UFCH CONVENTION RULES AUGUST 2,3,4, 2013

UFCH CONVENTION RULES AUGUST 2,3,4===== UNITED FILIPINO COUNCIL OF HAWAII 55th Annual State Convention Courtyard By Marriott - Lihue, Kauai Aug. 2,3,4, 2013 CONVENTION RULES RULE 1 ADOPTION OF RULES AND ORDER OF BUSINESS A. The formal business of the 55th Annual Convention of the United Filipino Council of Hawaii (UFCH) shall not proceed without the adoption of the Convention Rules by the majority of the delegates accredited to vote at the convention. B. Immediately after the adoption of the convention rules, the Order of Business for the Annual Convention shall be presented for adoption by a majority of the voting delegates. The Order of Business shall be the official agenda for the Convention. Upon the adoption of the Order of Business, a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the voting delegates shall thereafter be required to amend or suspend the Order of Business. RULE 2 DELEGATE FEE A. Each delegate shall pay to the Credentials/Registration Committee a non-refundable registration fee of $195.00 on or before July 12, 2013 of which amount of $10.00 shall be credited and paid over to the UFCH treasury. B. The Credentials/Registration Committee shall observe the General Accepted Accounting Principles(GAAP) in handling the registration of candidates and the monies involved. In accordance therewith, the individual assigned to collect and handle the registration fee shall be a different individual from the individual assigned to issue credentials. C. Before accreditation of voting delegates, the UFCH Treasurer or another official appointed by the UFCH President shall conduct an audit of all fees received from delegates to verify that each delegate to be certified has paid the requisite registration fee of $195.00. D. No part of the registration fee shall be refundable at any time, except under extraordinary circumstances as approved by a majority of the Credentials Committee. Any refund of the registration fee shall render void the accreditation of the delegate receiving the refund and shall disqualify said delegate from voting in any matter at the Convention, including the election of UFCH Board of Governors. RULE 3 REGISTRATION DEADLINE Registration of paid delegates shall open at 5:00pm, Friday, Aug. 2, 2013 and shall close at 11:30am, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2013. This registration deadline shall not be extended. All requisite certifications and registration fees must be submitted and received no later than said deadline (2A). Submissions after said deadline shall be void and returned. Page 1 RULE 4 CREDENTIALS COMMITTEE After the opening ceremonies of the first business meeting, the Credentials Committees shall report the number of delegates and alternates then registered with proper credentials, and shall make a supplementary report after the beginning of each day that business continues. RULE 5 NOTICE FOR ANOUNCEMENT, REPORTS AND OTHER MATERIALS A. Notice for announcement to the convention shall be in writing, signed by the person(or a proper representative of the persons) under whose authority the announcement is issued, and shall be sent to the desk of the Secretary. RULE 6 APPOINTMENTS A. The Chair shall appoint the following Convention Officers: Parliamentarian, Timekeeper, and three (3) Marshalls. B. The Parliamentarian shall advise the Convention and the Chair in resolving questions of parliamentary procedure or rules of order, and in the interpretation of the Convention Rules and applicable UFCH By-Laws provisions. C. The Timekeeper shall monitor and enforce time schedules during the Convention and time restrictions set forth in the Convention Rules. D. The Marshalls shall maintain order during the Convention, assist in counting standing/rising votes, and enforce the observance of appropriate decorum. RULE 7 REPRESENTATION A. Subject to registration requirements, the 5(five) elected officers, the nine (9) elected members of the Board of Governors and the immediate past president of the UFCH shall be delegates to the Annual convention. B. Subject to registration requirements, each island Council shall be entitled to be represented at the Convention by five (5) elected officers; provided that where an Island Council has more than five (5) elected officers, that Island Council shall select the five (5) delegates to represent it at the Convention, and provided further that the island Council president shall be included in those five (5) delegates C. Subject to registration requirements, each member unit organization of an Island Council shall be entitle to be represented at the Convention by three (3) delegates; in addition, a member unit organization shall be entitled to one (1) additional delegate for every ten(10) members, or a majority fraction thereof, it has in good standing. A major fraction shall be six(6) or more members, to be entitled to representation at the Convention, a unit organization must have been a member of an Island Council not less than thirty(30) days prior to the first day of the Convention. D. A person shall be denied accreditation as a voting delegate where he or she as accepted as a member of the unit organization less than ninety (90) days prior to the date set for the registration of delegates. Page 2 E. Subject to registration requirements, a member registered as an alternate may, upon proper clearance by the Credentials Committer, be transferred from alternate to delegate at any time during the continuance of business meetings. F. The Committee of Credentials in conjunction with the Legal Counsel shall resolve all protests, contests and disputes concerning accreditation of delegates. If unable to do some, the issue(s) presented shall be submitted to the Convention in assembly to resolve the protest. The decision of the Convention assembly shall be final. Said committee may report to the Convention in assembly as often as changing conditions may require. G. A delegate is deemed to be a registered delegate upon completion of all registration requirements set forth in Rules 2 and 3, including the proper registration in person with the Committee on Credentials, the submission of all requisite certifications, and the payment of the required registration fee. H. For purposes of identifications and floor registration, all registered delegates shall wear an official Convention badge at all times throughout the sessions. I. Only registered delegates wearing official Convention badges shall be admitted to the sessions and other formal Convention activities. J. All non-delegate members and observers may be allowed to participate in committee meetings(without voting privilege) and in workshops and panel discussions. RULE 8 QUOROM A majority of duly registered and accredited delegates shall constitute a quorum for transaction of business of the Convention. Once a Convention quorum is established prior to the adoption of the Convention rules, based upon the number of duly registered and accredited delegates at the time as reported by the Committee of Credentials, a quorum shall be deemed to be present for the remainder of the Convention, except upon voting on proposed Resolutions and any adoption, amendments, revisions or repeals of the UFCH By-laws pursuant to rule 16(e) and 17(a). RULE 9 RECOGNITION A. Before a delegate can address the convention, he/she must be recognized by the Chair. B. Only delegates with official Convention badges shall be recognized by the Chair. C. Upon being recognized by the Chair, the delegates shall clearly state his/her name, office, or position and/or by name of the organization and the Island Council for which he/she appears as a delegate before taking the floor. D. After the delegate is given the floor, he/she may not be interrupted by another delegate except for the following: 1. Question of Point of Order, Clarification or Information; 2. Objection to consideration of the question; 3. Call for the Order of the Day, and 4. Question of privilege (that call for immediate action). E. References to personalities shall not be permitted to enter into any Convention floor debate or discussion. Page 3 RULE 10 DEBATE AND DISCUSSION A. No delegate shall speak in debate more than once on the same question on the same day or longer than two minutes, without the permission of the Chair or a motion to Limit or Extend Limits of Debate granted by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the assembly. B. The chair shall first recognize the delegate who made the motion to speak in favor of the motion; and thereafter, the Chair will alternately recognize delegates who wish to speak against or for the motion. C. If the Chair recognizes that there are no other delegates desiring to speak for such side or on such subject and permits a delegate to speak again on a given side of a motion or subject, the speaker shall be limited to one minute on any motion or subject under discussion. D. Rights in regard to debate are not transferable; a delegate cannot yield any unexpired portion of his/her time to another delegate, or reserve any portion of time for a later time. If a member yields the floor before speaking his/her full two minutes, he/she is presumed to have waived his/her right to the remaining time. However, if a speaker yields to the Chair or another delegate for a Point of Information, the time consumed by the question is not charged to the speaker. Merely making an inquiry or brief suggestion is not counted as speaking in debate nor is the making of a secondary motion. RULE 11 VOTING A. No delegate shall have the right or be entitled to vote on any issue and matter which may be brought before the Convention, including the election of officers and members of the Board of Governors, unless such delegate shall have first attained the age of eighteen (18) years on the day preceding the first day on which the Convention convention convenes. B. Each accredited delegate shall be entitled and limited to cast one vote in any matter or question before the Convention. C. All voting on any issue or matter other than the election of officers and governors shall be via voice vote at all sessions of the Convention, except in cases where a voice vote has been taken with an inconclusive result and/or voting on issues or matters requiring a two- thirds (2/3) vote for adoption, then a rising/standing vote shall be the proper method. D. Notwithstanding Rule 11(C) of these Rules, the election of Officers and members other Board of Governors shall be by secret ballot. E. Unless otherwise indicated in the Convention Rules or By-laws, a majority of the votes cast shall be required to adopt a proper motion except that the following shall require a two- thirds (2/3) vote: 1. To amend or suspend the rules; 2. To make a special order; 3. To take a question out of order; 4. To object to the consideration of the question; 5. To move for previous question; and 6. To extend, limit or close debate. Page 4 F. Only voting delegates who are personally present at the time of elections on Sunday, Aug. 4,2013 voting shall be held on Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013 at a time designated by the convention agenda. If on Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013, a voting delegate is personally present, but must leave prior to the designated time period set forth by the convention agenda, ONLY upon proper authority and for good cause, a voting may cast his/her secret ballot vote prior to the designated time. G. Election of Officers and Members of the Board of Governors shall be on one ballot. Nominations shall be completed and closed before recess on Saturday afternoon, Aug. 3,2013. H. Candidates for each office shall be limited to one campaign speech of three (3) minutes, except for the presidential candidates, who shall be allowed a maximum of five (5) minutes. RULE 12 ELEGIBILITY FOR ELECTIVE OFFICE A. Only an accredited voting delegate present, and who has consented to be nominated, shall be nominated for an elective office. B. No voting delegate shall be eligible to be elected as on officer of the UFCH unless such delegate shall have been a member of a unit organization for not less than one (1) year, and which unit organization has been a bona fide member of an Island Council for a period of not less than one (1) year before such election. C. Only delegates who shall attained the age of eighteen (18) years on the day of election, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013, shall be eligible for nomination and election as an Officer or Member of the Board of Governors. RULE 13 NO PROXY, ABSENTEE BALLOTING, VOTING BY MAIL RULE 14 CAUSUSES AND COMMITTEE REPORTS A. For the purpose of clarifying or conciliating differences of opinion on any question or matter, caucuses may be call from time to time for the conduct of which the Chair may call or declare an appropriate recess. B. The report of the committee shall represent the majority of the committee. The committee chair, or secretary, or other designated committee member may present the committee report. C. A minority report shall be considered on the floor provided prior notification shall have been given to the committee involved. When the committee reports to the convention, the chair or the secretary of the committee shall make the majority report followed by the minority report and may be presented in writing or verbally. The minority report shall be acted upon first by the Convention, followed by the majority report. RULE 15 CENSURE AND EXPULSION A delegate who fails to observe or abide by these Convention Rules or proper decorum may be cautioned by the Chair or by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the voting delegates present, be censured and/or expelled from the Convention. Page 5 RULE 16 RESOLUTIONS A. All resolutions intended to be acted upon by the Convention shall be submitted in writing to the Committee on Resolutions not later than 6:00pm, Friday, Aug. 3, 2013; provided, however, that the Chair of the Committee on Resolutions, in his/her discretion, may accept at any time after said deadline, any resolution for presentation to and consideration by the Convention. B. A resolution offered by an individual shall be in writing, signed by the maker and who shall be a delegate of the convention. All resolutions except those proposed by the Board of Governors, and all recommendations made in reports of officers or committees of the convention that are not in the form of resolution, shall be referred without debate to the Resolutions Committee; resolutions proposed by the Board of Governors or by Resolutions Committee shall be presented directly to the convention. C. Each delegate who offers a resolution shall be given an opportunity to explain it to the Resolutions Committee if he so requests. D. The Resolutions Committee shall review the resolutions and make any necessary changes as to form and substances referred to it, and shall submit to the convention, with the Committee's own recommendations as to the appropriated action, these and all other resolutions referred to the Committee, except questions which the Committee by vote of two-thirds (2/3) of its members may decide not to report. However, the convention by a majority vote may suspend this rule and may immediately consider a question, or may order the Resolutions Committee to report a question at a certain time, even if the Committee has voted not to report it. E. Adoption of the Resolutions by the convention assembly requires a proper quorum present, a majority of duly registered and accredited delegates shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business regarding resolutions. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of the delegates that represent quorum shall be required to adopt resolutions. RULE 17 AMENDMENTS, REVISIONS, and REPEALS TO BY-LAWS A. Alterations, amendments, repeals, or adoption of new by-laws require a two-thirds(2/3 vote of ALL registered and accredited delegates with voting rights to the annual convention.[Article XVII Section1] B. The proposed amendments, repeals, or adoption of new by-laws not be put to a vote before the annual convention unless such proposal have been first submitted in writing to the By- laws Revision Committee and/or Legal Counsel thirty (30) days prior to the start of the Convention; provided, however, that the thirty day requirement shall not apply if the proposed amendments are submitted by an island Council as certified by its president. by a majority vote of said committee, it shall submit the proposed amendments to a vote thereon by the annual convention. [Article XVII Section 2] RULE 18 PRECEDENCE The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the convention in all cases to which they are applicable and to the extent they are not inconsistent with the by-laws of the UFCH and these standing rules. Page 6