Reason Riders Atheist Motorcycle Association® Bylaws
Table of Contents
- Article 1. Mission Statement and Objectives
- Article 2. Name and Emblem
- Article 3. Membership
- Article 4. Dues
- Article 5. Elections
- Article 6. Meetings
- Article 7. Delegations/Representatives
- Article 8. State Chapters
- Article 9. Amendments
Article 1 – Mission Statement and Objectives
Section 1
MISSION STATEMENT – The Reason Riders Atheist Motorcycle Association, henceforth known as RRAMA, shall, in all ways, attempt to serve the communities they exist in. They shall never detract from the public trust and they shall never shock the conscience of the governing bodies of the municipalities. RRAMA should, at all times, further the Atheist philosophy and acceptance by the community, by acting responsibly and showing respect to all. It should be the intent of each member and prospective new member to exhibit good deeds and behavior without the need or use of theology. Reason Riders will never expect a reward for their actions and shall remain humble. RRAMA shall especially cultivate respectful relations with neighboring Motorcycle Clubs and Riding Groups.
Section 2
IT IS TO BE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE REASON RIDERS ATHEIST MOTORCYCLE ASSOCIATION IS NOT A MOTORCYCLE CLUB. NO CLAIMS SHOULD BE MADE TO THAT EFFECT. WE DO NOT “PROSPECT.” ANY MISCONCEPTIONS PERCEIVED BY NON-MEMBERS OR MEMBERS OF MOTORCYCLE CLUBS SHALL BE IMMEDIATELY ADDRESSED AND CORRECTED.
Section 3
Objectives
a) To promote interest in various forms of motorcycle activities associated with those riders that are Atheist, Agnostics, and those Free from Religion.
b) To create relationships and bonds with those people seeking to further the humanist way of life. To encourage the open discussion of such concepts without fear of ostracizing themselves. To live the way of life that best suits that person without condemnation of differing ways of life.
c) To support Atheist and Humanist organizations
d) To raise awareness of motorcycle safety and safety concerns
e) To foster positive relationships with other Associations, Riding Clubs (crews), Groups, and Motorcycle Clubs, and community service organizations
Article 2 - Name and Emblem
Section 1
The Name of the Association is: Reason Riders Atheist Motorcycle Association. The principal office and formal address is located at: Glendale, AZ
RRAMA may have other offices within or outside of its state of incorporation, where it is qualified to conduct business, as its business and activities may require. Such offices shall be at the discretion of the governing officers.
Section 2
RRAMA is incorporated as a Non-Profit Limited Liability Corporation in the State of Arizona. If at such time it is found that any bylaw does/may conflict with applicable State laws, the Governing Officers have the duty and authority to change the affected bylaws to bring them in accordance with all State and Federal laws and guidelines.
Article 3 - Membership
Section 1
FULL MEMBERS – A Full Member must meet the following requirements:
a) A person of good character and morality.
b) One who chooses the logical approach to life and its situations; one who shall never accept “faith” as an answer to any question.
c) One who will dedicate their actions and loyalties to RRAMA.
d) One who will honor the traditions and hierarchy of the motorcycling community.
e) Members who ride shall maintain, at all times, current license to operate a motorcycle in whatever state they reside, current registration for the motorcycle they operate, and any state minimum insurance coverage their home state requires. Provide proof of information to the Sergeant At Arms and must be kept on file with the Secretary of each chapter.
f) Set-up and Tear-down of meeting spaces and event booths.
g) Socialize with other associations, groups, independent Riders, and clubs.
h) Pick-up, and drop-off of supplies related to Association activities.
i) Maintain communication with Association member and its officers.
j) Participating in formal elections for Officers.
k) Participating in votes for Association activities (where applicable).
l) Must pay their chapter dues as set forth by the Full Member vote. Dues shall be set to reflect the economic demographic of each chapter’s area but shall not exceed $40 per month per member.
m) Must attend a minimum of 6 general monthly meetings, both in person or virtual, and 6 events/rides per calendar year. It shall be the attempt of each member to exceed the minimum attendance requirements. New members shall endeavor to attend as many meetings, events, and rides as possible and available during the remainder of their first calendar year. In the event that a new member is not presented with the minimum requirements; it shall not be held against that new member.
n) All Full Members are at the discretion of the governing officers, any disciplinary action that requires separation of a member from the Association shall be final. A separated former member may petition the National Chapter (Chapter 1) for reinstatement after a calendar sum of 90 days.
Section 2
VAGABOND MEMBERS – A Vagabond Member must meet the following requirements:
a) A Vagabond Member shall be defined as a person meeting all of the Requirements of a Full Member, Section 1(a-e) who, due to isolation (physical or social) from like-minded individuals, cannot join a standing chapter.
b) All Vagabond Members shall belong to the National Chapter (Chapter 1) until they are able to create or join a nearby chapter.
c) Vagabond Members shall be required to pay the dues at whatever the National Chapter’s rate may be, not to exceed $40 dollars per member per month.
d) Vagabond Members shall affix a small straight tape in similar manner of officer name tapes, with red lettering, black background and black border, but shall bear the word “VAGABOND.”
e) Vagabond Members are subject to all RRAMA bylaws and guidelines and shall meet all requirements. It should be noted that a Vagabond Member is NOT the desired long-term status of a member, and that any “VAGABOND” should attempt to join or charter a permanent Chapter.”
Section 3
PROBATIONARY MEMBERS – Probationary member must meet the following requirements:
a) Serve a minimum of a 3-month probationary period which begins after receipt of application to desired chapter.
b) Applicant must attend a minimum of 3 monthly meetings and 3 group events and/or rides.
c) Shall be defined as a person meeting Requirements of a Full Member, Section 1(a-i).
d) Will be assigned to a sponsoring officer decided by the Chapter President.
e) Will carry out requests from their sponsoring officer.
Section 4
CONDUCT
a) RRAMA shall, in all ways, attempt to serve the communities they exist in. They shall never detract from the public trust, and they shall never shock the conscience of the governing bodies of the municipalities. RRAMA should, at all times, further the Atheist philosophy and acceptance by the community, by acting responsibly and showing respect to all. It should be the intent of each member and probationary member to exhibit good deeds and behavior without the need or use of theology. Reason Riders will never expect a reward for their actions and shall remain humble.
b) All Members shall conduct themselves in a manner that shall not bring embarrassment or discredit to RRAMA, the atheist community or the groups they associate with.
c) No Member shall force a RRAMA agenda on another member, another motorcyclist, or a citizen of the community. Reason Riders shall not be evangelical to those that do not wish to engage with RRAMA.
d) By applying for membership to RRAMA, applicants are giving the authorization to verify any information provided on the membership application to RRAMA.
Section 5
a) Any RRAMA members that are enlisted in the Armed Forces (Military) shall not change membership status or pay dues during deployment and/or military obligations unless requested.
b) Full Members vote on ride routes and destinations, Association Chapter expenditures, acceptance/declination of meeting agendas and/or reports, and locations of general monthly meetings.
c) Voting rights and privileges – Voting on different activities and expenditures shall be conducted as a formal process and recorded by the chapter Secretary.
d) No member shall be required to perform any duties that would be degrading, in any way, to them.
Article 4 - Dues
Section 1
a) Dues shall be collected by each chapter’s treasurer or his designee during that month’s meeting. Dues shall be set by a majority vote but shall not exceed $40 USD.
b) Dues shall be set at a rate so as not to create undue hardship for the members but to allow for funding of Association activities. Hardships are addressed at the chapter’s discretion.
c) Vagabond Members shall submit their payment of dues to the National Chapter (Chapter 1). d) If at any time the collection of dues from members of the RRAMA comes in conflict with local, State, or Federal Laws collection of dues shall be suspended until such time as legal application of these bylaws.
d) No chapter shall be required to submit any monies to the National Chapter (Chapter1).
Article 5 - Elections
Section 1
ELIGIBILITY
a) Elections for Officers shall be held after 24 months of service. No Full Member may hold a position as a governing officer without an election.
b) A Full Member that wishes to be considered for an Officer position must announce themselves as a nominee for consideration no less than 30 days prior to the election.
c) Any sitting officer that wishes to be considered for re-election shall announce themselves as a nominee for consideration no less than 30 days prior to the election. No sitting officer may retain office without a formal election.
Section 2
Note: Election necessity determined by full member vote, majority to decide.
The following Officer Positions shall be filled by the majority vote:
PRESIDENT – Election held in October of odd number years The President shall preside over all officer and general membership meetings. He/She will oversee all affairs of the Association and may appoint persons or committees as may be required for activities. If any officer or member in the Association is unable, or fails to perform his/her duties, it is the responsibility of the President to conduct a special election for disciplinary action.
VICE PRESIDENT – Election held in October of odd number years The Vice President shall perform all duties incumbent upon the President during the absence of the President and shall bring appropriate group activities/concerns to the attention of the President as soon as information is obtained.
SECRETARY – Election held in May of even number years The Secretary shall keep a record of all proceedings and shall keep the minutes at all monthly meetings. Within one week of the monthly meetings he/she will distribute the minutes to the Association membership, either in writing or by email.
TREASURER – Election held in May of even number years The Treasurer must account for all income and expenditures of the Association. He/She will maintain an accounting journal and log all transactions by the Association. He/She will give a financial report at each monthly meeting showing the current wealth of the Association. All funds from any group source (i.e. fundraisers, donations, sale of goods) shall be deposited in an Association maintained account and limited access shall be applied. The President and/or Vice President of each chapter shall have discretionary decision authority on Association expenditures of that chapter. The position of Treasurer must avail themselves to open and unannounced audits of records by Association officers only.
SERGEANT AT ARMS – Election held in May of even number years The Sergeant at Arms shall promote safety throughout the Association. His/her duties include maintaining order during all Association meetings, events and functions, and to protect the rights of the Association and its members. It is also his duty to manage all complaints and to bring them to the attention of the President and/or Vice President. The Sgt. at Arms will also keep an up to date record of all members to make sure that each member’s motorcycle driver’s license, motorcycle insurance, and bike registration are all current. The Sgt. at Arms has the distinct responsibility of learning all applicable laws and regulations and predicting patterns of violations among Association members.
ROAD CAPTAIN – The Road Captain is a Special Safety appointed by the chapter President. The Road Captain shall be responsible for the safety of the membership any time the Association rides as a group. He/She will review routes for safety concerns and will assist other riders in practicing safe driving while traveling in formation. He/She will be responsible for scheduling departure times and locations for trips or rides and will communicate this information to all the membership. In the event that the Road Captain is unable to take part in an Association run or trip, he/she will pick a Ride Leader and Sweep (chase rider) in his/her absence, and will help them in their preparation, if needed.
Section 3
a) Officer Votes include acceptance of New Member applications, Association Chapter expenditures, bylaw changes. Commencement of Patching ceremonies, Ride Routes and Destinations, Acceptance/Declination of meeting agendas and/or reports, and locations of general monthly meetings.
Article 6 - Meetings
Section 1
a) General Meetings: General Meetings shall be conducted every month virtually or in person. These meetings should be formal in nature in a gathering place that is conducive to the clear and open communication of agenda items. These meeting shall be for the purpose of conducting general business decisions and announcements. They should emulate but not be limited to “Roberts Rule of Order.” All Meetings shall be brought to order and concluded in a formal manner and when at all possible in a way as such to pay homage to the atheist community.
b) Special Meetings: Special Meetings are defined as interim meetings that occur in addition to the General meeting wherein a formal decision must be made due to time constraints or severity of an issue. A minimum of 3 Officers must be in attendance of any Special Meetings. Special meetings may be held electronically to facilitate attendance of key members. Whenever possible, a live video stream is preferable.
c) Executive Meetings: Executive meetings shall consist of The Chapter President, Chapter Vice President, and at least 1 other Governing Officer. No members that are not Officers shall be present for the proceedings of an Executive Meeting.
d) National/International Meetings: National and International meetings shall be attended by Chapter Presidents and their designee. These meetings shall occur on an “as needed” basis to resolve widespread issues, or to celebrate the unity of the Association. Meetings of this nature should be carefully planned at least 1 calendar year in advance to allow for maximum attendance with minimal hardship.
Article 7 Delegations and Representatives
Section 1
a) Delegations: Special Delegates may be assigned to attend group meetings and functions for the purpose of “standing in” for missing critical members. Delegations should normally be used to attend Chapter meetings of RRAMA in areas not designated as the delegates HOME chapter.
b) Representatives: Representatives shall be defined as members that have been assigned to attend functions hosted by other organizations for the function of speaking for RRAMA and the agenda of making the RRAMA presence known. Representatives may speak to the scope of the RRAMA and act as a conduit for communications, but shall not make decisions that affect the Association, its members, or its charity practices.
Article 8 - State Chapters
Section 1
State Chapters shall be sovereign in nature. They shall conduct their activities in a manner consistent with the RRAMA bylaws and mission statement. State Chapters must be approved by The National Chapter (Chapter 1) and must meet the following requirements:
a) Consist of at least 3 members
i. The 3 members must initially hold Officers Positions; President, Vice President, Sergeant At Arms.
ii. Records must be continuously maintained from inception.
b) Have good relations in the motorcycle community in their area, specifically have notified the standing conglomerate organization of the intent to form a new chapter of RRAMA
c) Have the ability to file for and obtain a nonprofit business status in their State of operation.
d) Hold or publicly attend at least 2 large events per year to remain “active” in the community. May be waived at the national chapters discretion.
e) State Chapters will report the names of all members to include Officers to the National Chapter (Chapter 1).
f) Report all elections and/or status changes to the National Chapter.
g) Shall conduct RRAMA charity business according to any and all applicable local, State, and Federal laws and guidelines. All monies shall be correctly recorded and reported to the appropriate agencies and to the RRAMA National Chapter.
h) Membership shall always be in consideration of the quality of the applicant over the quantity of member numbers.
i) All State Chapters shall be run as an “ALL BIKES, ALL RIDERS” organization. No preference shall be given to any particular brand, style, or type of motorcycle. Nor shall any brand, style, or type be banned or barred. No preference shall be given to any one person over the other based on any characteristics of a protected class. Discrimination against any protected class will not be tolerated. In United States federal anti-discrimination law, a protected class is a characteristic of a person which cannot be targeted for discrimination. The following characteristics are considered “Protected Classes” by Federal law:
- Race – Civil Rights Act of 1964 • Color – Civil Rights Act of 1964
- Religion – Civil Rights Act of 1964
- National origin – Civil Rights Act of 1964
- Age (40 and over) – Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967
- Sex – Equal Pay Act of 1963 and Civil Rights Act of 1964
- Pregnancy – Pregnancy Discriminati0on Act
- Citizenship – Immigration Reform and Control Act
- Familial status – Civil Rights Act of 1968
- Disability status – Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
- Veteran status – Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 and Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act
- Genetic information – Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act
- Sexuality or gender identity
Article 9 - Amendments
Section 1
Amendments shall be contained herein and shall be listed with the effective date and affected bylaw. Bylaw amendments for the National Bylaws shall follow the following schedule:
a) A bylaw change proposal shall be submitted, in writing, to the National Chapter for recording and logging.
b) Within 15 business days the National Chapter shall notify the Association Chapter Presidents of a submittal for bylaw change and disperse electronic copies of the proposed change.
c) Within 30 days of the dispersal a special vote shall be held to determine the change to the National bylaws.
These amendments shall only be approved if the spirit of the bylaw remains intact or if the bylaw wholly contradicts a local, State, or Federal law. State Chapters will maintain their own specific bylaws that will closely mirror the National bylaws. State bylaws may add to the guidelines of the National bylaws but may not detract from them. No State Chapter bylaw may contradict a National bylaw by origin or amendment. All State bylaws must be submitted to and approved by the National Chapter Officers. Any and all amendments to State Chapter bylaws shall require approval through the National Chapter.
* Appendix A
