Rhode Island

Silver Haired Legislature

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 ARTICLE I - NAME

The name of this organization shall be identified as the Silver Haired Legislature of Rhode Island. It operates independently and under the aegis of the Rhode Island Department of Elderly Affairs.

ARTICLE II - PURPOSE

 The purpose of this organization is as follows:

a.      To promote legislative awareness and advocacy among Rhode Island citizens sixty-two (62) years of age and older.
 

b.     To form an educational and information network among senior organizations.
 

c.      To provide pertinent information to its membership.
 

ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1     Active membership shall be limited to 75 members as per present legislative districts.  The current State Representative of each district may nominate potential members, or if none are submitted, the Executive Board may appoint a member for the district.

Section 2     Any person who declares himself/herself to be sixty-two (62) years of age or over and is a resident of the State of Rhode Island is eligible to become a member of the Rhode Island Silver-Haired Legislature (RISHL) 

Section 3     The term of office shall be for two (2) years as long as a member remains in good standing. 

Section 4     Should a representative become unable to serve his/her term,  the representative must submit a resignation in writing addressed to The Speaker of The Silver Haired Legislature.
 

Section 5     MEMBERS IN GOOD STANDING  

a.     Only members in good standing are eligible to vote and serve on appointed or elected committees of the organization.  The requirement for a member in good standing is attendance at not less than five (5) duly called meetings of this organization during a fiscal year. 

b.     Attendance of members at Executive Board meetings is encouraged and applicable to the minimum attendance requirement.  

c.     New members are, and remain, in good standing through the end of the current fiscal year due to the fact that members enroll in our organization in different months.  Once a new fiscal year starts, meeting attendance will be considered from September to June. 

d.     Executive Board members are required to attend all duly called meetings of this organization unless excused by the Speaker.
 

ARTICLE IV - ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

The concerns, direction and affairs of this organization are vested in the Executive Board, as specified in Article V of these By-Laws.  

ARTICLE V - OFFICERS

Section 1     Elected officers shall be the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Secretary and the Treasurer.

Section 2     The Executive Board of this organization shall consist of the current Speaker, Deputy Speaker, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and  one legislative members appointed by the Speaker and Chairpersons of Standing Committees. Section 2.  The Speaker shall preside at all official meetings and shall be an ex-officio member, with voting rights, on all committees, except the Nominating Committee. The Speaker shall be the presiding officer of this organization, and subject to the approval of the Executive Board, has charge of the business affairs and operations of this organization.

Section 3     The Deputy Speakers shall perform all the functions of the Speaker when the Speaker is unavailable or for any reason cannot serve.

Section 4     The Executive Board shall designate, by majority vote, one of its members to perform the functions of the Speaker when neither the Speaker nor the Deputy Speaker are available or for any reason cannot serve.

Section 5     Section 6. The Secretary shall record the minutes at all duly called meetings of the Executive Board and the General Sessions and arrange for distribution of the minutes to the membership.

a.      The Secretary shall be responsible to prepare and mail official meeting notices.

ARTICLE Vl - ELECTIONS

Section 1     Elections of officers shall he conducted in odd numbered years at the annual legislative session of the general membership. Elected officers shall serve a term of office of two (2) years, limited to three (3) consecutive terms.

Section 2     Vacancies in committee officer positions, other than Speaker and Deputy Speaker, (which could occur by death, resignation, etc.), shall be filled by the Speaker, with Executive Board approval, until such time as a vote is taken to fill the position.

 
 ARTICLE VII - VOTING

Section 1     Only active members in good standing may vote at any duly called regular or special meeting of the general membership.

Section 2     A quorum of the general membership shall be declared when twenty-five percent (25%) of the members of the organization are present in a duly scheduled or called meeting. 

a.      A simple majority of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum for meetings and votes of the Executive Board.

b.     The RISHL, at their annual meeting on the odd numbered years, shall elect all officers.  The members will be notified of the voting date 30 days in advance. 

ARTICLE VIII. MEETINGS  

Section 1     Unless otherwise designated, General Legislative Sessions (Plenary) of the Silver Haired Legislature shall be held nine (9) times during the fiscal year.  That is, September, October, November, January, February, March, April, May and June.
 

Section 2     The General Legislative Session (plenary) of the SHL takes place for the purpose of preparing and submitting legislative initiatives to elected State Representatives for introduction to the State General Assembly.  Bills that are proposed or pending in the General Assembly that target issues of concern to us are reviewed and each individual bill is voted upon by this organization’s general membership as to SHL support.
 

Section 3     The Speaker may call special meetings of the Executive Board or General Membership as  warranted

 

ARTICLE IX - COMMITTEES  

Section 1     The Chairpersons of Standing Committees shall be elected by the general membership with the exception of The Nominating Committee.  The Chairpersons of the Standing Committees shall appoint the committee members.

Section 2     The Standing Committees are:  Listening Sessions, Legislative Action, Hospitality, Membership, Public Relations, By-Laws and Nominating.

Section 3     The Nominating Committee, consisting of not less than five (5) members shall be appointed by the Speaker, with Executive Board approval.

Section 4     Committees shall be formed as needed. 

Section 5     Committee  officers shall consist of a Chairperson, a Vice Chairperson and a Secretary of each Committee  As selected by the Committee Chairperson 

Section 6     The Chairperson shall call committee meetings at times oher than General meetings as needed.  

Section 7     The Speaker has the prerogative to form any special committee as the need arises.
 

ARTICLE X - NON-DISCRIMINATION  

This organization shall not discriminate on the basis of color, creed, national origin, race, religion, age, sex, marital st atus, sexual orientation, disability, or financial status.  

ARTICLE XI - PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY  

The parliamentary authority shall be "Robert’s Rules of Order", for the conduct of all business of the organization.  

ARTICLE XII - AMENDMENTS  

These By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the General Membership at a duly called regular or special meeting when a quorum is present. A notice and a copy of proposed amendments shall be mailed to each member of this organization at least ten (10) days prior to the date of such meeting. 

Article XIII – REPRESENTATION

A member of the RHODE ISLAND SILVER HAIRED LEGISLATURE shall not represent himself / herself as speaking for the RISHL unless authorized to do so by the Executive Board of the Association. 

These By-Laws of the Rhode Island Silver Haired Legislature were first approved and adopted in 1981, and further amended at the annual meetings held on  

November 08, 1999

June 06, 2002

September 2005

Bertrand Gauthier                                                           Robert Barry

Speaker                                                                               Chairman – By-Laws Committee

                                                                     Members:  Bob Thompson & John O’Hara

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