Mission Statement
The mission of the Illinois Fraternal Congress is to strengthen the fraternal benefit system at the state and grassroots level throughout Illinois.

Constitution and Bylaws
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Article I - Name
The name of this organization shall be the Illinois Fraternal Congress.

Article II - Purpose
The purpose of this Congress shall be to unite men, women and youth who are associated with a fraternal benefit society; to promote action in the development and growth of the fraternal insurance system; to work in harmony with the National Fraternal Congress of America for the welfare of the fraternal insurance system; to defeat any act or movement which is contrary to the best interests of the fraternal insurance system; to create a better understanding of fraternal insurance; to publicly promote the fraternal system; to exchange ideas for the common good of its members, and to do all other things incidental and consistent with the above mentioned purposes.

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Article III
Section 1. The Illinois Fraternal Congress shall be subject to the Constitution of the National Fraternal Congress of America.

Section 2. The Executive Board of the Congress shall select the official delegate to the annual session of the National Fraternal Congress and said delegate may be reimbursed by the Congress (extent of reimbursement to be determined by the Executive Board).

Section 3. The Executive Board may designate an alternative to the National Fraternal Congress in the event the official delegate is unable to attend.

Article IV
Section 1. All fraternal benefit societies doing business in the State of Illinois and reporting to the Insurance Department thereof are eligible for membership in this Congress.

Section 2. Applications for membership shall be made in writing and referred to the Executive Board. A majority of the Executive Board shall qualify such applicant for membership upon payment of the first annual membership dues.

Section 3. Each society shall be entitled to six (6) delegates and six (6) alternate delegates who shall be selected for a period of one year. These delegates, or alternate delegates, and the officers, the directors and past presidents of the Congress shall constitute the active membership of the State Congress and each shall have one (1) vote. Only active members shall be eligible for election to office in the State Congress.

Section 4. All officers and members of the Congress shall be a member in good standing of a fraternal benefit society.

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Article V - Dues
Section 1. The annual membership dues of each society shall be set at the annual meeting by the delegates and are payable by January 1 preceding the annual meeting.

Section 2. Any society which fails to remit dues by the annual meeting shall be automatically suspended from the Congress. Reinstatement may be made by proper application and payment of the one year dues for the delinquent period and dues for the current year.

Article VI - Officers
Section 1. The officers of the Congress shall be Immediate Past President, President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary and a Treasurer, and eight Directors. All officers shall be elected annually by the Congress and shall constitute the Executive Board.

Section 2. The elected officers, except for Directors, shall hold office for one year. The Secretary and Treasurer shall serve no more than four (4) consecutive terms in office. All officers, except the Secretary/Treasurer, may not succeed themselves. Directors who have served a complete two-year term shall not be eligible for re-election for a second consecutive term until the next meeting.

Section 3. The President shall be the executive officer and, as such, shall enforce the constitution and bylaws and carry out the mandates of the Congress and its Executive Board. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Congress and of the Executive Board.

Section 4. The First Vice-President, shall, in the absence of the President, perform the duties of that office. In the absence of the First Vice-President, such duties shall be performed by the Second Vice-President. They shall also serve as committee chairperson or perform any other duties delegated by the President.

Section 5. The Secretary shall conduct all correspondence pertaining to the business of the Congress, keep a true and accurate record of the proceedings of the meetings of the Congress, and of the Executive Board, issue all notices to meetings, collect the dues payable to the Congress and remit the same to the Treasurer at least once a month, and perform all other duties pertaining to the office.

Section 6. The Treasurer shall have charge and custody of all financial records and funds; keep a true set of books of accounts, showing all receipts and disbursements; and shall disburse the funds as ordered and approved by the President. Such records shall at all times be open to the inspection of the members of the Executive Board, and the Treasurer shall from time to time make reports of the financial conditions to the Executive Board.

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Article VII - Election of Officers
Section 1. Election and installation of officers shall be conducted at the annual meeting. The newly installed officers and directors shall assume the duties of their respective offices at the conclusion of the meeting.

Section 2. The Executive Board shall have full charge and shall, subject to the direction of the Congress, transact the business for which it is formed. It shall devise ways and means for carrying out and enforcing the purposes of this Congress and shall have full power to fill vacancies in any of the offices. It shall have power to create and define the powers and duties of all committees required in carrying out the purposes of this Congress. All members of the committees shall be selected from the members of the Congress.

Article VIII - Committees
Section 1. Standing committees shall be appointed by the President and shall be answerable to the President. The chairperson of each committee shall be appointed by the President after the Illinois Fraternal Congress annual meeting.

Section 2. The term of office for standing committees is one year. Special committees shall serve until their work is completed.

Section 3. Special committees may be appointed at the discretion of the President, and/or the Executive Board, for the purpose of dealing with special projects.

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Article IX - General Provisions
Section 1. The member societies shall select their active delegates no later than thirty (30) days prior to the annual meeting and shall immediately notify the Secretary who shall on request furnish a list to any active delegate.

Section 2. All officers shall qualify and take office immediately upon the installation and they and all committees shall hold over until their successors take office.

Section 3. A majority shall constitute a quorum in all meetings, including the committees, except that the representatives of five societies shall constitute a quorum in the Congress, and five members of the Executive Board after due notice, shall constitute a quorum of said Executive Board.

Section 4. Special meetings of the Congress may be called by the President on the President's own motion, and shall be called on the written request of three societies.

Section 5. Annual reports shall be made at the annual meeting by the officers and committees.

Section 6. Unless selected by the Congress at its annual meeting, the meeting place of the Congress shall be selected by the President subject to the approval of the Executive Board and in cooperation with the Illinois Fraternal Insurance Counselors organization.

Section 7. The Secretary shall make an annual report to the Executive Vice-President of the National Fraternal Congress of America, giving the names and addresses of the officers elected, and the time and place of the next meeting, and shall forward an official copy of the proceedings. When bylaws are adopted or amendments made, copies of these shall be approved by the NFCA.

Section 8. Nothing in the Constitution of this Congress shall be interpreted to constitute an obligation upon the funds of affiliated societies other than the payment of the annual dues for membership.

Section 9. The proceedings of the Congress shall be governed by Robert's Rules of Order.

Section 10. The Secretary and/or Treasurer shall be compensated at the discretion of the Board of Directors.

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Article X - Annual Meeting
Section 1. An annual convention of the Congress shall be held each year at such time and place as may be selected by the Executive Board.

Order of business may be changed at the discretion of the President or the Executive Board.

Article XI - Amendments
Section 1. A hearing shall be held by the Legislative Committee for a report before amendments to these bylaws are presented to this Congress for adoption or rejection.

Section 2. All amendments to these bylaws shall be filed with the Secretary sixty (60) days before the annual meeting. The Secretary shall immediately forward a copy of the same to the chairperson of the Legislative Committee and a copy to each member-society.

Section 3. All amendments to these bylaws shall go into effect as soon as they are adopted by the Congress at its annual meeting and approved by the National Fraternal Congress of America.

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