NATIONAL DOMINO FEDERATION USA
OFFICIAL RULES AND REGULATIONS

Article 1 – Name

The name of the organization is NDFUSA. This is a not-for-profit entity.

Article 2 – Head Office

The head office of the “NATIONAL DOMINO FEDERATION USA” is established in the City of Orlando, Florida.

Article 3 – Mission Statement

1. To foster the development of the Sport of Dominoes at the local and national level.
2. To work together and cooperate with other not-for-profit organizations who encourage the development of Dominoes as a sport.
3. To support and/or participate in Dominoes-related activities that may join players in an extended family. To help promote these activities through the use of the information media and personal contacts.
4. To contact governmental authorities so as to orient them about Dominoes, both as an activity with great entertainment value as well as a teaching tool.
5. To encourage players to get involved in local and National Dominoes organizations and to help them grow as athletes in the sport.

Article 4 – Membership

Section 1.

Members. The Corporation shall have members. The members are to be the participants of the NDFUSA, Inc. The NDFUSA, Inc. is open to all. There is no limitation of membership, either it be because of Race, Religion, Sex or any other determining factor. Members may serve on committees and volunteer to help that the Board may determine necessary. Members do not have voting privileges. Members may serve on the Board of Trustees. Trustees shall have all the powers and duties of the conduct and the activities of the Corporation. Members may be removed from the Corporation, with or without cause, with a simple majority vote of the Trustees at any
Trustee meeting. A member may resign from the Corporation at any time for any reason that the member sees fit by notifying either any Officer or Trustee. The Board will set dues on an annual basis at a rate to be affordable and inclusive.

Section 2.

Honorary Titles. The Corporation may create such classes of "membership," such as contribution members or honorary members, as Trustees see fit.

ARTICLE 5

Board of Trustees

Section 1.

Number. The Board of Trustees shall consist of no less than three nor more than seven persons. The Trustees are defined as the Founding Members of the Corporation as noted in Article V of the National Domino Federation USA Articles of Incorporation.

Section 2.

Powers. The Board of Trustees shall have all the powers and authority necessary for the management of business, property and affairs of the Corporation, to do such lawful acts and things as it deems proper and appropriate to promote the objectives of the Corporation. The Board of Trustees may delegate necessary from time to time responsibility for such affairs, business and property
to its Officers or Trustees.

Section 3.

Election. The initial Trustees are set forth in the Certificate of lncorporation. All successor Trustees shall be chosen by the Trustees annually at the annual meeting of the Trustees, and shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified.

• • • Regular Elections Executive Board members shall be elected by the voting members. Ballots for that purpose shall be mailed prior to September10, to be returned no later than October 10.So the ballots can be counted no later than October 20. Ballots shall be authenticated by use of official mailing labels provided with the ballots. The ballot shall list all duly submitted nominations. Each voting member may vote for as many persons as there are Executive Board positions to be filled. The persons receiving the largest vote totals shall be elected to the available Executive Board positions. The ballots shall be returned by mail to an independent agency and counted by an independent agency or by the Secretary or his or her designee and by tellers appointed by the Executive Board prior to the Annual Meeting of the Board of Delegates. Ties, if any, shall be broken by a secret ballot vote of the Delegates present in person at that year’s Delegates meeting, taken at the time that election results are certified. The election of Executive Board members shall take place in odd-numbered years starting in 2009.
    • Special Elections, the Executive Board, or the Office if the Executive Board is unable, may decide the schedule for a Special Election for the Executive Board, using the deadlines for a regular election as a guide for cheduling reasonable intervals for announcing the special election and calling for nominations, the date for candidate petition filings. The Board may choose to waive any filing fees for a Special Election.
    • The Executive Board, shall by January 15th of an election year for a regular Executive Board election, choose a date on which ballot counting shall be performed, which date is to be no earlier than the 20th of October and no later than the Wednesday prior to the annual meeting of the Board of Delegates. For a special election, the Executive Board shall choose a date for ballot counting no later than 90 days prior to that date. Ballots shall be authenticated by use of voting member information to be provided with or printed on the ballots. All properly authenticated ballots that have been received by the date designated for counting the ballots shall be counted. The Executive Board shall designate an address for the return of ballots at the time the date of counting ballots is set.
    • Election of Executive Board Officers at an organizational meeting immediately following the conclusion of the Delegates' Meeting at which regularly scheduled Executive Board election results are certified, the Executive Board shall elect among itself the following officers: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Board Members, The term of each officer shall be for four years, except that upon a vote of 2/3 of its membership, the Executive Board may at any time meet in person or by teleconference and elect new officers. A vacancy in the office of President shall be immediately filled by the Vice-President. A vacancy in another office elected by the Executive Board shall be filled by majority vote either temporarily until the Executive Board meeting following the next Delegates’ Meeting or for the full unexpired portion of the office’s term as the Executive Board shall choose.
    • Terms of Office The terms of office of the Executive Board members shall commence at their first meeting, which shall immediately follow the Annual Meeting, and shall continue for four years, except as provided in Section D of this article. The terms of the Executive Board officers shall commence at their first meeting, which shall immediately follow the Annual Meeting, and shall continue for four years. No individual shall serve more than eight consecutive years on the Executive Board. No person shall serve as Dominousa President more than four consecutive years.

Section 4.

Resignation and Removal. A Trustee may resign by submitting his or her resignation in writing to the President of the Board of Trustees. A Trustee may be removed for cause by the affirmative vote of two thirds of the entire Board of Trustees. A Trustee whose removal is to be considered shall receive at least two weeks notice of such proposed action and shall have the opportunity
to address the Board regarding such action prior to any vote on such removal.

Section 5.

Vacancies. Vacancies in the Trustees shall be filled by appointment by the Board of Trustees or by the President of the Board based on the-recommendations of the Nominating Committee. Trustees thus appointed shall serve for the remainder of the vacated
term.

Section 6.

Annual Meetings and Regular Meetings. A regular meeting of the Board for the election of Trustees and Officers and
such other business shall be held in January of each year; upon less than ten, nor more than sixty days, written notice of the time, place, and purposes of the meeting at the principal office of the Corporation; or such other time and place as shall be specified in the notice of meeting. The Board may provide for additional regular meetings which may be held without notice by
resolution adopted at any meeting of the Board.

Section 7.

Special Meetings of the Board. Special meetings of the Board for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by
the President and/or by any three of the Trustees. Such meetings shall be held upon not less than two days notice given personally or by telephone, or upon not less than four days notice given by depositing notice in the United States mail, postage prepaid. Such notice shall specify the time and place of the meeting.

Section 8.

Action Without Meetings. The Board or any committee of the Board may act without a meeting if, prior or subsequent to such
action, each Trustee or committee member shall consent in writing to such action. Such written consent or consents shall be filed with the minutes of that meeting.

Section 9.

Meeting by Telephone. The Board or committee of the Board may participate in a meeting of the Board or such committee by means of a telephone conference call or any other means of communication by which all persons participating in the meeting are able to hear each other.

Section 10.

Quorum. A majority of Trustees shall constitute a quorum of the Board for the transaction of business. The act of the majority of the Trustees at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board (except that the act of a majority of the
entire Board shall be required with respect to any amendment to these by-laws or the certificate of Incorporation)

Article 6

Officers

Section 1.

Titles/ Qualifications. The Officers of the Corporation shall include a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer and such other offices whose positions shall be created from time to time by the Board of Trustees to perform such duties as may be
prescribed by the Board of Trustees. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person, but no officer shall execute, acknowledge, or verily any instrument in more than one capacity if such instrument is required by law or by these bylaws to be executed, acknowledged or verified by two or more Officers.

Section 2.

Election. The Officers shall be elected from among the Trustees by the Trustees at the annual meeting of the Trustees and shall serve for a term of two years and until their successors are elected and qualified.

Section 3.

Consecutive Terms. There is no limit to the number of consecutive terms an officer of the Corporation may serve.

Section 4.

Duties. The duties and authority of the Officers shall be determined from time to time by the Board. Subject to and determination, the Officers shall have the following duties and authority.

• • • The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation, shall have general charge and supervision over and responsibility for the affairs of the Corporation, and shall preside at all meeting of the Board. Unless otherwise directed by the Board, all other Officers shall be subject to the authority and supervision of the President. The President may enter into and execute in the name of the Corporation contracts or other instruments not in the regular course of business, which are authorized, either generally or specifically, by the Board. The President shall have general powers and duties of management usually vested in the office of the President of a corporation. The President may delegate from time to time to any other office, any or all of such duties and authority.
      
      
    • The Vice President shall have such duties and possess such authority as may be delegated to the Vice President by the President.
      
      
    • The Treasurer shall have the custody of the funds and securities of the Corporation and shall keep or cause to be kept regular books of account of the Corporation. The Treasurer shall perform such other duties and possess such other powers as are incident to the office or as shall be assigned by the President or the Board.
      
      
    • The Secretary shall cause notices of all meetings to be served prescribed in these by-laws and shall keep or cause to be kept the minutes of all meetings of the Board. The Secretary shall perform such other duties and possess such powers as are incident to the office or as shall be assigned by the President or the Board.

Section 5.

Discipline A member may be reprimanded, suspended or have their membership terminated for cause by the Board of Directors or its designee, sample; lack of Integrity, loyal to the organization. Cause may include a serious failure to observe the Association code of conduct as described by the Board of Directors, in these By-Laws, or otherwise documented in the Association Standard Operating Procedures Manual. The disciplinary action shall occur only after the member has been given a ten-day prior written notice of the proposed discipline and the reasons therefore. The member shall have the opportunity to be heard, orally or in writing, not less than five days before the effective date of the discipline by the Board or its designee.

Article 7

Committees of the Board of Trustees

Section 1.

General Provisions. There shall be three permanent committees of the Board of Trustees: Admissions/Membership, Activities, and Discipline. In addition to the provisions for standing committees, the Board of Trustees, by resolution approved by a majority of the entire Board, may appoint from among the Trustees one or more committees, of one or more members (which may include persons who are not Trustees, provided that at least one member of each committee shall be a Trustee and that any act of a committee, which has members that are not Trustees shall be advisory, shall not bind the Board or the Corporation and shall be subject to Board approval) each of which, to the extent provided in the resolution, shall have and may exercise the authority of the Board, except that no such committee shall:

• • • Make, alter or repeal any by-law of the Corporation;
      
      
    • Elect or appoint any Officer or Trustee, or remove any Officer or Trustee; or
      
      
    • Amend or repeal any resolution previously adopted by the Board.

The Board, by resolution adopted by a majority of the entire
Board, may:

• • • Fill any vacancy in such committee;
      
      
    • Appoint one or more persons to serve as alternate members of any such committee, to act in the absence or disability of members any such committee with all the powers of such absent or disabled members of a committee;
      
      
    • Abolish any such committee at its pleasure; or
      
      
    • Remove any members of such committee at any time, with or without cause.

A majority of each committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and the act of the majority of the committee
members present at the meeting in which a quorum is present shall be the act of such committee. Each committee shall appoint from
among its members a chairperson unless the resolution of the Board establishing such committee designates the chairperson, in which
case, in the event of vacancy in the chairperson, the Board shall fill the vacancy.

Actions taken at a meeting of any such committee shall be kept in a record of its proceedings which shall be reported to the Board at its next meeting following such committee meeting, except that, when the meeting of the Board is held within two days after the committee meeting, such report shall, if not made at the first meeting, be made to the Board at it’s second meeting following such committee meeting.

Article 8 – Permanent Committees

There will be Three (3) Committees: Admissions/Membership, Activities, and Discipline.

1. Admissions/Membership Committee: This entity will evaluate the applicants and will approve or deny their membership. Once approved, the committee is responsible for monitoring the new member’s compliance with the requirements over the probationary period (3 months). This committee will be composed of three Trustees selected during the Board meeting. These will serve for a period of two years and may continue to hold the position if re-elected by the Board.
2. Activities Committee: This entity will organize any activity planned for by the National Domino Federation USA. This committee will be composed of the Club Team Captain, and two Board members selected during the Board meeting. These will serve for a period of two years and may continue to hold the position if re-elected by the Board.
3. Discipline Committee: this entity, comprised of three (3) Trustees, will create and enforce a Code of Conduct that will guide and rule the members. They will have final say regarding discipline or conduct issues. This committee will be composed of the Club’s Vice President and two other board members selected by the Trustees. These will serve for a period of two years and may continue to hold the position if re-elected by the Board

Article 9 – Enrollment

1. Any Domino player who wishes to become part of this organization must submit an application to the Admissions/Membership Committee. The applicant must be endorsed by two Board of Trustees members. If the applicant cannot get the endorsement of two of the Board of Trustees members, the application won’t be considered and the applicant won’t be considered for membership.
   
   
2. The Admissions/Membership Committee will evaluate the application strictly according to the criteria hereby established by the organization.

Article 10 - Dues

1. There will be an initiation fee of $30.00 per individual per year to be paid at the time of acceptance into the organization.
   
   
2. Failure to pay the federation yearly dues in three consecutive years will cancel the member’s membership to the organization. NO EXEPTIONS. It is up to the Trustees to allow or decline the admittance to the club to such member who does not pay the club’s dues in three consecutive months. If the board allows the member to be reinstated, such member MUST pay the membership initiation fee ($30.00) again.

Article 11 – Grievances

1. Any violation to the Rules or Code of Conduct will trigger an investigation by the Discipline Committee, who will recommend the response to be taken.
   
   
2. The Discipline Committee will promptly address any grievances submitted and their written decision will be sent to the Board of trustees for its implementation.
   
   
3. Any grievances must be addressed and resolved within 15 days of its submission.
   
   
4. Any member has the right to appeal a disciplinary measure taken against them; this appeal must be submitted within 7 days, or the right is null.

Article 12 – Tournaments

1. A playing team will be selected from the National Domino Federation USA, as needed, which will represent the club during tournaments. This team will be chosen by the club President and two board members.
   
   
2. The Activities Committee will organize four (4) tournaments per year to raise funds with which to help with traveling arrangements of those players chosen as above. Said players may seek outside funds to assist them, but these funds must be directed through the National Domino Federation USA itself.
   
   
3. The rules to be used in these Tournaments and meets will be those of the Federación Internacional de Domino (International Domino Federation), governing body located in Caracas, Venezuela.
   
   
4. A playing team will be selected from the NATIONAL FEDERATION yearly which will represent the USA in the World Championship Tournament. This team will be comprised of those members with the highest playing ratings (measured by the meetings and practice sessions) and who can afford to travel to the Tournament. Players of lesser standings who can travel may be recruited, however, if needed to fill out the team.

Article 13 – Miscellaneous

Additional Provisions

Section 1.

Dissolution. Upon dissolution, after payments of all debts, no part of the remaining assets may be distributed to any Trustee, Member or Officer of the Corporation but shall be distributed in accordance with law, provided, owever, that the distribution must be to another organization exempt under the provisions of Section 501 (cX3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code or to the United States, or a State or local government, for a public purpose. Any assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by a court of competent jurisdiction of the county in which the principal office of the organization is then located, exclusively for such purpose.

Section 2.

Compensation. Neither Members, Trustees nor Officers shall receive any fee, salary or remuneration of any kind for their services in such capacities, provided, however, that Trustees and Officers may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred with approval of the Board upon presentation of vouchers.

• • • Any issues brought to light, not addressed in this document, will be decided by the Board of Trustees.
      
      
    • If any specific word, sentence or portion of this document is declared null or void, it does not invalidate the rest of the document.
      
      
    • Active Members will be allowed to use the Club’s facilities at no charge for family gatherings upon coordination with the Leadership Board.
      
      
    • Amendment to By-Laws:

Section 1.

Amendments. These by-laws may be altered, amended or repealed by the Board. Written notice of any such by-law change to be voted upon by the Board shall be given not less than 10 days prior to the meeting at which such change shall be proposed.