NATIONAL ICE HOCKEY OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION

I.  NAME

The name of the Association shall be the “National Ice Hockey Officials Association.”

 

II.  PURPOSE

The purpose of the Association shall be to promote the welfare of the game of ice hockey, its players and officials; to maintain the highest standards of officiating; to encourage the spirit of fair play and sportsmanship; to have available at all times an adequate number of thoroughly trained and capable officials for use by the various appointing authorities, colleges and schools; to cooperate with all other organizations officially connected with the game of ice hockey in furthering its interest and ideals in the United States.

 

III.  TERRITORY

The Association shall be national in scope and consist of an unlimited number of local chapters established by it, and the membership thereof.

 

IV.  MEMBERSHIP

1.   There shall be two classes of membership; ACTIVE and HONORARY.

2.   Any person shall be eligible to apply for ACTIVE membership.

3.   Application for ACTIVE membership shall be made to the secretary of the chapter which the applicant seeks to join and shall be accompanied by any fees imposed by the chapter.  Each chapter shall establish qualifications for membership which shall include achieving a passing grade, established by the chapter, on a written examination on ice hockey rules administered by the chapter and complete a skating test conducted by the chapter.

4.   An applicant for membership must apply to the chapter within the established boundaries of which the applicant is domiciled except:

a)   that the immediate relative of a NIHOA member (father, son, brother, mother, daughter, sister or spouse) may apply instead to the chapter of such NIHOA member;

b)   that if the chapter of domicile is not accepting applicants in a given year, the applicant may apply to any chapter the geographic area of which is contiguous to that of the applicant’s chapter of domicile.  If an applicant becomes a member of a chapter other than his/her chapter of domicile such applicant shall be required to continue membership in such chapter until such time as his/her domicile changes to either a geographical area other than that of the chapter of which he/she is a member, or other than the geographical area of his/her former chapter of domicile.

5.   Each local chapter shall administer a written examination to its membership, on an annual basis, on the ice hockey rules applicable to the chapter’s membership.

6.   Each chapter secretary shall promptly notify the National Secretary-Treasurer upon the admission of any new member, of any transferred member or of any member no longer in good standing.

7.   A member of the Association may be reinstated to ACTIVE membership upon application to his/her respective chapter and, if the Board of Directors was involved in his/her cessation of ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP, upon approval of the Board of Directors.

8.   Any former ACTIVE member who has ceased to be an active NIHOA official may be nominated to become an HONORARY member of the Association by a local chapter provided:

a)   he/she had been an active member in good standing of the Association for at least 10 years;

b)   he/she had been actively officiating ice hockey games for at least 10 years; and

c)   was in good standing with his/her local chapter at the time of his/her retirement from the local chapter;

d)   notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs a and b of this Section, any chapter may nominate for Honorary membership a former ACTIVE member who is either deceased or is suffering from an illness or injury which will prevent him or her from officiating ice hockey games again, provided that at the time of his or her death, illness or injury he or she was an ACTIVE member in good standing of his or her chapter.  (IV-8 amended 3-24-07)

All such nominations shall be voted on at the next annual meeting of the Board of Directors.  Upon affirmative vote of the Board of Directors each individual shall become an HONORARY member of the Association for life, but without the right to vote or the obligation to pay dues.

 

V.  DIRECTORS

1.   The Board of Directors of the Association shall consist of members of each local chapter and duly elected by each local chapter.

2.   Each local chapter shall elect one (1) member to the Board of Directors for each 20 of their members or fraction thereof, not to exceed three (3) directors per local chapter.

3.   The directors duly elected by each local chapter shall serve for a term determined by their respective chapters or until their successors are duly elected.

4.   Upon the election of a director the chapter secretary shall promptly notify the National Secretary-Treasurer of his/her election.

 

VI.  OFFICERS

1.   There shall be a President, a First Vice President, a Second Vice President, and a Secretary-Treasurer.

2.   There may be additional Vice Presidents, the number thereof to be determined by the Board of Directors.

3.   Such other officers as may be deemed necessary may be elected by the Board of Directors.

 

VII.  ELECTIONS AND TERMS OF OFFICE

1.   The President and First Vice President shall be elected every other year by and from the Board of Directors at its annual meeting.  They shall serve until April 30 of the second year following their election or until their successors are elected.

2.   The Second Vice President shall be elected annually by and from the Board of Directors at its annual meeting.  He/She shall serve until April 30 of the year following his/her election or until a successor is elected.

3.   Additional Vice Presidents and/or other officers shall be elected annually by and from the Board of Directors at its annual meeting.  They shall serve until April 30 of the year following their election or until their successors are elected.

4.   The Secretary-Treasurer shall be elected every three (3) years by and from the Board of Directors at its annual meeting.  He/She shall serve until April 30 of the third year following his/her election or until a successor is elected.

5.   No member of the Association may be a candidate for or be elected to the office of President, First Vice President, Second Vice President or Secretary-Treasurer of the Association unless:

a)   he/she is an active member of the Association in good standing with his/her chapter at the time he/she seeks nomination for national office and at the time of the annual meeting wherein he/she seeks election to office;

b)   he/she has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Association by his/her local chapter for the annual meeting at which he/she seeks election; and

c)   he/she has submitted (at least) a resume and a brief statement of intention to the nominating committee no less than 60 days prior to the annual meeting.  (VII-5 amended 3-26-98)

6.   If in any election for President, First Vice President, Second Vice President or Secretary-Treasurer there are more than two candidates who have chosen to run and no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast by the Directors present and eligible to vote, a second vote of the Directors shall then be held between the two candidates receiving the most total votes.  The candidate receiving a majority of the votes cast in the second vote shall then be elected to the office for which the candidates are running. (VII-6 added 3-27-2010)

 

VIII.  EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, the First Vice President, the Second Vice President, the Secretary-Treasurer and the immediate Past President.

 

IX.  PRESIDENT

The President shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee.  He/She shall under direction of the Board of Directors conduct all negotiations in behalf of the Association and shall make every reasonable effort to further policies adopted by the Association.  He/She shall appoint other committees as he/she may deem necessary.

 

X.  FILLING OF VACANCIES

1.   In case of death, removal, resignation, absence or inability to act of the President, the First Vice President shall assume the duties of the President.

2.   In case of death, removal, resignation, absence or inability to act of the First Vice President, the Second Vice President shall assume the duties of the First Vice President.

3.   In case of death, removal, resignation, absence or inability to act of the Second Vice President, his/her vacancy, until the next annual meeting of the Board of Directors, shall be filled by appointment by the President subject to the approval of the majority of the Executive Committee.

4.   In case of death, removal, resignation, absence or inability to act of the Secretary-Treasurer, his/her vacancy, until the next annual meeting of the Board of Directors, shall be filled by appointment by the President subject to the approval of the majority of the Executive Committee.

 

XI.  SECRETARY-TREASURER

1.   The Secretary-Treasurer shall record or cause to be recorded the minutes of the meetings of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee.  He/She shall send notices to various chapters and bills annually to chapter secretaries or treasurers for membership dues.

2.   The Secretary-Treasurer shall investigate, at the request of the Board of Directors, complaints against members and shall present to the Board of Directors all evidence he/she may procure.

3.   The Secretary-Treasurer shall draw up an operating budget, which when approved by the Board of Directors at its annual meeting will be binding upon the Association for the following operating year.

4.   The Board of Directors shall appropriate on an annual basis a sum to the Secretary-Treasurer for services rendered.

 

XII.  DUES

1.   Membership dues in the Association shall be fixed annually by the Board of Directors at its annual meeting.

2.   Dues are due and payable within 30 days after the annual meeting.

 

XIII.  MEETINGS

1.   The annual meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held on or before April 30 at such time and place designated by the Executive Committee.

2.   Special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at the call of the President or Board of Directors.  The President must call such meetings when requested to do so by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.

 

XIV.  VOTE & QUORUM

One third of the total Board of Directors, including proxy votes, shall constitute a quorum.  The act of the majority of the directors present or present by proxy, at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors, except where otherwise set forth in this Constitution.  One director present for a chapter may vote a proxy for another director(s) of the same chapter, only.  No other proxy voting is permitted.

 

XV.  EXPENSES

The expenses of Officers in conducting the business of the Association shall be paid from the funds of the treasury when in the opinion of the Board of Directors the financial condition seems to justify such expenditures.

 

XVI.  COMMITTEES

The President shall appoint an Audit Committee which shall be composed of two active members of the Association whose duties shall be to audit and check accounts of the Treasurer prior to the annual meeting and report their findings to the directors at the annual meeting; and may appoint a Nominating Committee to be composed of up to five (5) active members; as well as such other committees as he/she may from time to time deem necessary.

 

XVII.  CHAPTERS

1.   Meetings of each local chapter shall be held throughout the season as each chapter determines for the purpose of rules discussion, interpretation and techniques.

2.   Chapter meetings will be under the jurisdiction of local chapter officers.  Election of local officers and national directors of each chapter shall be held at least every third year on or before June 30.

3.   An individual may transfer his/her membership from one chapter to another only if his/her domicile changes such that it is within the geographical boundary of another chapter and then only to that chapter in which his/her new domicile falls.  The individual, however, is not required to transfer to the chapter covering the geographic area of his/her new domicile, but may maintain his/her membership in his/her former chapter if he/she so desires.  The intent of this section is to allow transfer of membership among the chapters only in the case of a bona fide change in domicile.  Application for transfer must be in writing to the secretary of the member’s present chapter and must be approved by both chapters.

4.   There may be chapters admitted to the Association as and when the Board of Directors feel such expansion is to the best interests of the Association and the game of ice hockey, subject to such regulations as it may from time to time determine and prescribe.

5.   Each local chapter shall submit a copy of their current chapter’s constitution to the National Secretary-Treasurer on or before March 1, 1997.  Each local chapter’s constitution pursuant to this section shall be in accord with this Constitution.  From and after March 1, 1997 each local chapter shall submit to the National Secretary-Treasurer within thirty (30) days after adoption thereof any changes or revisions to its constitution. (XVII-5 amended 3-23-96)

 

XVIII.  NEW CHAPTERS

The admission of a new chapter can only be upon written application directed to the Board of Directors at its annual meeting.  The application must set forth the following:

a)   name of chapter;

b)   location of chapter and its proposed geographical boundaries;

c)   a statement of facts showing necessity;

d)   a copy of the constitution of the proposed chapter which is in accord with this Constitution;

e)   the chapter must obtain the consent of any Association chapter which will be contiguous to the proposed chapter;

f)    the chapter must get several recommendations from hockey playing schools and colleges and/or other hockey organizations in the area;

g)   a minimum number of proposed members identified with the game of ice hockey , said number to be set from time to time by the Board of Directors; and

h)   the application must be signed by each proposed member of the proposed chapter.

The application must be approved by a 2/3 vote of a quorum of the Board of Directors at its annual meeting.

 

XIX.  CONDUCT

Integrity is essential to the performance of duties and responsibilities.  When carrying out duties and responsibilities, honesty, sound judgment and careful observation of the laws and policies applicable to this Association are prerequisites for its success.  A conflict of interest can arise when the personal interests of a member influence, or reasonably appear to influence, that member’s judgment or ability to act in the best interests of the Association.  Every member is responsible for the protection of the assets of the Association, as well as those of their local chapter.  In addition, members are personally responsible for safeguarding and accounting for all Association assets entrusted to their individual control.

 

XX.  IMPEACHMENT AND DISCIPLINE

1.   Each local chapter shall establish a system and procedures for handling complaints, impeachment proceedings and disciplinary matters involving its members.  Such procedures shall provide full and complete notice to any member sought to be disciplined of the nature and substance of the allegations against him/her and the opportunity to present evidence to rebut such allegations.

2.   Any active member in good standing may seek to impeach any other member for conduct which may bring discredit to the Association.

3.   An active member seeking to impeach another member must first pursue the impeachment through any and all disciplinary procedures established by his/her local chapter.  If after exhausting the procedures established by the local chapter, either member is dissatisfied, he/she may appeal the matter to the Association by notifying in writing the National Secretary-Treasurer.  Said writing shall contain:  (a) the nature of the appeal; (b) the evidence which he/she believes pertinent; (c) the names of all persons who he/she wishes to be contacted concerning the appeal; (d) the outcome of the proceedings of the local chapter.  Upon receipt of such an appeal, the National Secretary-Treasurer shall notify in writing the member or chapter who is the subject of the appeal.  The member or chapter who is the subject of the appeal shall within thirty (30) days of receipt of the notice of the appeal respond in writing setting forth with particularity: (a) the evidence which he/she believes pertinent; (b) the names of all persons who he/she wishes to be contacted concerning the appeal; (c) a statement which summarizes why he/she believes the appeal is without merit or any mitigating factors which he/she wishes to be considered.  The Board of Directors shall hear the appeal at its next annual meeting.  A 3/4 vote of the Board of Directors shall be required for impeachment.  Or, the Board of Directors, by majority vote, may take what action it deems appropriate in the matter before it.

4.   The Association believes that disputes between chapters should be resolved through negotiations between those chapters resulting in the mutual agreement of all parties.  In those cases where a resolution can not be reached, any party may request the intervention of the Association by notifying, in writing, the National Secretary-Treasurer.  Said writing shall contain: (a) the name of the chapters involved in the matter; (b) the nature of the matter (including any and all information pertinent to the matter); (c) any and all information concerning discussions that may have taken place between the parties.  Upon written notification, the National Secretary-Treasurer shall notify the Executive Committee of the matter.  The Executive Committee shall use all means at its disposal to bring about a resolution in the matter.  If the Executive Committee is unable to bring about a resolution, the Board of Directors shall hear the matter at its next annual meeting.  The Board of Directors, by majority vote, may take what action it deems appropriate in the matter before it.

 

XXI.  CHANGE IN CONSTITUTION

The Association’s Constitution may be amended by an affirmative vote of 3/4 of a quorum of the Board of Directors.

 

XXII.  ORDER OF BUSINESS

Parliamentary procedure under the Association’s Constitution shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order Revised.

 

The order of business of the annual meeting of the Board of Directors shall be:

Roll Call                                                                       Communications

Reading of Minutes of                                               Unfinished Business

previous meeting                                                   New Business

Treasurer’s Report                                                     Election of Officers

Secretary’s Report                                                      Report of Chapters

Report of Board of Directors                                     Adjournment

Report of Officers

 

XXIII. OFFICIAL DRESS

1.   The official dress is black trousers and the official black and white sweater with the NIHOA insignia on the left chest, and a black ice hockey helmet with chin strap fastened.

2.   Members assigned league games who are required to wear the league’s insignia shall wear the small NIHOA insignia on the upper left sleeve of the sweater.

3.   Each member shall supply his/her own officiating equipment which shall be neat and clean and have a well groomed appearance.