ARTICLE IV – MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Eligibility

Membership is open to any person or family supporting the purposes of BCHI and agreeing to abide by its governing documents.

Membership is a privilege and may be denied, suspended, or terminated for cause under procedures established in the Rules of Order.

Section 2. Classes of Membership

BCHI shall have the following classes:

1. Individual Membership

2. Family Membership

3. Non-Affiliated Membership

The State Board of Directors may establish administrative procedures in the Rules of Order.

Section 3. Individual Membership

An Individual Membership consists of one person.

Rights and privileges:

Participation in BCHI activities

Eligibility to hold office if otherwise qualified

Voting through chapter delegate representation

Counted as one membership unit.

Section 4. Family Membership

A Family Membership consists of two adults residing in the same household and their dependent minor children.

Rights and privileges:

Adult members may participate

Adult members may hold office

Voting through chapter delegate representation

Each adult counted as one membership unit

Counted as one membership unit.

Section 5. Non-Affiliated Membership

Held directly with the State organization.

May:

Participate in activities

Receive communications

Serve on committees at Board discretion

May NOT:

Vote in chapter matters

Serve as chapter delegate

Hold elected state office unless affiliated with a chapter

Non-Affiliated Members are not counted for delegate apportionment or quorum.

Section 6. Dues

Dues amounts and procedures shall be established in the Rules of Order.

Dollar amounts shall not appear in the Bylaws.

Section 7. Membership Year

The membership year shall run from January 1 through December 31.

Section 8. Good Standing

Members are in good standing when dues are paid and no disciplinary action is pending.

Section 9. Non-Transferability

Memberships are non-transferable.

Section 10. Resignation

Members may resign in writing or electronically.

Dues are non-refundable unless authorized by policy.

2 responses to “Book 1 – ARTICLE IV – MEMBERSHIP”

Carl Gates

July 30, 2026

If we add a lifetime membership, what do we need to add. also if a lifetime membership is created, would the member still need to pay for a chapter membership?

Yes. A lifetime membership can be added, but the bylaws must clearly state what the lifetime payment covers.

My recommendation is:

A BCHI Lifetime Membership should eliminate future BCHI state dues only. The member would still pay any chapter dues and any required BCHA national dues annually.

This protects the chapters because their dues support local expenses. BCHI should not promise to waive money that belongs to a chapter or must be forwarded to BCHA.

Language to add to Article IV — Membership

Section __. Lifetime Membership

A Lifetime Member is an individual who has paid the lifetime membership amount established by BCHI. A Lifetime Member shall have the same rights and privileges as an Individual Member, subject to these Bylaws and the bylaws of the member’s affiliated chapter.

Lifetime membership shall exempt the member from future BCHI state dues. It shall not exempt the member from chapter dues, assessments, or required national dues unless those obligations are separately waived or paid by the responsible organization.

Lifetime membership is personal, nontransferable, and terminates upon the death, resignation, or expulsion of the member.

Article IV, Section 6 — Dues

I would add this paragraph:

The amount charged for Lifetime Membership and the allocation of lifetime membership payments shall be established in the Rules of Operation. Chapter dues shall be established by each chapter. Lifetime Members remain responsible for chapter dues and required national dues unless otherwise provided by the chapter or paid by BCHI.

Other matters BCHI should decide

The bylaws do not need every administrative detail. Consistent with our existing Books structure, the following should go into the Rules of Operation or procedures:

The price of a lifetime membership.
Whether there is a minimum age.
Whether the membership covers one individual or a household.
How BCHA national dues will be paid each year.
Whether part of the lifetime payment will be placed in a restricted reserve.
How the member selects or changes chapters.
Whether a lifetime member must remain affiliated with a chapter.
What happens if the person belongs to more than one chapter.
Whether honorary lifetime memberships may be awarded without payment.
Important national-dues issue

Even when the member no longer pays BCHI state dues, BCHA may still charge BCHI annually for that person. BCHI must therefore choose one of these approaches:

The lifetime member pays national dues annually.
The member’s chapter collects and forwards the national dues.
BCHI pays the national dues from the lifetime-membership fund.

I recommend the second approach: the chapter continues collecting its own dues plus applicable national dues, while the BCHI state portion is waived.

A member’s annual bill might therefore look like this:

Dues category Lifetime member pays annually?
BCHI state dues No
Local chapter dues Yes
BCHA national dues Yes
Special chapter assessments Yes, if properly adopted

This creates a true BCHI lifetime membership, without unintentionally imposing a permanent financial obligation on the chapters or the state organization.

Reply
Carl Gates

May 5, 2026

Should we state that if a member belongs to one chapter and wishes to join another chapter that they do not have to pay for the state portion a second or multiple times?

Reply

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If we add a lifetime membership, what do we need to add. also if a lifetime membership is created, would the member still need to pay for a chapter membership?

Yes. A lifetime membership can be added, but the bylaws must clearly state what the lifetime payment covers.

My recommendation is:

A BCHI Lifetime Membership should eliminate future BCHI state dues only. The member would still pay any chapter dues and any required BCHA national dues annually.

This protects the chapters because their dues support local expenses. BCHI should not promise to waive money that belongs to a chapter or must be forwarded to BCHA.

Language to add to Article IV — Membership

Section __. Lifetime Membership

A Lifetime Member is an individual who has paid the lifetime membership amount established by BCHI. A Lifetime Member shall have the same rights and privileges as an Individual Member, subject to these Bylaws and the bylaws of the member’s affiliated chapter.

Lifetime membership shall exempt the member from future BCHI state dues. It shall not exempt the member from chapter dues, assessments, or required national dues unless those obligations are separately waived or paid by the responsible organization.

Lifetime membership is personal, nontransferable, and terminates upon the death, resignation, or expulsion of the member.

Article IV, Section 6 — Dues

I would add this paragraph:

The amount charged for Lifetime Membership and the allocation of lifetime membership payments shall be established in the Rules of Operation. Chapter dues shall be established by each chapter. Lifetime Members remain responsible for chapter dues and required national dues unless otherwise provided by the chapter or paid by BCHI.

Other matters BCHI should decide

The bylaws do not need every administrative detail. Consistent with our existing Books structure, the following should go into the Rules of Operation or procedures:

The price of a lifetime membership.
Whether there is a minimum age.
Whether the membership covers one individual or a household.
How BCHA national dues will be paid each year.
Whether part of the lifetime payment will be placed in a restricted reserve.
How the member selects or changes chapters.
Whether a lifetime member must remain affiliated with a chapter.
What happens if the person belongs to more than one chapter.
Whether honorary lifetime memberships may be awarded without payment.
Important national-dues issue

Even when the member no longer pays BCHI state dues, BCHA may still charge BCHI annually for that person. BCHI must therefore choose one of these approaches:

The lifetime member pays national dues annually.
The member’s chapter collects and forwards the national dues.
BCHI pays the national dues from the lifetime-membership fund.

I recommend the second approach: the chapter continues collecting its own dues plus applicable national dues, while the BCHI state portion is waived.

A member’s annual bill might therefore look like this:

Dues category Lifetime member pays annually?
BCHI state dues No
Local chapter dues Yes
BCHA national dues Yes
Special chapter assessments Yes, if properly adopted

This creates a true BCHI lifetime membership, without unintentionally imposing a permanent financial obligation on the chapters or the state organization.

2 Replies to “Book 1 – ARTICLE IV – MEMBERSHIP”

Carl Gates says:

July 30, 2026 at 2:30 pm

If we add a lifetime membership, what do we need to add. also if a lifetime membership is created, would the member still need to pay for a chapter membership?

Yes. A lifetime membership can be added, but the bylaws must clearly state what the lifetime payment covers.

My recommendation is:

A BCHI Lifetime Membership should eliminate future BCHI state dues only. The member would still pay any chapter dues and any required BCHA national dues annually.

This protects the chapters because their dues support local expenses. BCHI should not promise to waive money that belongs to a chapter or must be forwarded to BCHA.

Language to add to Article IV — Membership

Section __. Lifetime Membership

A Lifetime Member is an individual who has paid the lifetime membership amount established by BCHI. A Lifetime Member shall have the same rights and privileges as an Individual Member, subject to these Bylaws and the bylaws of the member’s affiliated chapter.

Lifetime membership shall exempt the member from future BCHI state dues. It shall not exempt the member from chapter dues, assessments, or required national dues unless those obligations are separately waived or paid by the responsible organization.

Lifetime membership is personal, nontransferable, and terminates upon the death, resignation, or expulsion of the member.

Article IV, Section 6 — Dues

I would add this paragraph:

The amount charged for Lifetime Membership and the allocation of lifetime membership payments shall be established in the Rules of Operation. Chapter dues shall be established by each chapter. Lifetime Members remain responsible for chapter dues and required national dues unless otherwise provided by the chapter or paid by BCHI.

Other matters BCHI should decide

The bylaws do not need every administrative detail. Consistent with our existing Books structure, the following should go into the Rules of Operation or procedures:

The price of a lifetime membership.
Whether there is a minimum age.
Whether the membership covers one individual or a household.
How BCHA national dues will be paid each year.
Whether part of the lifetime payment will be placed in a restricted reserve.
How the member selects or changes chapters.
Whether a lifetime member must remain affiliated with a chapter.
What happens if the person belongs to more than one chapter.
Whether honorary lifetime memberships may be awarded without payment.
Important national-dues issue

Even when the member no longer pays BCHI state dues, BCHA may still charge BCHI annually for that person. BCHI must therefore choose one of these approaches:

The lifetime member pays national dues annually.
The member’s chapter collects and forwards the national dues.
BCHI pays the national dues from the lifetime-membership fund.

I recommend the second approach: the chapter continues collecting its own dues plus applicable national dues, while the BCHI state portion is waived.

A member’s annual bill might therefore look like this:

Dues category Lifetime member pays annually?
BCHI state dues No
Local chapter dues Yes
BCHA national dues Yes
Special chapter assessments Yes, if properly adopted

This creates a true BCHI lifetime membership, without unintentionally imposing a permanent financial obligation on the chapters or the state organization.

Carl Gates says:

May 5, 2026 at 7:53 am

Should we state that if a member belongs to one chapter and wishes to join another chapter that they do not have to pay for the state portion a second or multiple times?