DAD FORMAL BYLAW AMENDMENT PACKAGE
Submitted by: Vice President, Keith
Effective Upon Adoption Unless Specified Otherwise
Current Wording & Proposed Wording
A. § 3.01(a) Affiliates
Current Wording (Delete last paragraph)
Membership shall be available to all local clubs or associations that serve people in the state of Delaware with a mission or interest in furthering the welfare of D/deaf, Hard of Hearing, late-deafened, and DeafBlind people.
For organizations with less than 100 members, they shall receive the privilege of one voting representative on the Board of Directors. Otherwise, for organizations with 100 or more members, they shall receive the privilege of two voting representatives on the Board of Directors.
Proposed Wording
Add: Each affiliate shall be entitled to 1 (one) voting representative.
** Eliminates the 2 voting power for larger organizations. **
B. § 4.02 Appointed Board Members
Current Wording
The Board of Directors may select up to two (2) Appointed Board members for special expertise.
Proposed Wording
The Board of Directors may select up to two (2) appointed board members for special expertise. Appointed board members shall provide support and work with the Board of Directors but shall not be granted voting privileges.
** Merges section 4.06g together here. Reduces duplicative language. **
C. § 4.06(g) Appointed Board Members
Current Wording
Appointed Board Members. An appointed board member, selected by the President, shall provide support and work with the Board of Directors. The appointed board member shall not be granted voting privileges.
Proposed Wording
Delete § 4.06(g) in its entirety.
** Moves this section to 4.02 together. Avoids duplication. **
D. § 4.06(h) County Board Representatives (Add Back – NEW!)
Current Wording
(Section previously removed)
Proposed Wording
Each county in Delaware may have one (1) County Board Representative serving on the Board of Directors. County Board Representatives shall act as liaisons between the Association and local communities, assist in outreach and event coordination, and help secure suitable meeting sites and fundraising opportunities within their respective counties. County Board Representatives shall have voting privileges as members of the Board of Directors.
** This will be part G not part H if G gets deleted. **
E. § 6.05 Meeting Format (NEW)
Current Wording
(New Section)
Proposed Wording
Meetings may be held in person or virtually, provided that all participants can communicate effectively and be verified for quorum and voting purposes.
** Added for clarity. Delaware State law already allows remote meetings. **
Rationale
These amendments:
• Remove duplicated and misplaced content
• Consolidate appointed‑member rules into one section
• Restore county‑level representation
• Clarify affiliate voting rights
• Modernize meeting format rules
• Improve readability, enforceability, and structural consistency
• Strengthen governance without changing organizational intent
This is a non‑controversial cleanup package that corrects structural issues and improves clarity.
