BYLAWS

Massachusetts society of genealogists

as amended 23 October 2004

ARTICLE I - NAME

The name of this organization shall be the MASSACHUSETTS SOCIETY OF GENEALOGISTS, INC. (a corporation organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts), hereinafter referred to as the Society.

ARTICLE II – PURPOSE

1. The purpose of the Society is to bring together persons interested in genealogy, to stimulate and encourage an interest in genealogy, to provide education in the methods and sources of genealogical research, and to do all things incident to the perpetuation of the Society.

2. Notwithstanding any other provisions of these Articles, the corporation is organized exclusively for educational purposes as specified in Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, and shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried on by a corporation exempt from Federal Income Tax under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended.

3. No part of the net earnings of the Society shall inure to the benefit of any member or member of the Board of Directors (except that expenses approved by the board may be reimbursed).

4. No substantial part of the activities of the Society shall include the use of propaganda or other attempts to influence any legislation (except as otherwise provided by Internal Revenue Code Section 501 (h)), or participation in or intervention in (including the publication or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf off any candidate for public office.

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP AND DUES

1. Any person interested in the purposes of the Society as stated in Article II, Section 1, and who applies for membership in any classification and who tenders the necessary dues shall thereby become a member.

2. There are four classes of membership:

Class 1 - Individual Membership

Class 2 - Family Membership

Class 3 - Institutional Membership

Class 4 - Life Membership

Other classes of membership may be offered at the

discretion of the Board of Directors.

3. INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP (Class 1) is open to all persons who contribute the appropriate dues, and entitles the member to one copy of the Society’s regular publication and one vote on any matter brought before the general membership. It also includes attendance at any meeting of any Chapter and specific affiliation to a single Chapter of the member’s choice including that Chapter’s mailing, if any, and voting privileges within that Chapter.

4. FAMILY MEMBERSHIP (Class 2) is open to two or more persons living in the same household. A family membership entitles the family to one copy of the Society’s regular publications, and to the privileges of individual membership as detailed above. Voting privileges are extended to each member of the family who has reached the age of 17.

5. INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP (Class 3) is open to any corporation or institution at the individual rate. This membership is entitled to one copy of the Society’s regular publications.

6. LIFE MEMBERSHIP (Class 4) is available to members age 65 and older. The cost of a Life Membership shall be seven times the cost of an individual membership. Life Members have full privileges of individual membership.

7. Prior to the call for the Annual Meeting, the Board of Directors shall recommend dues for each class of membership for the following year.

a. Any increase in dues for the first three classes by more than $2.00 shall be brought before the Annual Meeting.

b. Dues are ordinarily divided approximately 55% to the Society and 45% to the Chapter, rounded to the nearest 10 cents. The Society’s Board of Directors may determine a different percent breakout if determined to be fiscally necessary.

c. The fiscal year of the Society shall be October 1 to September 30 (as amended 10/2001).

d. Dues are renewable annually prior to the start of the next year.

e. A renewing member is one who is a paid-up member at the time of renewal.

f. Any member whose dues are not paid by March 1 shall be dropped from the rolls.

g. Any member serving as an elected officer or committee appointee, whose membership has lapsed, must relinquish that position unless the situation is immediately corrected.

8. Any person joining January 1 to June 30 shall pay full dues and receive all issues of the current year’s MASSOG, the society's periodical. Any person joining July 1 to September 30 need pay half price only and will receive only the last issues of MASSOG. Any person joining after October 1 will be paying dues for the following year and will start receiving MASSOG in the following year. All new members will start receiving newsletters and other membership announcements immediately.

ARTICLE IV – OFFICERS AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

1. The officers of the Society shall be: President, Vice-President, Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, Membership Secretary, Treasurer, and Historian/Archivist. The officers shall be elected for a term of two years at the biennial meeting of the Society.

2. The Board of Directors shall consist of the Society President, Vice-President, Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, Membership Secretary, Treasurer, Historian/Archivist, MASSOG Editor, Past Times Editor, and the Presidents of the Chapters.

3. The President of the Society shall be the Chair of the Board. The Vice President shall serve in the absence of the President. In case of absence of both, a temporary Chair shall be elected from those Directors present, to preside at that meeting.

4. A majority of the members of the Board must be present to constitute a quorum for the conduct of business.

a. Each member of the Board shall have one vote

b. The Chair shall have a vote only in the case of a tie.

5. The Board shall meet at least four (4) times a year, with the place and time of the meeting at the discretion of the President. The Corresponding Secretary must cause notification of all Board Members of the meeting by mail, not less than ten (10) days prior to the date of the meeting, with said notice to include the time, place, and agenda of the meeting.

6. A Chapter President, if unable to attend a Board

meeting, may send as an alternate another officer

from that Chapter. The MASSOG Editor may send an

alternate from the Editorial Board. The officers of the

Society may not be represented by alternates, and

proxy voting is not permitted.

7. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the President, or must be called by the President at the request of three (3) members of the Board. The Corresponding Secretary must cause notification of all Board members of the Special Board Meeting by mail, not less than ten (10) days prior to the date of the special meeting. The meeting notice must include the time, place, and agenda of the meeting. No business other than the stated agenda of the official meeting notice may be acted upon at a special meeting. A majority of the Board of Directors must be present to conduct business at such special meetings.

8. A chapter president shall not simultaneously hold office at the state level except for a brief overlap during transition, as approved by the Board.

9. The term of office shall be January 1 of the first year through December 31 of the following year.

10. The President may appoint chairpersons to handle specific functions of the Society and its operation, with approval of the Board of Directors.

11. Officers may form committees to assist them in the

performance of their duties.

ARTICLE V – DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS

1. The PRESIDENT shall have executive supervision over the activities of the Society with the scope provided by these bylaws. He/she shall preside at all meetings of the Society and shall report annually by submitting a written report for publication on the activities of the Society. He/she shall appoint committees as set forth elsewhere in these bylaws.

2. The VICE-PRESIDENT shall assume the duties of the president in the event of absence, incapacity, or resignation of the President. He/she shall work with the host Chapter in arranging the site and program of the Annual Meeting.

3. The RECORDING SECRETARY shall be the Clerk of the Corporation, and shall keep the minutes of the Society and of the meetings of the Board of Directors, and shall preserve all minutes, reports, and legal documents. He/she shall keep and have available for reference at all meetings, a book in which the Society’s Charter, Bylaws, and Policies are kept current. The Recording Secretary shall keep current a list of all Committee chairs and members. Minutes of meetings of the Society and the Board of Directors shall include all motions, seconds, and final votes.

4. The CORRESPONDING SECRETARY shall receive

any correspondence directed to the Society and

distribute the same to various persons as appropriate,

shall prepare any correspondence of the Society as

directed, shall cause Board members to be notified,

at least ten (10) days in advance, of scheduled and

special Board meetings, shall cause all members of

the Society to be notified in writing of the Annual

Meeting and Special Society Meetings at least thirty

(30) days in advance. The call to such Society

meetings must include the date, time, and place, and

the agenda to include any issue that requires a vote