In the spirit of service not self, the mission of the American Legion Auxiliary is to support the American Legion and to honor the sacrifice of those who serve by enhancing the lives of our veterans, military and their families, both at home and abroad. For God and Country, we advocate for veterans, educate our citizens, mentor youth, and promote patriotism, good citizenship, peace, and security.

C

Constitution and Bylaws

Proposed changes for the 2026 Idaho ALA Convention consideration

Changes from 2025 National Convention

1. Department Constitution Article III Eligibility,

Proposed to read: add Section 4 Membership in the American Legion Auxiliary can only be offered upon an affirmative vote of the Unit members unless an alternate procedure is set forth in the Unit bylaws.

Reason for change: National Constitution Article III Membership, Section 6: Membership can only be offered upon an affirmative vote of the Unit members unless an alternate procedure is set forth in the Unit bylaws.  Units have two options:

1. Unit bylaws may stipulate that a vote is required (and by whom? All members, officers, Unit President, committee?)
2. Unit bylaws may state that all eligible applicants become a member automatically

Yes     No

Change the title of Article III from Eligibility to Membership

Reason for change: This section of the National Constitution is entitled Membership. Also the Department Constitution Article III stipulates the eligibility and the classes of membership, so Membership is a more fitting general title for the Article.

Yes    No

2. Change in Duties of Officers:

Department Bylaws, Article III Duties of Department Officers:

Proposed to read:

Section 3, add item e. The Department Secretary shall perform such other duties as assigned by the Department President or the Department Executive Committee.

Section 4, add: The Department Treasurer shall perform such other duties as assigned by the Department President, Department Executive Committee or the Department Finance Committee.

Section 6, add: The Department Historian shall perform such other duties as assigned by the Department President or the Department Executive Committee.

Reason for change:

This change from National affects all levels of the organization (unit, district, and department). Officers’ duties can be changed at any time according to the needs of the organization. To accommodate that change the governing documents should state that (an officer) “shall perform such other duties as assigned” and may stipulate by whom.

Yes    No

3. Headquarters Unit:

Bylaws Article VI Unit Organization, Section 5 Membership item d.

1. Currently reads: A Unit member may withdraw their membership providing their current dues are fully paid. Upon withdrawal, however, they shall be prohibited from joining any other Unit as a new member during the current year for which said dues are paid.

Proposed to read: “A Unit member may withdraw their membership providing their current dues are fully paid. Upon withdrawal, however, they shall be prohibited from joining any other Unit (except the Headquarters Unit) as a new member during the current year for which said dues are paid.” (addition:) Withdrawn members may be placed in the Headquarters Unit until the end of the current dues year.

Reason for change: The National Article I, Section 6: Departments shall have a Department Headquarters Unit. The Department Headquarters Unit will not have officers nor governing documents. The Department Executive Committee shall have the authority to discipline members of the Department Headquarters Unit. Note: The Idaho governing documents do not currently stipulate who is eligible to belong to the Headquarters Unit or give any guidance regarding the Unit.

Yes     No

4. Discipline

New Department Bylaws Article VIII Discipline

Proposed to read:

Section 1. For an intentional violation of the Unit, Department or National Constitutions, the Code of Ethical Conduct, or for conduct improper and prejudicial to the welfare of the Auxiliary or of the American Legion, a Unit member may be expelled from membership or an officer removed from office.

Section 2. The Unit has the responsibility for the discipline of its members for any good and sufficient cause. All discipline must be imposed in accordance with the principles of fundamental fairness, which includes notice and an opportunity to be heard.

Section 3. The Unit shall adopt procedures for member discipline. Disciplinary actions may include any or all of the following:

• Warning: a formal written statement, delivered to the member outlining the misconduct and expectations for future behavior;
• Probation: membership is retained under specific terms and conditions for improvement for not more than one year;
• Suspension: temporary loss of any or all membership rights and privileges for a specified period not longer than a year;
• Expulsion: loss of membership for severe or repeated violations.

Section 4. A member who is being considered for expulsion or removal from office shall have an opportunity to respond at a Unit meeting called for that purpose. The member shall be given at least fifteen days’ notice of the charges and the hearing thereon. A two-thirds vote of the members at a Unit meeting with a quorum present will be required. Either party has the right of appeal to the Department Executive Committee. There being no appeal within thirty days, the expulsion shall be final.

Section 5. Appeals

1. Appeals must be submitted to the Department Executive Committee (DEC) through the Department President or the Department Secretary.
2. The DEC will hold a hearing following an investigation by a member or members appointed by the Department President. The appellant and the members of the DEC shall be informed of the date and time of the hearing at least fifteen days in advance. A quorum of the members of the DEC will be required for the hearing and a two-thirds vote of the members will be required for a decision. The hearing may be conducted via an online platform.
3. The appellant may submit their case in writing, in person, or online.
4. Neither the Unit nor the Department nor any member thereof shall publicly circulate information regarding the hearing or the appellant without the express consent of the DEC.

Section 6 Department Headquarters Unit Member Discipline

1. The DEC has the responsibility for the discipline of its headquarters unit members. Discipline must be imposed in accordance with principles of fundamental fairness as stated in Section 3 above.
2. A member disciplined under this section may appeal the action to the voting body at Department Convention. Convention delegates shall adopt procedures to consider such appeals following the general guidelines set forth in Section 5 above.

Section 7. Unit discipline

1. Units of the Department of Idaho may be disciplined by the DEC for a good or sufficient cause as set forth in Section 1.
2. Discipline must be imposed in accordance with principles of fundamental fairness as stated in Section 3 above.
3. The DEC shall permanently keep a record of all disciplinary actions including communications or meetings concerning the disciplined Unit.
4. A Unit that has been disciplined by its DEC may appeal the action to the National Executive Committee (NEC) by submitting their appeal in writing to the National office. The NEC shall have the authority to overturn, modify, or uphold the disciplinary action of the department. The national secretary shall inform both the Unit and the DEC of the decision of the NEC, whose decision shall be final.

Yes     No

The addition of Bylaws Article VIII Discipline requires changing the number of each of the articles that follow:

• Current Article VIII Finance will become Article IX
• Current Article IX Delegates to National Convention will become Article X
• Current Article X Subsidiary Organizations will become Article XI
• Current Article XI Parliamentary Authority will become Article XII
• Current Article XII Amendments will become Article XIII
• Current Article XIII Authority will become Article XIV

Yes     No

5. Cancellation of a Unit Charter.

Reason for changes that follow: National Article XII Unit Cancellation, Sections 1-5 state that the National Executive Committee (NEC) has the authority to cancel a charter.  To cancel a charter, the Department makes a request to the NEC, and only when the NEC has reached a decision is the charter cancelled. The Unit has the right of appeal to the NEC.

Department Bylaws Article VII, Suspension, Cancellation, and Revocation of Charters.

1. Article VII, Section 1

Currently reads: The Department Executive Committee may suspend, cancel, or revoke Unit charters for good cause.

Proposed to read: The Department Executive Committee may suspend a Unit charter for good cause. The Department Executive Committee may submit a Unit to the National Executive Committee to make the determination if the charter should be cancelled. Only the National Executive Committee has the power to cancel a charter.

Yes     No

1. Article VII, Section 3

Currently states: An American Legion Auxiliary Unit whose charter has been suspended, cancelled, or revoked by the Department may appeal the decision of the Department Executive Committee to the National Executive Committee, as provided in the National Standing Rules.

Proposed to read: An American Legion Auxiliary Unit whose charter has been suspended or submitted for cancellation by the Department Executive Committee may appeal the decision to the National Executive Committee, as provided in the National Standing Rules.

1. Article VII, Section 5: No change is deemed necessary
2. Article VII, Section 7: No change is deemed necessary

Yes     No

Department recommendations for additions and amendments

1. Bylaws Article II, Officers, Section 6

Currently states: Any Past Department President or Past Department Vice President may be eligible for reelection to either office provided she has been out of office for no less than three (3) terms.

Proposed to read: Any Past Department President or Past Department Vice President may be eligible for reelection to either office for a consecutive term.

Reason for change: when no candidate is available to fill the office of Department President or Vice President, the current officer(s) may need or choose to serve another term.

Yes     No

2. Bylaws Article VI, Unit Organization, Section 2

Currently states: A minimum membership of a Unit shall be ten (10) Senior members, with the exception of the Headquarters Unit that shall have no minimum membership requirement.

Proposed to read: There is no minimum Unit membership required by the National organization.

Reason for change: National has deleted all references to required number of members to retain a Unit. By inference, any Unit that has dues-paying members is considered active.

Yes     No

3. Bylaws Article VI, Unit Organization, Section 9

Currently states: A Unit is in good standing when it has a minimum of ten (10) paid senior members, the postage fees and bond are current and the charter has not been suspended, revoked or canceled.

Proposed to read: A Unit is in good standing when it has members whose dues are paid, the postage fees and bond are current and the charter has not been suspended, revoked or canceled. Members in the Headquarters Unit are in good standing if their national and department dues are paid.

Reason for change: To align with national’s elimination of minimum membership requirement and to establish how Headquarters Unit members may be in good standing in order to be a voting delegate.

Yes     No

4. Bylaws Article VIII, Finance, Section 6

Currently reads: Necessary expenses incurred by the Department President and Department Vice President in the exercise of their duties shall be paid from a prearranged expense account established annually for each by the Department Finance Committee and approved by the Department Executive Committee (DEC). Necessary expenses shall be reimbursed upon the presentation of corresponding receipts.

Proposed to read: Expenses incurred by the Department President and Department Vice President in fulfilling their duties within the Department shall be paid from a prearranged expense account established annually for each by the Department Finance Committee and approved by the Department Executive Committee (DEC). Expenses shall be documented with itemized receipts in order to be reimbursed. The Finance Committee and DEC are charged with stipulating what expenses are allowed and can be reimbursed. The President and Vice President must carefully document their expenditures and keep clear and accurate records of the expenses they want reimbursed.

Reason for change: The President and Vice President are required to travel and conduct the business of the Department throughout the year. The Finance Committee and DEC are charged with stipulating what expenses are allowed and can be reimbursed. These guidelines should be made clear before or when the officers assume their office.

Yes     No

5. Standing Rules: Department Organization.

Currently reads: The Department Headquarters shall be located in the Boise area.

Proposed to read: The Department Headquarters shall be located within the state of Idaho at or near the Department Secretary’s residence.

Reason for change: with the Auxiliary no longer housed in the American Legion Headquarters building in Boise, all services are provided through the Department Secretary and Department Treasurer, wherever they reside. The Department Secretary holds all the records of the Department, the archives, and working files, so the headquarters would best be associated with that office.

Yes     No

6. Standing Rules: Midwinter Conference item 6

Currently reads: A registration fee of fifteen (15) dollars per attendee shall be paid to defray the expenses of the conference. Registration forms shall be posted on the Department website or may be mailed to the Unit upon request.

Proposed to read: A registration fee of twenty (20) dollars per attendee shall be paid in advance to defray the expenses of the conferences. Registration forms shall be posted on the Department website or mailed to the unit upon request.  Fee at the door will be twenty-five (25) dollars per attendee.

Reason for change: at the Midwinter Conference DEC meeting in January 2026 the DEC voted to increase the registration fee for Midwinter due to increased expenses. This will also delete item 4 Miscellaneous restating the midwinter conference fee.

Yes     No

Tentative changes to be determined by the Department Executive Committee at the pre-convention meeting:

1. Define assets and archives and determine what should be done with tangible items when a Unit folds.

Currently states:

Bylaws Article VI, Section 8: When a Unit ceases to function or its charter has been revoked or canceled, the charter and all Unit records and funds shall be immediately forwarded to Department Headquarters.

And

Bylaws Article VII, Section 4: Upon suspension of an American Legion Auxiliary charter, the Department Executive Committee is authorized, by and through its duly authorized agents, to take possession, custody and control of all records, assets, property and belongings of the Unit and to provide for the governance of the Unit during said suspension.

Proposed to read:

Bylaws Article VI, Section 8: When a Unit ceases to function or its charter has been revoked or canceled, the charter and all remaining Unit funds shall be immediately forwarded to the Department. All other tangible assets and archives of the Unit should be dispersed within the community the Unit represents.

And

Bylaws Article VII, Section 4: Upon suspension of an American Legion Auxiliary charter, the Department Executive Committee is authorized, by and through its duly authorized agents, to provide for the governance of the Unit and to take control of all property and funds until the suspension is resolved. All other tangible assets and archives shall be maintained as-is until the suspension is resolved.

Reason for change: The Department does not have the space and ability to store large amounts of records and other tangible items from a closed Unit. Their records, histories, pictures and other paraphernalia should be dispersed once the Unit is closed to persons within the community or to historical agencies such as museums. The finances of the Unit should be turned over to the Department to be used for assistance with its programs and other Units. The finances of a suspended Unit should be maintained until it is determined whether the Unit will close or reinstate.

2. Idaho’s emergency fund. There currently is no language in the governing documents in regards to the emergency fund. There are several choices:
   1. The Idaho emergency fund will be used for emergency assistance for Idaho Auxiliary members and will be controlled by the Department Executive Committee.
   2. All funds donated to the emergency fund will automatically be sent to the National Auxiliary Emergency Fund and will be controlled by the AEF committee.
   3. Other:

3. Decade Club. There is an established fund maintained by the Department, but there is no guidance to stipulate how the money is derived, who has control of the funds, and what it is used for. This needs to be clarified and added to the Standing Rules in Miscellaneous.

4. Policies and Procedures:

There currently are very few guidelines for Department officers when they take office. A policies and procedures that stipulates the duties and protocols for President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian and Sergeant at Arms would be extremely helpful. These documents do not have to be voted on by the membership, but can be attached to the Department governing documents. They can be approved or reviewed by the Department Executive Committee when established and periodically afterward as needed.

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Department of Idaho 2021-2022
“Draping The Charter for our Honored Members”

Twin Falls: Past Department President Beth Beedle,

Past Department President Ruby Swigert

“She has left us

and although she is no longer with us,

we will keep her memory in our hearts.
We are comforted to know

that from where she is,

she will be watching over us.”