This Court shall be governed by these bylaws only to the extent they are consistent with the Statutes of the International Supreme Council and with the orders and edicts of its Executive Officer in Texas.
ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP
Every Chevalier. duly invested and in good standing with the International Supreme Council, who is either an Active or Senior member of a Texas DeMolay Chapter, or who is domiciled in the State of Texas, is eligible for membership in the Texas State court and is entitled to participate in its activities, vote and hold office provided that his current dues are paid in full or that he has life membership.
ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS
Section 1. The officers of the State Court, to be elected at the State Court’s annual meeting, shall be as follows: State Commander, Commander in the West, Commander in the South, State Court Marshal, State Court Chaplain. The State Court Treasurer and State Court Secretary shall be appointed by the Executive Officer in Texas.
Section 2. Any member in good standing with the International Supreme Council and with his current dues to the State Court paid in full is eligible to any office; provided, however, that a candidate for State Commander must have served previously either as a Commander in the West or as a Commander in the South of the State Court; provided further, however, that a candidate for Commander of the Texas State Court shall be a Past or Present Commander of a local Court in the State of Texas acting under Letters of Authorization issued by the International Supreme Council of the Order. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, the Executive Officer may conclude in the best interest of the Order that some other candidates may be nominated only after securing the personal approval of the Executive Officer in Texas.
Section 3. Any member to be elected to an office in the State Court need not be in attendance at the annual meeting.
Section 4. Nominations shall be made from the floor and balloting shall be secret. A majority of those present and voting shall be required to elect.
Section 5. Terms of all officers shall be for one year and any officer is subject to reelection or reappointment.
Section 6A. The State Commander shall, in addition to the duties prescribed by the International Supreme Council and its Executive Officer in Texas, shall preside at all meeting of the State Court, make committee appointments when there is an opening during his term, and see that all directives and orders of the State Court and its Executive Committee are faithfully executed.
Section 6B. The State Commander shall be an ex-officio member of all State Court committees.
Section 6C. When the State Commander appoints a member to fill a vacancy in a State Court office, the temporary appointment shall expire at the next annual meeting, at which time an election shall be conducted for a full term to commence as soon as the newly elected officer is installed.
Section 6D. in the event a vacancy occurs in the office of the State Commander, the Commander in the West, or Commander in the South, or the Past State Commander in order of juniority, who is willing to serve, shall advance to the office of State Commander.
Section 6E. In the absence of all three Commanders from a State Court meeting, the Junior Past Sate Commander present shall preside. Section 6F. The State Commander, with the approval of the Executive Officer in Texas, in empowered to perform all acts necessary to promote the best interests and welfare of the State Court.
Section 7A. The State Court Secretary shall keep all records, reports, and minutes. He shall, at the discretion of the State Commander, send out notices for meetings of the State Court and perform all other clerical duties requested of him by the State Commander.
Section 7B. The State Court Treasurer shall collect all dues and assessments, and have charge of 0 finances. He shall keep proper books showing all receipts and disbursements and shall make a financial report annually to the State Court. The State Court Treasurer shall keep all funds of the State Court separately in trust on deposit in a federally insured institution.
Section 7C. The State Court Secretary and State Court Treasurer are authorized to expend such monies as are reasonably necessary to meet expenses for stamps, letters, receipt books, registers, and other materials required for making and mailing notices for meetings and keeping records of minutes and finances. They are authorized to make such further expenditures as may be ordered by the State Commander or by the Executive Officer of DeMolay in Texas.
Section 8. Other officers of the State Court shall assist the State Commander and perform such duties as the State Commander may direct.
Section 9. Officers of the State Court shall assume their duties when installed by the Executive Officer in Texas or by a Past State Commander or the State Commander as designated by the Executive Officer for that purpose.
ARTICLE V
COMMITTEES
Section 1A. The State Commander, Commander in the West, Commander in the South, State Court Secretary, State Court Treasurer, and all Past State Commanders who are members of the State Court in good standing shall constitute an Executive Committee to carry on and transact business of the State Court during the interim between meetings. The Executive Committee, subject to the approval of the Executive Officer in Texas, is authorized to act in all matters concerning the welfare of the State Court.
Section 1B. The Executive Committee must make a written report of all business transacted each year to the State Court for its approval at the annual meeting.
Section 2A. Meetings of the Executive Committee may be called by the State Commander or by written notice signed by at least five members. Notice for all meetings shall be mailed to the committee six weeks prior to the date thereof, The State Commander shall preside, but in his absence the Senior Past State Commander present shall preside.
Section 2B. A quorum of the Executive Committee shall consist of three members; provided, however, that if the requirements of these bylaws to insure notification of all members for meetings have not been met, any business transacted at those meetings is declared null and void.
Section 3. The Jurisprudence Committee shall see that the bylaws in force are followed, suggest necessary changes or revisions of the bylaws and advise the State Commander as to all points of order that shall be raised during meetings of the State Court or at any other time.
Section 4. The Auditing Committee shall examine the books of the State Court Treasurer and give a report thereon at the annual meeting.
Section 5. The State Commander shall be empowered to appoint such committees as he deem expedient and in the best interests of the court; provided, however, that no special committee shall be permitted to duplicate the duties and functions of any standing committee created by these bylaws and all such committees shall terminate when the term of office of the State Commander who appointed them has expired.
Section 6A. With the exception of the Executive Committee, all committees created by these bylaws shall consist of three members serving three year terms. A member shall rotate off each committee every year but may be eligible for reappointment, The State Commander, during his term of office, shall appoint one member to each committee for a term of three years; provided; however, that when the committee is first created, three members shall be appointed at one time to serve terms of one year, two years, and three years respectively,
Section 6B. During the third and final year of a committee member’s term he shall serve as chairman.
ARTICLE VI
MEETINGS
Section 1A. The annual meeting of the Texas State Court of Chevaliers shall be held at the yearly meeting of the State DeMolay Association of Texas, or such other time as the State Commander with the approval of the Executive Officer in Texas, shall determine. In those years when the annual meeting is not held at the state conclave, all dues paying members of the State Court in good standing must be notified by mail at least four weeks and not more than six weeks prior to the date thereof.
Section 1B. The State Commander is empowered to negotiate with the appropriate state association or conclave officials, or to designate a representative to meet with them, for the purpose of arranging the annual meeting of the State Court.
Section 2A. Special meetings may be called at any time by the State Commander with the approval of the Executive Officer in Texas if notice is mailed to all dues paying members of the State Court in good standing at least four weeks and not more than six weeks prior to the date thereof.
Section 2B. The Executive Committee of the State Court is empowered to call special meetings by a majority vote of the
membership present and voting if adequate notification is given all members of the State Court in accordance with the requirements of this Article.
Section 2C. Only those business matters specifically designated in the notice shall be considered at a special meeting. No other business may be transacted.
Section 3. Fifteen members of the State Court in good standing, and current dues paid in full shall constitute a quorum to transact business at any meeting; provided, however, that if the requirements of this Article to ensure notification of all members for meetings other than for the Annual Meeting at State Conclave have not been met, no business may be transacted at such meeting.
ARTICLE VII
DUES
Section 1. Annual dues of the State Court in an amount set by majority vote of those present and voting at any annual meeting, shall be due and payable on January 1st of each year. The amount of dues so set shall continue until changed in the same manner in which it was established. If the dues are paid before the annual meeting officially convenes, a member will be considered in good standing and be eligible to vote and hold office.
Section 2A. All Chevaliers created during a particular year will he entitled to vote and hold office in the State Court without having to pay yews dues for that year.
Section 2B. The State Court Secretary shall mail to all DeMolay Chapters in Texas who have members to be elevated to the rank and dignity of a Chevalier a current dues card to be presented to the new Chevaliers upon their investiture.
Section 3. The State Court Secretary, on a date near January 1st of each year, shall mail dues notices to all members of the Court who have not paid their dues.
ARTICLE VIII
ENDOWMENT
The State Court shall establish a permanent endowment fund from life membership contributions to be administered by the State Court Executive Committee. The principal shall be allowed to accumulate and interest derived therefrom shall be deposited in a separate account to be used for whatever purposes the administrators shall determine. Donations to this fund shall be accepted from any source, but the State Court shall determine what amount, if any, shall constitute a sufficient contribution for a members dues to be paid in full for life.
ARTICLE IX
PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
Roberts Rules of Order, Revised, shall be the guide in all parliamentary action where the same is not superseded by provisions of the International Supreme Council, orders or edicts of its Executive Officer in Texas or by the provisions of these Bylaws.
ARTICLE X
AMENDMENTS
Section 1. These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the membership of the State Court present and voting at the annual meeting if one month’s notice of all amendments to be considered has been mailed to the dues paying membership and all proposed changes have been approved by the Executive Officer in Texas. Section 2. Any action of the International Supreme Council or of its Executive Officer in Texas which may affect or alter these bylaws in any respect is hereby declared to be an amendment.
AMENDMENTS & DELETIONS
- The 1979 – 1980 Edition of the State Court Bylaws was amended pursuant to Article 11 and Article X, Section 3 on July 27, 1991 in the following particulars:
- The word or title “Grand” was deleted wherever it appeared in the Bylaws because the use of same is reserved unto the International Supreme Council and is not used in connection with a Court of Chevaliers, except for ceremonial purposes when prescribed by the ritual doing the investiture of the Degree of Chevalier.
- The office of Secretary-Treasurer was separated into two distinct offices of State Court Secretary and State Court Treasurer and are no longer elected and are appointed by the Executive Office consistent with the Texas DeMolay Association, and the Texas State Priory Order of Knighthood and Texas State Preceptory Legion of Honor.
- The 1979 – 1980 Edition of the State Court Bylaws was amended pursuant to Article 11 and Article X, Section 3 on September 5, 1994 in the following particulars:
- Article I was amended to conform with the Uniform Chevalier Court Bylaws in the Appendix to the Statutes of the Supreme Council.
- Article III requires all officers of the State Court to be dues paying members. Article IV, Section 2 requires that all Commanders of the State Court shall be Past or Present Commanders of local Courts in Texas acting under Letters of Authorization issued by the International Supreme Council of the Order. This amendment does not apply to any incumbent Commander of the State Court on the effective date of September 5, 1994.
- Article IV elections was revised to make the term of office one year for all State Court Officers and all officers are subject to reelection and reappointment if that was not clear.
- Article IV, Section 6E has been made consistent with Section 6D.
- The first sentence of Article IX was consolidated into Article IX, Section 7B and the requirement for a bond in Section 7B was eliminated and the remainder of Article IX has been relocated to be a new Section 7C of Article IX and empowers both the State Court Secretary and the State Court Treasurer and deletes references to the Executive Committee and/or State Court. Article IX, Section 9 provides that in the event the Executive Officer does not install the officers of the State Court, the Personal Representative appointed by the State Court shall be a Past State Commander or the Present State Commander.
- Article VI, Section 3 has been amended to eliminate the ten percent (10%) quorum since DeMolay does not establish quorums based on percentage of members.
- Article X, Section 2 has been relocated as a new Article IX on Parliamentary Authority as it location in Article X on Amendments was inappropriate, and Section 3 of Article X has been renumbered Section 2.