Constitution

Revised January 2017

Article I - Name
The name of the association is the United States Icelandic Horse Congress (hereinafter USIHC).

Article II - Objectives
The USIHC is formed for the following purposes.

To promote the knowledge of the Icelandic Horse within the United States and its correct use as a competition and riding horse;
To keep a Registry of purebred Icelandic Horses in the United States;
To facilitate communication among all USIHC members, and;
To represent the United States in FEIF.

Article III - Membership
Section 1: There shall be three classes of membership:

(a)Individual Membership: Shall consist of natural persons 18 years and older who are U.S. citizens or who reside in the U.S. including its island states and territories. Each individual member shall have one vote.

(b)Junior Membership: Shall consist of natural persons under 18 years of age who are U.S. citizens or who reside in the U.S. including its island states and territories. They may participate in all activities and events but may not vote.

(c)Family Membership: Shall consist of up to two adults and their children under the age of 18 years, who are U.S. citizens or who reside in the U.S. including its island states and territories, residing in the same household. Each of the two adults shall have one vote.

Section 2: Application for membership shall be in writing to the Congress or electronically via the website and each applicant on becoming a member shall agree to be bound by the Constitution and amendments thereto and rules of the Congress. The Congress shall have the power to reject any application for membership.

Section 3: A member in good standing is a member who has complied with the regulations as hereinafter set forth and who is not suspended or in arrears of any fees or dues.

Section 4: The financial liability of a member of the Congress to the Congress shall be limited to the amount due with respect to his membership or other fees.

Section 5: A member may resign from the organization by giving notice in writing to the Secretary but there will be no refunding of fees or dues.

Section 6: No member shall be entitled to any of the rights and privileges of the Congress during any year until that member?s annual dues for that year are paid.

Section 7: No applicant shall be entitled to vote until the applicant?s application for membership has been accepted. No member shall hold office or be entitled to vote or to give notice to amend this Constitution if, at any time, that member is in arrears of any fees or dues.

Section 8: The Board of Directors shall have the power to suspend or expel any member who fails to observe any rule or regulation set forth in this Constitution or whose conduct is, in the opinion of the Board, prejudicial to the interests of the Organization. Any member against whom such disciplinary measures are sought shall have at least 30 days written notice of the charges being made and shall be given the opportunity for a hearing and reasonable discovery with regard to the charges and evidence to be presented. Such a member shall have the right to present evidence at the hearing and to confront and cross-examine. A two-thirds vote of the Board present at the hearing shall be required for suspension or expulsion. A person so suspended or expelled may apply to the Board for reinstatement after 60 days. If the Board refuses to reinstate that person, the person shall have the right to appeal the Board?s action to the general membership at the next General Meeting. An affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members voting is required for reinstatement. A member of the Board of Directors may be recalled (removed from the Board) upon an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the membership.

Article IV - Voting and Elections
Section 1: Only adult members of record as of two weeks before the notice of election are eligible to vote in the upcoming election. Voting for elections will be accomplished by secret ballot. Ballots will be provided with instructions subsequent to the Notice of Election.

All issues at a General Meeting will be voted upon by the members in attendance at the Meeting.

Section 2: The President of the USIHC shall appoint the members of an election committee no later than June 15th. The committee shall have no less than three members and no more than seven, all of whom shall be members in good standing with the USIHC. Members of the Board of Directors and candidates for election, as well as members of their immediate family, may not serve on the election committee. The election committee shall

(a) Select its own chairperson.

(b) Notify the membership of elections by September 1st.

(d) Oversee the preparation of an anonymous, electronic ballot to be delivered to the membership by October 15th.

(e) Oversee the electronic collection of responses and tabulation of votes cast until December 1st.

(f) Announce election results by December 15th.

New Directors shall take office on January 1st, following the election. Officers of the Board of Directors shall be elected by the Board of Directors at their first meeting in January.

Section 3: If by October 1st there are three or fewer nominations, the nominees shall be considered accepted by the Membership and there will be no need to prepare ballots for an election. The nominees shall take office on January 1st.

Article V - Offices
The Board of Directors may change the location of the principal office of the Congress as it may from time to time designate.

Article VI - Fiscal Year
The fiscal year of the Congress shall correspond with the calendar year.

Article VII - Board of Directors
Section 1. The affairs of the Congress shall be managed by a Board of Directors, nine in number, each of whom shall be an adult member of the Congress.

Section 2. Three Directors shall be elected annually by secret ballot and will serve for a term of three years until a successor is elected.

Section 3. Nominations shall be in writing and signed by the Nominator and two Seconders, all of whom shall be adult members of the Congress and not of the immediate family of the Nominee, as well as the Nominee, who shall also be a adult member of the Congress. Unless a Director declines to run for re-election, he or she shall be deemed nominated for re-election.

Section 4.No two related Directors, either by blood, marriage or common law, may be elected or appointed to serve in a board capacity concurrently.

Section 5. In the event a Director resigns during his or her term, or is unable to fulfill the requirements of the position for any reason, the Board shall have the power to fill the vacancy. Said appointed Director shall serve out the term of the replaced Director and shall then be eligible for election at the expiration of that term.

Section 6. At their first meeting following the Election, the Board of Directors shall elect these Directors who will serve as President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. The duties of said officers shall be as follows:

(a)President - to preside at all meetings of the Congress and the Board of Directors and to exercise a general supervision over the affairs of the Congress.

(b)Vice-President - to perform all of the duties of the President in the event of his or her illness or absence.

(c)Secretary - to attend all meetings of the Congress and the Board of Directors and to keep minutes of the proceedings at same.

(d)Treasurer - to deposit into a bank account in the name of the Congress all monies received for the benefit of the Congress and to pay all expenses of the Congress at the direction of the President or the Board of Directors and to maintain proper financial records of the Congress.

Section 7. Standing Committees. The Board of Directors shall create Standing Committees on various areas of interest to the organization.

Section 8. Special Committees. The Board of Directors may appoint special committees from their number, or from the other members of the Congress. The action of any Special Committee is subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.

Section 9. Representatives. The Board of Directors shall appoint representatives to other organizations.

Article VIII - Meetings
Section 1: The General Meetings of the Organization, of which there shall be at least one per year, shall be held at such time and place as designated by the Board of Directors. The General Meeting agenda shall be provided at least thirty (30) days in advance to each member via electronic or regular mail.

Section 2: Notice of meetings of the Board of Directors shall be posted on the Congress website at least ten (10) days before the date of the meeting. The Directors and Chairs of all Committees shall be notified by email at least ten (10) days before the date of the meeting.

Section 3: A meeting of the Board of Directors to be held on shorter notice, or without written consent, provided all Directors have given their consent to the meeting being held. This consent shall be entered in the Minutes.

Section 4: Meetings of the Board of Directors may be held in person or by conference telephone call. Alternatively, the Board may be canvassed by eMail by the President and/or Secretary.

Section 5: For the transaction of the Business of the Organization at a General Meeting of the Organization, a quorum shall be fifteen (15) members. At a meeting of the Board of Directors a quorum shall be five (5) members. If a quorum is initially present at a meeting, the meeting may continue to transact business notwithstanding the withdrawal of Directors or members, as the case may be, if any action is approved by at least a majority of the required number for a quorum for that meeting.

Section 6: At the written request to the Secretary of twenty-five percent (25%) of the members, the Secretary shall call a Special Meeting of the Congress. This Special Meeting shall have the same status as if had been called by the Board of Directors but such Meeting shall have no power to amend the Constitution. Special Meeting shall be noticed in the same manner as a General Meeting.

Section 7: A copy of the Minutes of all meetings of the Board of Directors shall be approved by the Directors present and posted on the Congress website within fourteen (14) days following such meetings.

Article IX - Annual Reports
The Officers and Chairs of the Standing Committees shall submit, by February 1st, a complete report of their acts and the various affairs of the organization during the preceeding year. The Treasurer's Report shall present a detailed statement of the receipst and expenditures of the preceeding year and the assets and liabilities of the organization. A copy of these reports and a list of Officers and other members of the Board of the organization shall be available at www.icelandics.org.

Article X - Distribution of Constitution
The Congress shall supply a copy of the Constitution to all members in good standing in the year in which they become a member.

Article XI - Amendments
The Constitution may be amended at any General Meeting of the Congress, with the exception of a Special Meeting called under Article VIII, Section 6, of this Constitution, by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members voting on the amendment. Notice of all proposed amendments shall be in the possession of the Secretary at least sixty (60) days in advance of a General Meeting. The proposed amendments shall be included with the General Meeting agenda, otherwise the meeting shall have no power to deal with them.

Article XII - Fees
Fees shall be established by the Board of Directors and ratified at the next General Meeting.

Article XIII - Registry
Section 1: A registry shall be kept at the registry office of the Congress. The registry shall be known as the United States Icelandic Horse Congress Registry.

Section 2: There shall be furnished by the Congress a certificate of registration for all animals registered. This pedigree shall be in such form as is decided on by the Board of Directors in compliance with FEIF regulations.