I. Name, residence and objectives
1. gr. Name
The Icelandic name of the organization is “BDSM á Íslandi”. The English name of the organization is “The Icelandic BDSM organization”. The organization’s place of residence is in Reykjavík.
2. gr. Purpose and objectives
The purpose of the organization is:
- to be a support and education organization for people with BDSM inclinations.
- for BDSM people to become visible, accepted and enjoying full human rights in Icelandic society.
- to promote more external education about BDSM as well as education for BDSM people.
- to actively pursue the rights and interests of BDSM people.
- to be a public advocate for BDSM people.
- to cooperate with comparable organizations, groups and interested people who share the same objectives, locally and internationally.
II. Membership
3. gr. Membership of the organization
3.1. Members
Anyone willing to support the organization and work towards its objectives can become a member.
3.2. Valid members and withdrawal from the organization
Members receive a members’ card, valid through the calendar year. Only those having paid the membership fee for that year are considered valid voting members.
Members are required to notify the board in writing of withdrawals from the organization.
Upon withdrawal members of the organization cannot make any claim to the organzation’s funds or assets.
Temporary provision in force until the 2023 general meeting, addendum to article 3.2
Should a member not pay the membership fee for seven consecutive years they are no longer considered a member and their name will be struck from the membership registry. They remain free to rejoin the organization at any point, if they so choose.
3.3. Membership registry
The board is responsible for maintaining a membership registry, which is only for use by the board, board members being required to observe confidentiality about the registry.
Temporary provision in force until the 2023 general meeting, addendum to article 3.3
Should a member not pay the membership fee for seven consecutive years, their information will be purged from the organization’s records.
3.4. Member organizations
Organizations and groups related to the interests of The Icelandic BDSM organization can affiliate to the organization. Affiliation applications must be submitted no later than one week prior to the general meeting. Approval of applications requires 2/3 of votes at a general meeting. Interest organizations and groups must have independent finances and appear publicly in their own name and not in the name of The Icelandic BDSM organization. By-laws and rules of interest organizaions or groups must not be in breach of the by-laws of The Icelandic BDSM organization.
3.5.Rights and duties of members
Members are required to respect the privacy of those who participate in the activities of the organization.
3.6. Expulsion from the organization
Interest organization, groups or individuals in violation of the organization’s by-laws shall be expelled from the organization without delay.
The board can expel interest organizations, groups or individuals from the organization should it see the reason to do so.
Should the concerned party not agree with the board’s decision, they can refer the matter to an organization meeting.
The organization’s board supports complaint procedures in all matters which may arise.
III. Plan
4.gr. Operational year
The organization year is the calendar year.
The fiscal year is the calendar year.
5. gr. General meeting
5.1 Plan of the general meeting
The annual general meeting shall be held in March.
Valid members cf. article 3.2 are eligible for participation and voting at the general meeting.
The general meeting is the organization’s supreme authority and takes all necessary decisions about the operations of the organization. It is to be announced with at least three weeks notice, via email to registered members, on the website and on the social media platforms utilized by the organization.
Should the legitimacy of the general meeting not be confirmed, the meeting shall be dismissed and a new general meeting announced within a week and held within a month. This meeting is to be announced in the same way as the general meeting.
5.2 Election of the chairperson
The chairperson needs an absolute majority of the cast votes. If no person wins an absolute majority, a second round of voting shall be held between the two persons who received the most and the second most votes.
5.3 Election to the board
In an even year two board members and a provincial representative shall be elected. In an odd year three board members shall be elected.
Should a board member resign from the board in the first year of their term, another shall be elected in their place in the ext general meeting, to serve on the board for one year.
5.4 Election of examiner and other posts
The general meeting elects an examiner who will review the organization’s accounts before the next general meeting. The general meeting also conducts election for other posts, the proposed elections having been presented in the announcement of the general meeting.
5.5 Candidacy and deadlines for candidacy
The deadline for candidacy to the board is two weeks before the general meeting. Candidacies to the board shall be submitted in writing to the electoral committee, stating any secondary candidacy if applicable. Candidates for examiner and other posts shall submit their candidacy in writing to the electoral committee before the general meeting and state which post they are seeking. All submitted candidacies shall be presented on the organization’s website at least a week before the general meeting.
The electoral committee can extend deadlines if needed. In that case the deadline for candidacy to all posts is extended until the elections at the general meeting.
5.6 Absentee voting
Valid members can cast their votes for the board and on other announced matters outside of the meeting by submitting a written vote in a closed envelope to the election committee no later than at the general meeting. The votes shall not be opened until during the count at the general meeting.
5.7 Resolution of matters
A simple majority applies for the resolution of matters, except in the case of amendments to the by-laws or the dissolution of the organization.
5.8 General meeting agenda
The agenda of the general meetings is as follows:
- Election of moderator and secretary
- Confirmation of the legitimacy of the meeting
- Board’s report and accounts
- Amendments to by-laws
- Election of the chairperson
- Election of the board
- Election of substitute board member
- Elections to other posts
- Examiner
- Other posts
- Other matters
6. gr. Organization meetings
6.1 Plan and legitimacy of organization meetings
The board will announce organization meetings as often as needed, but no less than once in the fall before the end of October.
Organization meetings shall be announced in writing or on the website and the social media platforms available to the organization with at least one weeks notice.
A meeting is legitimate if correctly announced. In case of doubt about the legitimacy of a meeting, another meeting shall be announced within a week, that meeting being legitimate whoever will attend it.
Any valid member can demand in writing of the board that it announce an organization meeting. The board shall convene an organizational meeting within two weeks of the submission of the demand for an organizational meeting, and announce it in the usual way one week before the meeting.
Should the board of the organization not announce a meeting within two weeks after receiving the demand, the members in question can convene a meeting.
All members are eligible to attend and participate in discussions at organizational meetings, but only valid members have the right to vote, cf. article 3.2. An organization meeting can agree to announce an extraordinary general meeting.
Matters at organization meetings are resolved by a simple majority.
6.2. Fall organization meeting
The fall organization meeting appoints a three person electoral committee. The electoral committee decides in writing upon its operational procedures, and is responsible for the execution of elections at the general meeting. The committee shall call for candidacies and nominations, and endeavor to secure candidacies for the board and the examiner. The electoral committee shall strive to ensure equality regarding e.g. age and gender in the candidate pool.
6.2.1 Fall organization meeting agenda
The fall organization meeting operates according to the following agenda:
- Election of moderator and secretary
- Confirmation of the legitimacy of the meeting
- Board’s report on the state of the organization
- Presentation of the winter program
- Determining next year’s membership fees
- Appointment of electoral committee
- Appointment of other committees
- Other matters
7. gr. Membership fees
The fall organization meeting determines the annual fee for the next year. Membership fees shall be collected at the beginning of the year for that year.
The bursar oversees the collection of the organization’s income, and reports on the organization’s financial standing in the annual financial statement.
IV. Board and roles
8. gr. Board
The board of the organization is composed of seven individuals. The board is obliged to maintain a record of its meetings. The board shall decide on its policy, and present it to the members with in six weeks of the general meeting.
8.1. Electoral terms and roles within the board
The board is composed of a chairperson, a vice-chairperson, a bursar, a secretary, a regional representative and regular members. The chairperson is elected at the general meeting for a one year term. The term for other board members is two years, three members being elected each alternating year. The board will distribute these roles amongst its members at the first board meeting following the general meeting. People residing outside the capital area are free to submit their candidacy to the board in the normal way.
The chairperson is the referee of the board, and conducts its meetings unless they appoint another person to do that. The vice-chairperson performs the chairperson’s duties should they be indisposed. The bursar is responsible for the organization’s finances, takes care of all its assets and prepares a budget for the organization year. The secretary keeps records of meetings and maintains the organization’s archive.
8.2. Regional representatives
Groups outside Reykjavík select a regional representative as they choose, without interference by members in the capital area. The regional representative is selected outside of the organization’s general meeting and announced at the general meeting.
If groups outside the capital area are unable to agree on a regional representative before the general meeting the post shall be voted for at the general meeting.
8.3. Resignation from the board
Resignations from the board shall be sent to the board in writing, and may be temporary or permanent.
8.4. Substitute board member
A substitute member is elected for one year at a time. Should a board member resign from the board during the term, the substitute shall take their place on the board. The substitute member is eligible for attendance and has the right to propose motions at board meetings. The substitute member acquires the right to vote at a board meeting if a member of the board declares their inability to attend.
8.5 Board meetings
The chairperson announces board meetings as often as needed.
Board meetings are legimate if the majority of the board is present.
V. Various provisions
9. gr. Membership of organizations
The board of the organization is authorized to apply for membership of related societies and organizations which are not in violation of the organization’s by-laws.
10. gr. By-law amendments
Amendments to these by-laws can only be made at the general meeting, proposals having been received in writing by the board or electronically by email to the organization’s email address from a member no later than two weeks before the general meeting. They shall be presented on the organization’s web media at least one week before the general meeting. Proposals concerning wording and form and in no way affecting the material content of previously submitted proposals are exempt from this deadline.
Amendments to by-laws take effect if they receive 2/3 of the votes cast.
11. gr. Dissolution of the organization
A proposal to dissolve the organization can only be submitted by a member of the board. In that case, the proposal shall be presented at a general meeting announced with the certified notice, the proposal being presented in the announcement of the meeting. The proposal must be approved by 4/5 of the votes cast. Should it be approved, an extraordinary general meeting shall be announced in 14 days, for it to be ratified and decided on. It must be stated in the announcement of the meeting that such a proposal will be dealt with.
For the proposal to be approved, 4/5 of the votes cast at the extraordinary general meeting are needed.
Should the organization be dissolved, its assets shall be presented to an organization which has the same or similar objectives as The Icelandic BDSM Organization, according to the decision of the extraordinary general meeting confirming the dissolution.
12. gr. Adoption
These by-laws are effective immediately, the organization’s previous by-laws going out of effect.
Approved at the general meeting of The Icelandic BDSM Organization on March 20 2022