Bylaws of the SNOW Coalition

Approved by unanimous vote at the General Meeting of January 20, 2004.

II. Points of Agreement
We commit to nonviolent actions:

• We will commit no acts of violence, physical or verbal.
• We will commit no property damage.
• We will behave respectfully to all.
• If conflict is likely, we will strive to have ample trained peacekeepers and legal observers.
• We encourage all participants to be trained in nonviolence.
• If arrest is risked, all participants will be trained in nonviolence.

We condemn all human rights abuses and military aggression whether committed by the U.S., any other countries, groups or individuals.

We oppose:

• All weapons of mass destruction including nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.
• All undiscriminating conventional weapons including cluster bombs and landmines.

We support an International Criminal Court to deal with those who plan and perpetrate acts of terrorism.

We support U.S. foreign policies which promote

• human rights,
• economic justice,
• and self-determination for all people

II. Purpose
The purpose of the organization is to inspire, facilitate, and support citizen involvement in local, national, and global activism for peace and justice. Through non-violent actions and undertakings that promote education, outreach, and activism, the organization seeks concrete steps toward a more just, compassionate, peaceful, and sustainable world. This is to be accomplished through support and guidance of self-directing local neighborhood groups affiliated with SNOW Coalition and through coordinated activities of SNOW member groups.

IV. Non-profit
All monies donated to the SNOW Coalition shall be used for the purposes of the organization, as designated in our Articles of Incorporation. The organization shall maintain status as a registered non-profit organization with the Washington Secretary of State.

V. Nondiscrimination
The SNOW Coalition will not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, nationality, place of origin, ethnic background, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, economic class, age, or mental or physical handicap or disability.

VI. Administration
The Coordinating Committee (a.k.a. "Board of Trustees) is responsible for the administration of the organization.

The Coordinating Committee members shall receive no compensation for their service on the Coordinating Committee, but may receive reimbursement for documented expenditures incurred on behalf of the organization.

VII. Membership
Any organization wishing to join the SNOW Coalition shall do so by providing a statement in writing to the Coordinating Committee, certifying that a meeting has been held of the members of the organization at which the members agree as an organization to accept and adhere to the Points of Agreement in any activities undertaken as an action of the organization.

Each member organization is entitled to appoint one representative and one designated alternate. The member organizations will inform the Coordinating Committee who is to represent them.

VIII. Voting

Coordinating Committee: To be valid, votes at regularly scheduled or special Coordinating Committee meetings shall require a 75% supermajority to pass and require a quorum of 75% of Coordinating Committee members or designated alternates.

General Meeting: Votes on proposals at SNOW General Meetings shall be by a two thirds supermajority. Votes on amendments to proposals that have not yet been passed only require a simple majority. All votes require a quorum of twenty people including participants from at least ten member organizations.

For the purposes of voting, a supermajority at the General Meeting shall be defined as two thirds of the votes cast including abstentions.

The designated representative will vote for the member organization. If the designated representative is not present the designated alternate will vote for the member organization. The individual voting for a member organization is entitled to three (3) votes.

Any other individual at the SNOW General Meeting who agrees with the Points of Agreement is entitled to one (1) vote.

No individual can represent more than one member group.

IX. SNOW General Meeting
A General Meeting will be held regularly to:

• Decide on the Commitment of major SNOW resources,
• Ratify amendments to the Bylaws,
• Consider other issues of major concern to the SNOW Coalition as a whole,
• Decide on recommendations from the Coordinating Committee,
• Hear reports from SNOW staff (if any) and the Coordinating Committee,
• Annually approve the budget,

Notification of major decisions to be considered at a SNOW General Meeting will be published on the SNOW website and by e-mail.

The General Meeting is open to all.

X. Annual Meeting
The Coordinating Committee shall set the date, time and place of the regular annual meeting. Meetings shall be announced no less than ten (10) days in advance. The annual meeting is open to all.

The Annual Meeting will include any or all the tasks of a SNOW General Meeting.

XI. Accounting and Tax Year
The Accounting and Tax year of the SNOW Coalition shall be the Calendar year.

XII. Coordinating Committee
The Coordinating Committee shall consist of

• Liaisons from clusters of SNOW Member Organizations,
• A representative from SNOW office administration,
• A representative from any active SNOW working group that the Coordinating Committee decides should be represented,
• Additional members as approved by a SNOW General Meeting.

The number of members of the Coordinating Committee shall be set by resolution of the Coordinating Committee.

Each SNOW Member Organization shall be entitled to be part of a Cluster of SNOW Member Organizations. Each Cluster shall choose a liaison and designated alternate to be on the Coordinating Committee. The Coordinating Committee or the General Meeting shall define the groups that make up a cluster.

When the liaison is unable to act as a member of the Coordinating Committee the designated alternate will serve.

Members of the Coordinating Committee will serve six-month terms. Coordinating Committee members may serve no more than two consecutive terms. Coordinating Committee terms may be staggered.

XIII. Officers
The SNOW Coalition shall include four officers: Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. No one person can be both Chair and Secretary. The Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary must be members of the Coordinating Committee.

Officers are elected by a vote of the Coordinating Committee and may be removed at any time.

The organization strives for an egalitarian and non-hierarchical structure, through a flexible process that can include decision-making by supermajority or consensus. While state law requires the Coordinating Committee to elect or appoint officers, the duties of such officers may be freely amended or transferred by decision of the Coordinating Committee at any time. Designation of one person or another as an officer is not to be construed to endow that person with any independent authority or decision-making power outside of approval and consent of the Coordinating Committee itself.

XIV. Coordinating Committee Meetings
At every regular meeting of the Coordinating Committee one member shall take minutes and shall be responsible for providing a copy of these minutes to other members and to the SNOW office staff in a timely manner. Minutes of the meeting shall be posted whenever possible on the SNOW website.

All Coordinating Committee meetings are open to SNOW participants and guests, except for special sessions as may be called by the Coordinating Committee to address personnel issues.

XV. Responsibilities of Coordinating Committee
The Coordinating Committee will primarily be responsible for:

• Consulting with SNOW members and member organizations in development and implementation of long and short term projects and activities agreed on at a SNOW General Meeting.
• Planning and organizing specific events in conjunction with members and other organizations;
• Endorsing specific actions as requested by SNOW organizations or other entities;
• Hiring staff and evaluating performance,
• SNOW's financial management and general operations,
• Determining the allocation of SNOW funds for specific projects and needs;
• Other decisions and matters as may be determined to be necessary by the Coordinating Committee with the approval of the SNOW General Meeting.
• Set the dates and agenda for future General Meetings.

If any SNOW Membership Organization does not adhere to SNOW's principles of agreement then the SNOW Coordinating Committee will, after careful consideration, remove the group from membership.

XVI. Limitation of Coordinating Committee Member Liability
A Coordinating Committee member of the SNOW coalition shall not be personally liable to the SNOW Coalition or its members for monetary damages, for breach of duty of care or other duty as a Coordinating Committee member, except for liability (1) for any appropriation, in violation of his or her duties, of any business of the SNOW Coalition, (2) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, or (3) for any transaction from which the Coordinating Committee member derived an improper personal benefit in money, property, or services.

Any repeal or modification of the provisions of this Article shall be prospective only, and shall not adversely affect any limitation on the personal liability of a Coordinating Committee member of the SNOW Coalition with respect to any act or omission occurring before the effective date of such repeal or modification.

If the Washington Nonprofit Corporation Act or, by reference, if appropriate, the Washington Business Corporation Act hereafter is amended to authorize the further elimination or limitation of the liability of Coordinating Committee members, then the liability of a Coordinating Committee member of the SNOW Coalition, in addition to the limitation on personal liability provided herein, shall be limited to the fullest extent permitted by the amended Washington Nonprofit Corporation Act or the amended Washington Business Corporation Act, as appropriate.

In the event of any of the provisions of this Article (including any provision within a single sentence) is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void, or otherwise unenforceable, the remaining provisions are severable and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by the law.

XVII. Dissolution
Upon dissolution of the SNOW Coalition, the Coordinating Committee shall, after paying or making provision for payment of all of the liabilities of the SNOW Coalition, dispose of all of the assets of the SNOW Coalition in a manner that furthers the goals of SNOW. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed by a court of competent jurisdiction for the county in which the principal office of the SNOW Coalition is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations as said court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.

XVIII. Amendments to the Bylaws
The Coordinating Committee will post any proposed amendments to these bylaws and allow at least thirty (30) days for comment. At the conclusion of the comment period, for the proposed changes to be adopted, the amendments to the bylaws must be approved at both a SNOW General Meeting and at a Coordinating Committee meeting.

XIX. Exceptions
It is understood that any provisions of these bylaws found to be out of compliance with State or other civil laws will be invalid and subject to State law and revision by the Coordinating Committee.