Charter of the NSS Chapters' Assembly

(Original version dated September 3, 1988)

I.	Preamble

We, the Chapters of the National Space Society, do hereby declare our unity within the framework of the National Space Society (hereinafter known as "NSS") as the Chapters' Assembly (hereinafter known as the "CA"). We shall work in concert with one another and the national organization to strengthen and better NSS to create a spacefaring civilization that will establish communities beyond the earth.

II.	Name

The name of the organization shall be the National Space Society Chapters' Assembly.

III.	Chapters

A chapter shall be defined as an organization in compliance with the chapter rules of the NSS and duly credited by the chapter's coordinator.

The CA shall consist of all chapters that join the CA according to their individual procedures and agree to comply with the responsibilities of the chapters as set in the Charter and Bylaws of the CA.

IV.	Function

The Chapters' Assembly shall exist as an advisory body to the NSS, to maintain communications and increase rapport with the national organization. The CA shall have the power to create, openly debate, and deliver resolutions to any official of the NSS.

The CA shall also exist as a body to encourage and assist lateral communications among varied chapters of the NSS as well as between chapters and regional organizations and promote the chapter system.

The CA shall have the power to take appropriate action to further its functions.

V.	Representation

Within the CA, the individual chapters shall have semi-proportional representation.

The number of individuals who remit membership dues to a chapter or declare themselves to be members of a chapter and are also members of NSS shall be defined as that chapter's membership.

Each chapter shall receive one voting delegate in assembly at each general meeting for each fifty members or fraction thereof, not to exceed five voting delegates (i.e., 3–50 members = 1 voting delegate; 51–100 members = 2 voting delegates; 101–150 members = 3 voting delegates; 151–200 members = 4 voting delegates; 201 or more members = 5 voting delegates).

VI.	Operations

The CA shall hold a public meeting each year at the annual meeting of the NSS.

A quorum at the full meeting of the CA shall consist of those representatives present, except upon special issues specified on the bylaws.

There shall be two generally elected officers of the CA, a chairman who shall preside at the general meetings and an executive secretary who shall record and distribute the proceedings of said meetings.

All votes shall be of certified voting delegates.

VII.	Communications

All activities of the CA shall be conducted openly, with no closure of any meeting or the meeting of any subsidiary committee or organization, with the single exception of meetings specifically called to discuss pending litigation.

It shall be the responsibility of the CA to communicate all its action to the various constituent chapters, including the minutes of all meetings of the CA and subsidiary committees, to any and all members of the NSS who ask for such materials and are willing to provide suitable recompensation.

VIII.	Bylaws

Bylaws to specify and further the goals and functions of the CA may be created and resolved at general meetings of the CA, or by mail provided that such bylaws do not contradict the provisions of this Charter.

IX.	Amendments

This document may be amended by a majority of 2/3 or greater of the voting delegates at any regular meeting of the CA, provided that at least 1/3 of the chapters are represented. The amendment must subsequently be ratified by greater than 2/3 of the chapters comprising the CA.

X.	Ratification

This document shall be considered ratified when at least twenty-five current chapters of the NSS, including at least one from each region of the NSS, agree to join the CA and report such agreement to the Transition Committee.

XI.	The 1st Amendment

The CA shall have no authority to dictate the internal affairs of any chapter, region, or related organization.