ARTICLE I

NAME

This organization shall be known as the National Puerto Rican Agenda (NPRA)

                                              

ARTICLE II

THE MISSION

The mission of the National Puerto Rican Agenda is to unite, organize, mobilize and empower stateside Puerto Ricans to advance the interest of the Puerto Rican people.

                                          

ARTICLE III

MEMBERSHIP

  1. Organizations: Any social, cultural, professional, community, labor, student, religious bonafide organization whose principal function is to serve the Puerto Rican community, whose members are willing to abide by and support the bylaws, principles and platform of the National Puerto Rican Agenda.
  2. Active Individual Member: Any individual who does not belong to a member organization of NPRA, and is willing to abide by and support the bylaws, principles and platform of NPRA. Individual members should actively participate in the work of at least one action committee.
  3. Supporting Members: These are individuals that support the goals and objective of the organization but is not active in the work of the organization. The supporting members shall have voice but not vote in the plenary sections of NPRA.  Any supporting member shall have the right to become an active individual member by petitioning the Executive Committee and becoming active in the work of at least one action committee.
  4. Annual Membership Dues:

Nationwide organizations    $1,000.00

Statewide organizations      $ 500.00

Regional                               $ 300.00

Individuals                            $75.00

Affiliates                               $35.00

 

The Board of Directors shall have the authority to 1) suspend payment of dues as it deem appropriate 2) approve changes in the amount of dues.                                        

 

ARTICLE IV

NATIONAL CONVENTION

  1. A national convention of the NPRA shall be held every two years. The national convention plenary is the highest decision-making body of the NPRA.
  2. The order of business of the national convention shall be prepared by the Executive Committee and presented to the Board of Directors for approval. The order of business shall be made known to the membership no later than 30 days prior to the date of the convention.
  3. The Executive Committee shall appoint a convention committee with the consent of the Board of Directors.
  4. The convention committee shall prepare the program and process to select the delegates to the national convention.
  5. The Board of Directors shall approve the program and the process to select the delegates to the national convention

 

ARTICLE V

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

  1. The Board of Directors shall be elected by the plenary of the national convention from among the members in good standing of the National Puerto Rican Agenda.
  2. The Board of Directors shall be composed of:

A) Nationwide Puerto Rican organizations that are members in good standing of NPRA shall be eligible to be elected to hold a permanent seat on the Board of Directors. They shall be ratified by the plenary every two years.

B) Statewide Organizations. NPRA statewide chapters in good standing shall be eligible to hold a permanent seat at the Board of Directors. They shall be ratified by the plenary every two years.

C) Delegates at Large: These are active individual members in good standing that do not represent any particular organization but are people that because of their proven leadership and commitment to NPRA, are elected by the plenary body as At Large Members of the Board of Directors for a term of two years.

  1. The duties of the Board of Directors shall be:

A) To direct the affairs of the NPRA and transact all necessary business in accordance with the platform and resolutions of the nationwide convention, during the intervals between nationwide conventions and conduct other such business as may be in the interest of the membership at large.

B) The Board of Directors shall designate the work, duties and responsibilities of the Action Committees. It shall approve the Chairpersons of the committees.

C) The Board of Directors shall meet every four months and shall transact its business only at regular and special meetings.

D) The Board of Directors shall elect the Executive Committee.

E) The Board of Directors shall have the authority to fill vacancies in the Board of Directors or in any other elected office. Such vacancies will be filled for the unexpired term.

 

ARTICLE VI

THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

  1. The Executive Committee shall be composed of the officers and such other advisory personnel as may be designated by the Board of Directors.
  2. The functions of the executive Committee shall be:

A) to implement decisions of the Board of Directors;

B) to make plans for the proper functioning of the Board of Directors;

C) to oversee the work of the committees;

D) to assure regular communication between the different components of NPRA; and

E) to take such actions as necessary between meetings of the Board of Directors, subject to review by the Board of Directors.

 

ARTICLE VII

OFFICERS

  1. The officers of NPRA shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Public Relations Officer.
  2. The Board of Directors shall elect the officers for a term of two years.
  3. The officers shall be members of the Board of Directors.The duties of the officers shall be: 

A) President- Shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and the nationwide convention; shall be an ex-officio member of all committees, shall appoint all committee chairpersons to the Executive Committee subject to the approval of the Board of Directors; shall be the spokesperson of the organization.

B) Vice president- shall oversee the NPRA development and governance; shall act as aide to the President and perform such other duties as deemed necessary by the President and the Board of Directors.

C) Secretary- shall be responsible for convening meetings, keeping accurate records of the proceedings of all meetings, maintaining accurate records of the membership of the NPRA and all internal and external correspondence of the organization.

D) Treasurer- shall receive and keep a detailed record of all membership fees and donations; shall record and report all disbursements; shall give a financial report at all regular meetings of the Board of Directors; shall deposit funds, maintain books covering financial operations, assets and liabilities; shall sign such papers, instruments, drafts and checks as are incidental to the office, and shall make all records available for independent audit or review by the Board of Directors.

E) Public Relation and Communication Officer- shall be responsible for coordinating and overseeing all press releases and public relations activities. Shall supervise social media and the production of the NPRA publications.

 

ARTICLE VIII

COMMITTEES

1. There shall be the following action committees:

NPRA Action (NPRA-DC Chapter)

Outreach and Chapters Development

Social Media

Organizational Development and Fund Raising.

Bylaws and Ethics

Program

A) Education

B) Economic Development

C) Civil Rights

D) Health

E) Youth Empowerment

F) Housing

G) Culture

2. All chairpersons of the action committees shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Board of Directors and shall be members in good standing of the Board of Directors.

3. Records of committee activity will be kept by the chairperson and be made available to the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee.

4. The chairperson of the committees shall make reports to the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors.

5. The Executive Committee, with the approval of the Board of Directors, may appoint ad hoc committees in order to implement the decisions and resolutions of the National Conventions.

 

IX STATE CHAPTERS

For the purposes of these bylaws ”chapter” shall mean a statewide organizational structure chartered by NPRA by means of a duly executed and existing Chapter Agreement with NPRA. A State Chapter can be created by a statewide Puerto Rican convention approved by the National Board of Directors. The National Board of Directors shall establish policies for approving, maintaining and revoking State Chapters. Each chapter shall comply with the policies, procedures, and strategic activity guidelines developed by the National Board of Directors for chapter formation and activities.

Each chapter shall meet certain basic chartering requirements as defined from time to time by NPRA. Such requirements would include: nonprofit status, formal adoption of NPRA’s mission statement, purpose, logo, name and bylaws. All such chartering requirements are to be delineated in a Charter Agreement between the State chapter and NPRA.

Each State Chapter shall have a State Board of Directors elected at the State convention. The State Board of Directors shall be shall direct the affairs of NPRA in its particular state and transact all necessary business in accordance with the platform and resolutions of the National Convention and the decisions and guidelines of the National Board of Directors.

Each State Chapter shall elect an executive committee that shall be composed of the following officers: State President, State Vice-President, State Treasurer, State Secretary and State Public Relations and Communications Officer.

The Functions of the State Executive Committee shall be:

  1. To implement the policies and decisions of the National Board of Directors and State Board of Directors
  2. To make plans for the proper functioning of NPRA in their particular state.
  3. To assure regular communication between the State Chapter and the National Executive Committee.
  4. To take such actions that are necessary between the meetings of the State Chapter.
  5. Each State Chapter shall determine it’s own specific committee structure and staffing needs.

State Chapters shall collect dues from members in accordance with the NPRA’s policies and procedures unless otherwise specifically approved by National Board of Directors. Half of the dues collected shall remain the property of the State Chapter and the other half be sent to the National NPRA Central Office for nationwide expenses.

NPRA National Board of Executive Committee shall assess an annual charter fee on each state chapter.

 

ARTICLE X

DISCIPLINE AND GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

  1. The Bylaws and Ethics committee shall be responsible for the investigation of any grievance or discipline complains by one member or organization against another.
  2. The committee shall hold fact-finding hearings if necessary in order to have a complete and fair investigation.
  3. The committee shall present a report and make recommendations to the Board of Directors.
  4. The Board of Directors shall make the final decision on disciplinary cases.
  5. The penalties against individuals or organization members for the violations of the bylaws or the platform of NPRA may include reprimand, suspension, recall from office and expulsion.
  6. The penalties of recall from office or expulsion from the organization shall be issued only in cases of criminal activity, conscious actions harmful to the NPRA or repeated breaking of the bylaws and platform of NPRA. Recall or expulsion shall require the approval of 2/3 of the Board of Directors.
  7. All penalties resulting from disciplinary action can be appeal to the National Convention. An appeal notification must be filed with the Board of Directors 30 days prior to the National Convention.

 

ARTICLE XI

GOOD STANDING

  1. In order to be in good standing an individual member or organization must pay the annual dues, work actively in at least one action committee and follow the bylaws and resolutions of NPRA.
  2. Three consecutive unexcused absences to properly called meeting without proper and justifiable cause shall constitute grounds for immediate vacancy of any elective position. Such vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term by the Executive Committee subject to approval of the Board of Directors.

 

ARTICLE XII

 QUORUM 

 

  1. Quorum for the meetings of NPRA shall be half plus one of the members of the particular body in session.
  2. At meetings of the Board of Directors, written proxies to another member in place of the official delegate will be accepted.

 

ARTICLE XIII

DISSOLUTION

  1. Upon the dissolution of the National Puerto Rican Agenda its asset shall be distributed to other Latino not for profit organizations and such distribution shall be done in accordance with the law.

                                              

ARTICLE XIV

AMENDMENTS

  1. These by laws may be amended with the support vote of two thirds (2/3) of the Board of Directors with the and subject to the ratification of the state plenary section.