MEMBERSHIP ELIGIBILITY

CHAPTER BY-LAWS 

These By-Laws are established in accordance with and shall not conflict with the Constitution and By-Laws of the American Legion Riders Department of California, the Constitution and By-Laws of the Department of California American Legion, or the Constitution and By-Laws of The American Legion. 

AMERICAN LEGION RIDERS PREAMBLE 

For God and Country, we associate ourselves as members of the American Legion Family, constituting the American Legion Riders for the following purposes: To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America; To maintain Law and Order; To foster and perpetuate a one hundred percent Americanism; To preserve the memories and incidents of our associations in the Great Wars; To inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the Community, State and Nation; To combat the autocracy of of both the classes and the masses; To make right the Master of Might; To promote Peace and Goodwill on Earth; to safeguard and transmit to posterity the principles of Justice, Freedom and Democracy; To participate in parades and other ceremonies which are in keeping with the aims and purposes of the American Legion; to promote motorcycle safety education programs and to provide a social atmosphere for American Legion members with the same motorcycle interests; To consecrate and sanctify our association by our devotion to mutual helpfulness. 

ARTICLE I 

NAME 

The name of this organization shall be the American Legion Riders, Chapter 716 located at: American Legion Post 716, Los Alamitos, California; Hereinafter referred to as "ALR 716".  

ARTICLE II 

OBJECTIVES AND NATURE 

Section 1. The objectives and purposes of this Chapter shall be to promote the principles and policies as set forth in the foregoing Preamble and the National and Department Constitution of the American Legion. 

Section 2. To use our association to promote and support programs of the American Legion. 

Section 3. To participate in activities in order to provide a social atmosphere for American Legion members who share the same interest. 

Section 4. To promote motorcycle safety programs.   

Section 5. The American Legion Riders is a civilian organization. Membership therein does not affect, nor increase liability for military or police service. Rank does not exist in the “ALR” and no member shall be addressed by his/her military title in any convention or meeting of the American Legion Riders.   

Section 6. The ALR is absolutely nonpolitical and shall not be used for the dissemination of partisan principles, or for the promotion of the candidacy of any person seeking public office or preferment. 

Section 7. The American Legion Riders, Chapter 716, District 29, Area 5, Department of California shall be absolutely non-sectarian. 

Section 8. Each member shall perform their full duty as a citizen. 

back to top of page 

ARTICLE III ORGANIZATION 

Section 1. This Chapter formed at Post 716, Los Alamitos, California, Area 5, District 29, Department of California, was founded on 23 October 2008 and chartered on April 13, 2009 by the American Legion Riders Department of California. 

Section 2. The American Legion Riders, Area 5, District 29, Post 716, shall be organized as a Chapter of the American Legion Riders Department of California, and as a subordinate body to and in accordance with the regulations of The American Legion Riders Department of California. 

ARTICLE IV MEMBERSHIP ELIGIBILITY 

Section 1. There is one recognized "class" of involvement in the ALR Chapter 716 as defined below. All members must be a current member in good standing of the American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary or Sons of the American Legion. 

Section 2. Members in the American Legion Riders must be the legally registered owner, or operator, of a highway legal and operational motorcycle of at least 350cc and must possess a valid driver’s license for the qualifying vehicle in their state of residence (military equivalents acceptable as well) or be the legal spouse, or registered domestic partner, of an American Legion Riders member within the Chapter of application. 

Section 3. Members may not be concurrent members in more than one local Chapter except that they may maintain membership in a local Chapter during the period of organization of another local Chapter. Once the new local Chapter has been officially recognized by Department, they must limit their membership to only one Chapter. 

Section 4.  Applications for membership will be presented to the Membership officer, who shall, at each regular meeting of the Chapter, report upon all applications received during or after the next previous regular meeting. A majority vote of those members present and voting shall elect or reject a candidate. All members in good standing are eligible to vote.  The vote of the membership is final and may not be appealed. 

Section 5.  Any member who resigns from the Chapter 716 American Legion Riders will be required to comply with Article IV, Section 2, if they request to be reinstated into the American Legion Riders Chapter 716.   

Section 6.  Charter member status in Area 5, District 29, Chapter 716 American Legion Riders is granted to members listed on the rolls during the 1st 12 months from the date the Chapter was founded.( October 2008-September 2009) 

Section 7.  Active members in good standing who for any reason can no longer operate a motorcycle, may be granted Retired status by a vote of the local Chapter.  The status retired, only applies to the operating of a motorcycle requirement and does not create another class of membership. All other provisions of these bylaws will apply to members granted this status.  The chapter will communicate to the Department Secretary in writing, the granting of Retired Status, the members information, and the reason for granting retired status. 

Section 8. No member of the American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary or Sons of the American Legion in good standing shall be excluded or denied membership in the American Legion Riders because of race, creed, color or religion. 

Article V INITIAL FEE AND DUES 

Section 1.  The Initial fee for membership is $105.00 which includes the first year dues of $20.00 and the cost of the ALR back patch of $85, none of which is refundable. 

Section 2.  Dues are set at $20.00 per year and may be adjusted by a majority vote at the annual membership meeting in accordance with Article IX, Section 6, Finances. 

back to top of page 

ARTICLE VI EXECUTIVE BOARD 

Section 1. The Executive Board shall be composed of the elected officers of the Chapter and the Jr. Past President. 

Section 2. The President shall serve as Chairperson of the Executive Board and the Vice-president shall assume that position in his absence. The Secretary of the Chapter shall serve as Secretary of the Executive Board.  

Section 3. The Executive Board will meet once a month, as needed, prior to the regular meeting of the Chapter each month to discuss Chapter business in accordance with Article VII Section 1 of these by-laws. 

ARTICLE VII OFFICERS AND ELECTIONS 

Section 1. All members are eligible to hold office. 

Section 2. Nominations of officers will be made at the March and May meetings and elections will be held annually at the May meeting. A nominee need not be present, but must agree to the nomination in writing before the voting in May. Formal installation of Officers will take place in June in concurrence with the Post 716 American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary and the Sons of the American Legion. If the position of any elected officer becomes vacant, the President may temporarily appoint a member to fill that position until an election can be held to fill the vacancy. Nominations will be received at the next regularly scheduled meeting after the vacancy occurs and elections will be conducted at the first regular meeting 30 days after nominations have been opened.   

Section 3. The elected officers of the Chapter shall be the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Sergeant-at-Arms. 

Section 4. The President, with the concurrence of the Executive Board, shall appoint the following officers: Activities Officer, Road Captain, Historian, Chaplain, Membership Officer, Public Relations Officer and Judge Advocate. 

Section 5. A member may hold more than one office except for the offices of President and Vice-President. 

Section 6. All elected or appointed officers shall have only one vote at the Executive Board or Chapter Meeting except that the presiding Chairperson shall have no vote except to break a tie vote. 

Section 7. Elections shall be by secret ballot. A majority of all votes cast by those present at a regular meeting will determine the winner. In the case of non-opposed offices, a voice vote MAY be the method of voting with a motion and the majority consent of the members. 

Section 8. The duties of the officers shall be as follows: 

A. PRESIDENT:  Will serve as Chief Administrative Officer and will preside over all general meetings. Shall have general supervision over the affairs of the Chapter. Shall perform such duties as directed by the general membership. Will be limited to no more than two consecutive terms without a one year break between terms. Will serve as Chairperson of the Executive Board. 

B. VICE-PRESIDENT: Will assume the duties of the President in his/her absence and will assist the President in the performance of his duties. Will be limited to no more than two consecutive terms. He/she shall also perform other such duties as assigned by the Chapter President. 

C. SECRETARY: Will assume the duties of the Vice-President in his absence. Will have charge of and keep correct records, which include but are not limited to all proceedings of all E board and Chapter meetings. Under the direction of the President shall handle all correspondence of the Chapter. Will keep the membership rolls and report to the Membership committee if members become delinquent or no longer meet eligibility requirements. He/she shall also perform other such duties as assigned by the Chapter President. 

D. TREASURER: Will have charge of all finances of the Chapter. Will disburse funds as directed by the general membership. Will give detailed financial reports at each general meeting. Will serve as Chairperson of the Finance Committee. He/she shall also perform other such duties as assigned by the Chapter President. 

E. SERGEANT AT ARMS: Shall preserve order at all meetings of ALR716. He/she shall identify and introduce dignitaries and guests. He/she shall perform other such duties as may be assigned by the Chapter President. 

F. ACTIVITIES OFFICER: Shall coordinate all activities in the Chapter in conjunction with the Chapter President and maintain a ready record of all events and activities that may pertain to or be of interest to the Chapter. Shall be the Chairperson of the Activities Committee. He/she shall also perform other such duties as assigned by the Chapter President. 

G. ROAD CAPTAIN:   The Road Captain will be the person in charge during organized rides of the Chapter.  Shall be responsible for properly planning any proposed route and shall insure the route of any and all rides is known. He/she shall also select appropriate stopping locations for rest and/or food and gas breaks. He/she shall also report on any possible hazards along the planned route. (I.e. construction, weather, etc.) The Road Captain will also act as the Safety Officer, ensuring that motorcycle safety is observed at all times during events. May take any other measures necessary to help insure the safety of the group during a ride. The Road Captain and any Asst. Road Captain(s) shall wear a reflective vest during the road portion of any organized rides of the Chapter. He/she shall also perform other such duties as assigned by the Chapter President.   

H. HISTORIAN: Shall keep a chronological history of Chapter incidents and activities, both written and pictorial. He/she shall also perform other such duties as assigned by the Chapter President. 

I. CHAPLAIN: Shall be charged with the spiritual welfare of the Chapter members and will perform divine and non-sectarian services as needed, and shall be prepared to take part in dedication ceremonies, funerals, public functions, etc., and to adhere to such ceremonial rituals as are requested by the Chapter. He/she shall also perform other such duties as assigned by the Chapter President. 

J. PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER: Shall provide advertising flyers, WEB postings, news releases and other material to publicize chapter activities. He/she shall also perform other such duties as assigned by the Chapter President. 

K. MEMBERSHIP OFFICER: Shall gather new membership applications. Will validate the eligibility of each new member. At each regular meeting of the Chapter, shall report upon all applications received during or after the next previous regular meeting. Gather and forward all membership records to the chapter Secretary. Shall serve as Chairman of the membership committee. He/she shall also perform other such duties as assigned by the Chapter President. 

L.  JUDGE ADVOCATE:  Shall advise the ALR 716 officers regarding parliamentary procedures when requested (i.e. Robert’s Rules of Order-revised).   Shall also chair any questions pertaining to the Chapter by-laws, and therefore rule on said by-laws. Shall perform such other duties as incident to the office of Judge Advocate. He/she shall also perform other such duties as assigned by the Chapter President. 

Section 9. In the event that any officer shall be absent for three consecutive meetings of the Chapter without being excused by the President or the Executive Board, such office may be declared vacant by the Chapter President. 

Section 10. Elected officers can be removed from office by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the membership at a regular meeting. Motions to remove an officer from office must first be presented to the Executive Board for consideration.   

Section 11. In the event that an elected office should be vacated for any reason during the year, the President may temporarily appoint an individual to fill that office until nominations and an election can take place. back to top of page 

ARTICLE VIII MEETINGS AND QUORUM 

Section 1. Meetings will be held monthly on the 2nd Saturday of each month at 9 AM at Post 716.  The Executive Board will meet as needed before the stated meeting. 

Section 2. A majority of three (3) elected officers present including the President or Vice-President will constitute a quorum. 

Section 3. All meetings will be conducted in compliance with the most recent publication of Robert's Rules of Order, opening and closing ceremonies will be observed in accordance with the American Legion Post Officers Manual. 

Section 4.  The Agenda for each meeting will be published electronically and posted on the ALR 716 Website.  Copies of the Agenda will be available for review at each meeting. 

Section 5. Special meetings of the Chapter may be called by the President or the Executive Board and must be called, upon the written request of ten members. No special meetings shall be called unless announced by the President at the regular meeting preceding or unless notice is mailed or e-mailed to each member seven (7) days prior to said meeting, stating the time, place of the meeting and the subject to be considered. 

ARTICLE IX FINANCES 

Section 1. Finances of the Chapter will be from the membership dues and/or such other sources, as approved by the membership. 

Section 2. Finances of the Chapter will be held in a bank account. Signatures on the account will include the Treasurer, President, Vice-President and Secretary. Signatures of the Treasurer and one other officer will be required to disburse funds. 

Section 3. Disbursement of funds will only be those authorized at a Chapter meeting except in case of an emergency.  Emergency disbursements may be made in exigent circumstances but in no case will expenditures be allowed that may have been foreseen and authorized at a regular meeting of the membership.  Emergency expenditures must be presented and approved by the members at the next regular membership meeting. 

Section 4. The Chapter will be a non-profit organization and may only disburse funds in a manner that is in keeping with all local, state and national laws regarding non-profit organizations. 

Section 5. An emergency disbursement of funds may be authorized by agreement of three elected officers. 

Section 6. Annual dues shall be set each year by a majority vote of the membership. 

Section 7. A member whose dues for the current year (July 1-June 30) have not been paid by January first (1) shall be classified as delinquent. If their dues are paid on or before February first (1), they shall be automatically reinstated. If they are delinquent after February first (1), they shall be suspended from all privileges. If they are still under such suspension on June 30 th of such year, their membership in ALR 716 shall be forfeited. A member so suspended or whose membership has been so forfeited may be reinstated to active membership in good standing by a vote of the Chapter and payment of current dues for the year reinstatement occurs. Any member who is an active member of the Armed Services, California Guard, or National Guard, who is deployed out of the area, shall have his/her dues suspended until he/she returns from deployment. Said member shall remain a member in good standing through his/her deployment. Said member shall be responsible for the payment of membership dues for the year following his/her deployment, in order to remain a member in good standing. A member may not renew their membership in the ALR unless they have renewed their membership in their appropriate parent organization. 

Section 8.  The Treasurer will provide a finance report, in writing, at each regularly called meeting of the American Legion Riders Chapter 716.  The report will be attached to the minutes of that meeting and presented to the membership for approval at the next regularly called meeting of the American Legion Riders Chapter 716.  The minutes and the financial report will be made available for review to the members of the American Legion Riders Chapter 716.  

ARTICLE X COMMITTEES 

Section 1. Committees may be formed by appointment of the President with the consent of the Executive Board. The duties and length of service of these committees shall be stated at the time the committee is appointed. back to top of page ARTICLE XI UNIFORM View ALR Department of California Uniform Manual ARTICLE XII CONDUCT Members of the American Legion Riders shall be held to the same standards of conduct as those of the American Legion. Members of the American Legion Riders Chapter 716 shall at all times conduct themselves in a manner that brings respect to the American Legion and the American Legion Riders. Every attempt must be made to avoid the appearance of being or belonging to a Motorcycle Club (MC). Loud or vulgar language, swearing in public, the excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages while on rides and/or behavior that is inconsistent with the standards of the American Legion may result in suspension or removal from the American Legion Riders Chapter 716. Proper decorum will be followed when participating with or interacting with members of other motorcycle associations and clubs. 

ARTICLE XIII DISCIPLINE 

Section 1. Members of the American Legion Riders Chapter 716 may be suspended or expelled as provided in the Trial Manual of the American Legion Riders Department of California as adopted at the 5 th Annual Convention and subsequent amendments thereto. 

Section2. Members, who fail to abide by the rules and suggestions of this Chapter, will face censure, suspension or expulsion. Any complaint, accusation or incident involving a member which APPEARS to be a violation of the rules of conduct, SHALL BE investigated by the President, or person(s) appointed by him/her. A full report shall then be brought before the Executive Board for disposition. Any positive finding and intended action shall be provided to the offending member, in writing. Said member will have thirty (30) days to respond to the allegations in person or in writing, before the Executive Board. Founded allegations and resultant actions shall be placed in the member’s file for 1 year. 

Section 3. A member may be temporarily suspended from membership by agreement of a majority of officers in attendance at any function where they are representing the American Legion Riders if they are judged by the officers to be acting in a manner bringing discredit on the organization. This suspension will be immediate and in effect until the next regularly scheduled monthly meeting. The suspended member is required to discontinue wearing clothing bearing the American Legion Riders identification immediately in accordance with these bylaws and California Military and Veterans Code Section 1820 until they are restored to full membership status. 

Section 4. A member may be expelled if they no longer meet the requirements of membership or they have acted in such a manner as to bring discredit on the organization. An expelled member may appeal for reconsideration to the Chapter 716 Executive Board. The expelled member is required to discontinue wearing clothing bearing the American Legion Riders identification in accordance with California Military and Veteran Code Section 1820. 

Section 5. Any member expelled or suspended from Post 716 or their home Post will be automatically expelled or suspended from the Chapter 716 American Legion Riders.  If the expelled member is considered for reinstatement, they must make a new application for membership in the Post 716 American Legion Riders as described in Article IV, Section 2 of these By-Laws. 

Section 6. No person who has been expelled from a Chapter shall be admitted to membership in another Chapter without the consent of the expelling Chapter. Where such consent has been asked and denied by such Chapter, the person may then appeal to the Department Executive Committee for permission to be admitted to membership in another Chapter and shall be ineligible for membership until such permission is granted. 

back to top of page 

ARTICLE XIV AMENDMENTS 

Section 1. Proposed amendments to these By-Laws must be submitted in writing to the Executive Board and at a regular meeting of the Chapter and read there at. At the next regular meeting, or subsequently if postponed, the proposed amendment may be adopted by a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of those present and voting.  A committee of officers and members shall be appointed annually to review and recommend amendments to the By-Laws. 

Section 2. Any provision of these By-Laws shall be automatically amended to conform to any amendment adopted by The American Legion National, Department, Area, District, or Post 716 under which this organization operates. Such amendments will be announced at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Chapter 716 American Legion Riders. 

Section 3. It shall be the responsibility of the Judge Advocate to ensure that the By-Laws of the American Legion Riders Chapter 716 are in agreement with the American Legion National, Department, Area, District, and Post 716 By-Laws under Article XII, and to present the necessary amendments to the Chapter 716 Executive Board and the membership at a regularly called meeting. 

Section 4. These By-Laws and any amendments initiated by the Chapter shall be in effect until approved by The Department of California American Legion Riders. 

These By-laws were ratified on August 13, 2012 at Los Alamitos, California, Post 716, by majority vote of the members of ALR Chapter 716 at the regular membership meeting.              

• President Nancy Young                                                 
• Vice President Ed Duran
• Treasurer  Keith Elliott                                                  
• Sgt-At-Arms Robert Sanchez 
• Secretary Debbie Proffitt