Our Constitution:

The Association
Clause 1 – The governing body of the game of badminton in Region 1 of the United States (as defined in the By-Laws of USA Badminton) shall be known as the Northeast Badminton Association, hereinafter referred to as the Association.

Objects

Clause 2 – The Objects of the Association are:
- To act as the governing body for the sport and recreation of badminton in Region 1;
- To provide, encourage and further the growth and development of the game of badminton in Region 1;
- To contribute to regional, national and international goodwill, friendship and understanding in cooperation with USA Badminton, in the International Badminton Federation, its member bodies and other bodies having similar aims;
- To be affiliated with USA Badminton whose current Laws shall be the Laws of the game of badminton;
- To promote and organize regional championships, tournaments, clinics and other events deemed desirable;
- To do all other things considered necessary or desirable for the promotion of the game in Region 1 and in the interest of the members of the Association.

Membership
Clause 3 – The Association shall consist of the State Associations representing each of the twelve states which comprise Region 1 together with the District of Columbia. These states are Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.

The Association may also admit club members, individual members and other bodies who would not otherwise be able to derive the benefits of membership, on such terms and conditions as the Association shall agree from time to time. Applications for Membership in the Association shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary of the Association. By joining the Association each State Association, club, individual member and other entity recognizes the Association as the governing body and this Constitution as the governing framework on all matters connected with the game of badminton in Region 1.

Management of the Association
Clause 4 – The affairs of the Association shall be managed by a Council. The Council shall consist of the Officers, the Immediate Past President of the Association, the Representatives elected and/or appointed by each State, and any “at large” members added as described below. In the event of a State Representative not being able to attend a meeting of the Council, the State shall be entitled to appoint a substitute who is not a member of the Council provided notice is given to the Secretary of the Association before the meeting. Each Officer State Representative and any at-large member shall also be entitled to designate a proxy (who may be an Officer or another State Representative) to attend a meeting of the Council and to vote in his or her place. No person shall be entitled to hold more than one proxy at any meeting. Each State shall be entitled to one State Representative if it has less than 200 USA Badminton members, and to two State Representatives if it has 200 or more USA Badminton members.

Officers shall be elected by the Association at the Annual General Meeting described in Clause 7 for a one-year term of office, subject to re-election for additional terms, and no one shall be elected President for more than three consecutive terms. A slate of recommended Officers shall be submitted to the Association by the Nominating Committee. Additional nominees may also be submitted by any other State Representative. Election of Officers shall be by a majority vote of the Council. In the event there is a tie vote in choosing the Officers, a run off election shall be held immediately. The terms of office shall commence at the time of the Officers’ election at the Annual General Meeting and shall terminate at the Annual General Meeting the following year. If for any reason new Officers are not elected, the existing Officers shall continue in office until succeeded by a duly elected officer.

The Officers shall consist of a President, Vice President(s) – not exceeding two in number – a Secretary and a Treasurer. At the discretion of the Association from time to time the offices of Secretary and Treasurer may be combined into one position under one person.
The Council may add up to four additional Members At-Large. Such members shall have voting rights.

Six eligible voting members of the Council shall form a quorum. This number should include two Officers. In order to be nominated as an Officer, the nominee must be a member of the Council, and candidates for the office of President must have previously served one year as a member of the Council.

The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Association and shall preside at all meetings of the membership and of the Association. The President shall be by virtue of such office, a member of all committees, except the Nominating Committee, and, if one be appointed, the Auditing Committee.

All Officers shall be directly responsible to the State Representatives for the usual duties incident to their respective offices.
Vacancies – Should for some reason the office of President become vacant, such as by death or resignation or incapacity, one of the Vice President(s) shall be designated by the Executive Committee to assume those duties temporarily. The Association shall by majority vote of the Council, within a period of thirty (30) days, either confirm the Vice President’s permanent accession to the Presidency or appoint a new President to complete the term of office vacated by the duly elected President. A vacancy in any other office shall be filled by majority vote of the Council within thirty (30) days of the occurrence of the vacancy.

Executive Committee
Clause 5 – The President, Vice President(s), Secretary, Treasurer and the Immediate Past President for the first year out of office shall constitute the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee shall have the power and authority to carry out the decisions of the Association and to perform all work and exercise all of the powers of the Association, subject to the disapproval of the Council. The action of the Executive Committee shall, however, never conflict with previous action of the Association.

Election of Regional Director to USA Badminton
Clause 6 – The Association shall elect a Regional Director to USA Badminton in accordance with the relevant By-Laws of that association.
Meetings

Clause 7 – The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held at such time and place as the Association may fix for the purpose of electing Officers who shall hold office until the next Annual General Meeting of the Association. The President shall schedule and call at least one other meeting of the Council during the period between Annual General Meetings, which shall be attended in person or by conference call. Mail ballots, e mail or conference call telephone meetings may be used to handle such other business as may arise between Council meetings.

Meetings of the Council may be called by the President at any time and must be called upon written request of eight Representatives. If eight Representatives request a meeting in writing then the President must call a meeting within thirty (30) days of receipt of the request.

Committees
Clause 8 – The Council shall have the power to appoint Committees with stated terms of reference. The Chairperson(s) of such Committees shall be appointed by the Council, and once appointed shall become ex officio members of the Council. Such Chairperson(s), if not already a member of the Council in their own right, shall have no voting rights at the Council Meeting.

Honorary Members
Clause 9 – The Council may elect such persons as it thinks fit to be Honorary Members of the Association with such rights and privileges as shall be decided from time to time. Presidents of the Association on leaving this office shall automatically become Honorary Members of the Association. An Honorary Member may continue as or be appointed as an Officer, State Representative or Member At-Large of the Council with all rights and powers pertaining to such categories.

Auditor
Clause 10 – The Council may appoint an Auditor who shall not be a member of the Council to review the financial affairs of the Association as necessary.

Fiscal Year
Clause 11 – The fiscal year of the Association shall commence on July 1 and end on June 30th.

Amendments
Clause 12 – Any proposed amendment to this Constitution must be proposed by or endorsed by the Council and shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary. Copies of any proposed amendment shall be sent to each Officer, each Member At-Large, and each State Representative prior to the Annual General Meeting. A vote will be taken at the Annual General Meeting. The amendment will be deemed to have been duly adopted if two-thirds of the eligible voting members of the Council present or represented by proxy at the Annual General Meeting are in favor.

Revised At the Northeast Region Annual General Meeting September 19, 2004.