Bylaws & Rules

By-Laws of the Louisiana Chess Association

(as amended through September 2016)

Article I: Name and Purpose

1. The name of this organization will be the Louisiana Chess Association. The organization shall be known by its name or the abbreviation “LCA.”

2. The purpose of the LCA is to promote chess within Louisiana. To this end, the LCA shall be affiliated with the United States Chess Federation (USCF) or any successor organization and be the USCF’s official state affiliate for the state of Louisiana so long as the USCF or any such successor organization permits.

3. The LCA shall not be operated for profit. No part of its dues, contributions or net income shall benefit any individual. To the extent that the LCA awards cash prizes, trophies, or other awards at or for chess events, these cash prizes, trophies, and other awards shall not be considered benefits to any individual under this provision. To the extent that the LCA awards grants to any Louisiana chess players to represent Louisiana in national chess events, these grants, or any similar grants, shall not be considered benefits to any individual under this provision.

4. The LCA shall annually confer the title of State Chess Champion of Louisiana. The title of State Chess Champion of Louisiana shall be awarded to the highest finishing resident of Louisiana at the chess competition designated for this purpose. All residents of Louisiana shall be allowed to compete in this chess competition under the same terms and conditions. Nothing in this provision shall be construed to mean that non-residents of Louisiana cannot be allowed to participate in this chess competition, although non-residents of Louisiana shall not be eligible to win the title of State Chess Champion of Louisiana. The requirements for being a resident of Louisiana for the purposed of being eligible to be the state champion shall be determined by the membership. This requirement does not apply for residency issues that arise outside of the regular state championship, such as for scholastic players. The provision may be suspended by the Board of Directors if a natural disaster makes the holding of the competition unfeasible.

5. The LCA shall confer any other Louisiana chess titles as determined by the membership or the Board of Directors at such times as determined by the membership or the Board of Directors. The titles shall be awarded based upon chess competitions organized for the purpose of awarding such titles if feasible.

Article II: Membership

1. Any resident of Louisiana may become a regular member of the LCA by payment of the annual membership fee set as set forth in this article.

2. Each regular member of the LCA shall be able to vote in all LCA elections.

3. Each regular member of the LCA shall receive any bulletin produced by the LCA for the duration of the membership.

4. Membership in the LCA shall be required for participation in all LCA sanctioned or sponsored events. Non-residents of Louisiana shall be exempt from this provision. The membership, Board of Directors, or organizer of an LCA sanctioned or sponsored event may make an exception to this provision for events with participation restricted for scholastic (high school and below) individuals.

5. Annual dues for all types of memberships may only be changed by a rule passed by the membership. The Board of Directors shall have no power to change membership dues without approval of the membership.

6. Special membership classes, such as scholastic or out-of-state, with differing annual membership dues may be established by the membership or the Board of Directors. The rights and benefits of LCA members in special membership classes shall be established by the membership or the Board of Directors. Under no circumstances, however, shall the rights and benefits of members of a special membership class be greater than the rights and benefits of regular members.

7. Membership in the LCA may be revoked by a unanimous vote of the Board of Directors.

Article III: Governance

1. There shall be four officers of the LCA: the president, the vice-president, the secretary/treasurer, and the scholastic coordinator. The officers of the LCA shall be elected annually to one-year terms by the membership of the LCA at an LCA membership meeting during the competition to determine the State Chess Champion of Louisiana. If the holding of the competition to determine the State Chess Champion of Louisiana is not held due to a natural disaster, the officers of the LCA shall remain in office until the next such competition is held.

2. The LCA shall have a Board of Directors consisting of nine members. These members shall be the four officers of the LCA plus one regional representative from each of the five following regions:

New Orleans Metro Region consisting of the parishes of: Orleans; Jefferson; St. Bernard; Plaquemines; St. Charles; and St. Tammany.

Baton Rouge and East Central Region consisting of the parishes of: East Baton Rouge; West Baton Rouge; Ascension; Livingston; St. James; St. John the Baptist; Tangipahoa; Washington; St. Helena; East Feliciana; West Feliciana; Pointe Coupee; and Iberville.

Lafayette and South Central Region consisting of the parishes of: Lafayette; Iberia; St. Mary; St. Martin; Assumption; Terrebone; Lafourche; Vermillion; Acadia; Evangeline; and St. Landry.

Lake Charles and Southwestern Region consisting of the parishes of: Calcasieu; Cameron; Jefferson Davis; Beauregard; and Allen.

North Region consisting of the parishes of: Caddo; DeSoto; Sabine; Vernon; Bossier; Red River; Natchitoches; Rapides; Webster; Claiborne; Bienville; Union; Lincoln; Jackson; Winn; Grant; La Salle; Avoyelles; Morehouse; Ouachita; Caldwell; Richland; Catahoula; Franklin; Concordia; Tensas; Madison; East Carroll; and West Carroll.

Regional representatives shall be elected at the annual LCA membership meeting for one-year terms. All LCA members in the region in question shall be eligible to vote for the regional representative. If no LCA member of a region is present at the LCA meeting, the membership of the LCA as a whole may select a provisional regional representative. If the provisional regional representative wishes to serve on the Board of the Directors, he shall be the regional representative. If he does not, the other members shall select a resident of the region to serve as regional representative until the next election.

3. Decisions by the Board of Directors shall be made by majority vote unless otherwise provided by these by-laws or rules passed by the membership. The President shall chair the Board of Directors.

4. If a vacancy should occur on the Board of Directors between elections, the President shall appoint a replacement with the consent and approval of the Board.

5. The membership or the Board of Directors may appoint an LCA member to be in charge of preparing LCA Bulletins. The membership or the Board of Directors may appoint an LCA member to be in charge of maintaining a website for the LCA. These positions are not positions on the Board of Directors, but may be filled by LCA members that are on the Board of Directors.

Article IV: By-Laws, Rules, and Directives

1. There shall be three types of regulations governing the LCA: By-laws, Rules, and Directives. By-laws are regulations set forth in this document and by amendment as set forth in the article. Rules are regulations passed by a majority vote of voting members of the LCA at LCA membership meetings. Directives are regulations passed by a majority vote of the Board of Directives.

2. By-laws are the highest form of regulation of the LCA. Rules are the second highest form of regulation of the LCA. Directives are the third highest form of regulation of the LCA. In the case of conflict, by-laws are controlling over rules and directives and rules are controlling over directives.

3. The by-laws may be amended by having the amendment passed by the Board of Directors, published in two LCA Bulletins or posted on the LCA Website for three months prior to submission to the membership, and passed by a two-thirds majority of the voting members present at an LCA membership meeting.

Article V: Duties of the Officers and the Board of Directors

1. President

a. Preside at all meetings of the membership and the Board of Directors.

b. Assign duties to the members of the Board of Directors.

c. Organize the competition to determine the State Chess Champion of Louisiana or award the authority to organize the competition to someone else.

2. Vice-President

a. Preside over meetings of the membership and the Board of Directors in the absence of the President.

b. Supervise all LCA elections.

c. Be the coordinator between the LCA and chess clubs within Louisiana.

3. Secretary-Treasurer

a. Keep minutes of all membership meetings.

b. Keep records of membership.

c. Keep records of all decisions of the Board of Directors.

d. Keep records of all funds and all business transactions of the LCA.

e. Be able to provide an itemized financial statement of the LCA at all times.

f. Choose and maintain a checking account for the LCA.

g. Write and sign checks for LCA expenses.

4. Scholastic Coordinator

a. Promote scholastic chess in Louisiana.

b. Chair the Scholastic Committee, which shall organize scholastic chess championships for Louisiana with or without the assistance of outside organizers.

c. Coordinate between the LCA and schools with chess teams or clubs in Louisiana.

5. Board of Directors

a. Supervise the affairs of the LCA between membership meetings.

b. Pass all necessary or worthwhile directives to promote and encourage chess in Louisiana as the Board of Directors sees fit.



Rules adopted by the Louisiana Chess Association

at Annual Membership Meetings

2010:

  • The board is authorized to pay the website administrator for the LCA website $100 per quarter.


  • Stipends for the 2011 Denker & Polgar Tournament of Champions reps and the La. USCF Delegate are set at $200.

2011:

  • Beginning at the 2012 State Championship, LCA dues are set at $20 for adults and $10 for scholastic players.


  • Stipends for the 2012 Denker & Polgar Tournament of Champions reps are set at $200.


  • The board is authorized to continue paying the website administrator for the LCA website $100 per quarter.


2012:

  • The state championship is to be held annually over on Labor Day weekend with the back-up date of Thanksgiving weekend in case of tropical weather.


  • LCA membership is not required for students to play in the state scholastic championship.


  • LCA membership is required for all players, including students of any age, to play in non-scholastic LCA sanctioned tournaments.


2013:

  • The annual LCA membership dues were set at $25 family (1 adult & all children in a household), $15 adult, and $5 scholastic.


2014:

  • No out-of-state players, including Masters, shall be offered free entry to any Louisiana State Championship Tournament.


2015:

  • The LCA Board is authorized to spend up to $1000 over the coming year to promote chess in Louisiana.

2016:

  • The LCA Board is authorized to spend up to $1000 over the coming year to promote chess in Louisiana.


2017:

  • The LCA Board is authorized to make donations totaling up to $1000 over the coming year to chess clubs in Louisiana that have lost equipment or assets in hurricanes.

  • Adam Caveney is named a lifetime member of the LCA.


2018:

  • The LCA Board shall meet either in person, via conference call, or via videoconference at least 5 times per year in addition to the annual membership membership meeting.

  • The Vice President’s primary responsibility is to take over as President in the event that the President resigns or can no longer serve out the term.