Bylaws

Article 1. Name

The name of the organization is the San Antonio Association of Hispanic Journalists (SAAHJ). SAAHJ is a corporation formed in Texas with its principal place of business in the State of Texas, County of Bexar.

Article 2. Purpose.

The San Antonio Association of Hispanic Journalists is a nonpartisan organization. Its purpose is to:

  1. Provide networking opportunities for Hispanics and Latinos/as/e/x in journalism and communications careers
  2. Help develop Hispanic and Latino/a/e/x leaders in journalism
  3. Advance and be an advocate for Hispanics and Latinos/as/e/x in journalism and communications careers
  4. Encourage Hispanics and Latinos/as/e/x to consider and pursue journalism and communications professions.

Article 3. Membership

  1. Journalist: Membership is open to all professional journalists in electronic and print media and journalism associations who work full time in the gathering, editing or presentation of news.  Journalist members must reside and/or work in Bexar, Atascosa, Bandera, Comal, Frio, Guadalupe, Kendall, Kerr, Medina, Uvalde, or Wilson counties.  Journalist members who no longer reside or work in the specified counties can maintain their journalist membership status for one year if they pay their dues within one year of departure.  All journalist members are eligible to vote and hold office.  Only journalist members in good standing are eligible to run for the office of President and Vice President. Annual dues are set by the board. 
  2. Communications: Membership is open to journalism educators; professionals in advertising and public relations; journalist freelancers, podcasters and bloggers; and other independent journalists.  Communications members must reside and/or work in Bexar, Atascosa, Bandera, Comal, Frio, Guadalupe, Kendall, Kerr, Medina, Uvalde, or Wilson counties.  Communications members are eligible to vote. Communications members in good standing are eligible to run for office, except for that of President or Vice President. Annual dues are set by the board.
  3. Retired journalist and communications members: Membership is open to those who previously met qualifications of the Journalist and Communications categories but have retired. Retired journalists and communications members are eligible to vote and run for office, except for that of President or Vice President. Annual dues are set by the board.
  4. Student: Membership is open to high school and college students involved in the study of journalism or communications. Student members may not vote or hold office. Annual dues are set by the board.
  5. Supporting: Membership is open to any individual or entity, including corporations, that support the goals of the Association. Supporting members may not vote or hold office. Annual dues are set by the board.

Article 4. Membership requirements

  1. Dues must be paid for a member to vote on Association issues or in elections.
  2. The membership dues are set by the board but may be modified by a two-thirds vote of the eligible voting members, based on the number of members 30 days prior to the vote.

Article 5. Meetings

  1. Association meetings shall be held a minimum of six times a year.  Additional meetings may be called at the discretion of the President and/or majority of the officers. A meeting may be called by a two-thirds majority of the members in good standing, based on the number of members 30 days prior to the vote. The general membership must be notified of all meetings and of the official agenda at least five (5) days in advance, by mail, email, social media or telephone. 
  2. A quorum is required to conduct association business at an officially called meeting posted to the general membership. A quorum is defined as 5 of the 7 board members. If the board does not have 7 board members due to resignation or removal, a quorum is defined as 2/3 of board members, rounded down to the nearest whole. 
  3. Meetings of the association or the board may be held in person or electronically so long as the required quorum is met.
  4. No action may be taken by the board unless the membership has been notified as required by the bylaws.
  5. The board may go into Executive Session on motion of any board member, so long as a majority of the board doesn’t object. The board shall exit executive session prior to taking any official actions or formal votes.

Article 6. Elections

1. Election dates

    1. The board must set a period of at least 14 days in September for the annual election of officers.
    2. The date of record for voter eligibility is June 15 of the year of the election.
    3. Once elected, new board members take office on October 1st, and remain on the board until their successor is elected, or until they resign or are removed from office.

2. Nominations

    1. The board must set a nomination period that begins in August for nominations to open. Nominations will be open for 7 days. However, the board may extend the nomination period by 7 additional days.
    2. A journalist member in good standing as of June 15 is eligible to run for president or vice president that year. A journalism or communications member in good standing as of June 15 is eligible to run for the other board positions. Nominees are allowed to run for only one position at a time. If a person is nominated for more than one position, the person must choose which nomination to accept before candidates are announced for that election.

3. Voting

    1. An election may be conducted electronically or in person.
    2. Once a ballot has been submitted in an election, it cannot be changed.

4. Elections are overseen by the Elections Committee, which is responsible for verification of voter eligibility and of the vote counting.

    1. The Elections Committee chair must be an independent arbiter who is not a candidate or involved in the campaign of any candidate in the elections the arbiter is overseeing.
    2. The board jointly appoints an Elections Committee chair by majority vote. The appointed Elections Committee chair or any committee members may not run in an election that year. 

5. If a board position becomes vacant, the board must call a special election within thirty (30) days. The date of record for voter eligibility will be ninety (90) days before the special election date.

Article 7. Organizational Structure

The board consists of seven officers, who are empowered to run the day to day operations of the organization and make decisions in between meetings. No action that requires a vote of the board may be taken unless the membership has been notified of the meeting as required by the bylaws. Officers may serve no more than two consecutive terms per office. Officers may serve on any of the association committees.  If an officer cannot attend a meeting, the officer must provide notice to the president or vice president.

President: A candidate for president must be a journalist member in good standing and a full-time working journalist.  If the president ceases to be a full-time working electronic or print journalist during their term due to a job change or loss, they may complete their term, if there are six (6) months or less remaining in the term. The president presides over meetings, develops the agenda and communicates with members. The president is the organization’s official spokesperson.  The president appoints committee chairs and assists with the selection of committee members to assist with committee assignments.  The president has the authority to delegate responsibilities to any board member.

Vice President: A candidate for vice president must be a journalist member in good standing and a full-time working journalist.  If the vice president ceases to be a full-time working electronic or print journalist during their term due to a job change or loss, they may complete their term, if there are six (6) months or less remaining in the term. The vice president must assume all duties of the president in the event of the absence or disability of the president.  The vice president will keep a record of membership, showing names of all members, their addresses, type of membership and a record showing dues payments.

Secretary: The secretary must be a member in good standing and attend all meetings and keep a record of minutes of meetings of the members and the directors. The secretary is responsible for ensuring the membership receives required notices by mail, email, social media or telephone. Notices must be given to members at least five (5) days in advance.

Treasurer: The treasurer must keep a record of all financial transactions by the association and is charged with:

  1. making deposits of all money in the name and to the credit of the Association;
  2. disbursing funds at the order of the officers and;
  3. keeping a record of the organization's expenses and income, and making available to the officers whenever requested, an account of all transactions and the financial condition of the Association.
  4. ensuring and reporting the timely completion and submission of all federal and state tax documents according to their respective deadlines. Approval for a tax deadline extension must be approved by a supermajority (two-thirds) of the board. Tax extension votes may take place via email.
  5. serve as custodian of financial records and passing records onto their successor to be retained for the time required under the law.
  6. prior to the beginning of each fiscal year, which starts on January 1, prepare an annual budget and present the budget for approval by the board. The board may consider the budget in open session, or in executive session if necessary to retain confidential information, but the vote to approve the budget must take place in open session.

At-Large Print/Digital Officer: A candidate for At-Large Print/Digital must be a professional journalist who works full time in the gathering, editing or presentation of news for a print or digital publication.  If the at-large Print/Digital officer ceases to be a full-time working print or digital journalist during their term due to a job change or loss, they may complete their term, if there are six (6) months or less remaining in the term. This officer is responsible for advocating for the members in this category to the board and recruiting additional members from this category.

At-Large Broadcast Officer: A candidate for At-Large Broadcast must be a professional journalist who works full time in the gathering, editing or presentation of news for broadcast. If the at-large Broadcast officer ceases to be a full-time working journalist during their term due to a job change or loss, they may complete their term, if there are six (6) months or less remaining in the term. This officer is responsible for advocating for the members in this category to the board and recruiting additional members from this category.

At-Large Communications Officer: A candidate for At-Large Communications must be a journalism educator; professional in advertising, communications, marketing or public relations; journalist, freelancer, podcaster, blogger; or other independent journalist. This officer is responsible for advocating for the members in this category to the board and recruiting additional members from this category.

Article 8. Removal or Resignation

1. Resignation of officers

  1. Any elected officer may resign by providing a letter of resignation to the President and officers.
  2. The President may resign by submitting a letter of resignation to the full board of officers.
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2. Removal

  1. Officers
      1. May be subject to removal for missing three regularly-called meetings per year.
      2. Ten members in good standing may call for the removal of an officer for cause, including absenteeism or actions detrimental to the best interests of the association. An officer proposed for removal must be notified at least ten (10) days before the meeting at which the removal will be considered by the membership.
      3. An elected officer may be removed by a majority vote of the members in good standing who are in attendance at a regularly-called meeting where the removal is properly noticed, and on the agenda.  

3. Committees

  1. Committee Chairs may be removed by the President without any vote.
  2. A Committee Chair in conjunction with the President may remove a committee member without a vote.
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Article 9. Committees

  1. The Association will have standing committees for elections, scholarships and fundraising events.
  2. The president appoints committee chairs. The committee chair, in consultation with the president, appoints members to assist with committee assignments.
  3. The president may create and appoint other committees as necessary.
  4. A committee chair must be a member in good standing.

Article 10. Amendments to the Bylaws

  1. The Association bylaws may be amended no more than once a year either in person or electronically. The vote may be held in conjunction with annual elections.
  2. Any board member can propose an amendment to the bylaws. Additionally, one third (1/3) of the members in good standing can propose an amendment to the general membership; the members must notify the board at least forty-five (45) days before the proposed vote. 
  3. Proposed changes must be presented in writing to the general membership by the secretary at least fourteen (14) days before an amendment vote.
  4. Amendments must be voted on by 50% of members in good standing, based on the number of members 90 days prior to the vote.  Proposed amendments or changes must receive two-thirds of votes cast.
  5. The board shall initiate a review of the bylaws at least once every 5 years, preferably every 3 years.

These bylaws were approved by the members of the San Antonio Association of Hispanic Journalists at their meeting on July 22, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas.