Bylaws of the
Nebraska State Historical Society

I.  Name and Object
    The name of this association shall be the Nebraska State Historical Society (hereinafter referred to as Society) and, as provided for in Neb. Rev. Stat. §82-101 (Reissue 1943), the Society has consented to be and shall be an agency of the state. Its object shall be to promote the study and understanding of the history of Nebraska as provided in its mission statement and as authorized by law. The Society shall hold, as a trustee for the state, all of the Society's current and future collections of property. The Society shall have all the authority granted to it by law.

II.  Membership
    Classes of membership of the Society shall be established by the Board of Trustees. Such membership classes shall include a general class that shall be open to all persons interested in the accomplishment of the purposes of the Society. General members shall be eligible to vote in Society elections and shall not be required to pay membership dues. The Board of Trustees shall determine the qualifications for other classes of membership it may create and shall establish a schedule of dues to be paid by each membership class.

    The Board of Trustees shall be authorized to designate honorary members who shall be persons distinguished for scientific or literary attainments or for the promotion of historical study.

III.  Meetings
    Annual meetings of the membership of the Society shall be held at such time and place, not less frequently than once per calendar year, as may be determined by the board of trustees, at least one hundred eighty (180) days prior to the date of the annual meeting. The meeting shall be conducted in such manner as the board of trustees shall designate. Special meetings of the membership of the Society may be called by the president at his or her discretion and shall be called by the secretary on the written request of five (5) members of the board of trustees or of fifty (50) members of the Society. No other business shall be transacted at special meetings than that specified in the call therefore. Notice of all meetings of the membership shall be mailed to all active members at least ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. The right to take part in the proceedings of meetings of the membership shall be confined to active members in good standing. A member shall be considered in good standing, for the purposes of these bylaws, when the member has fulfilled all requirements for membership. Fifty (50) members shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of the membership, but a lesser number may adjourn the meeting to a subsequent date.

IV.  Governance
    The governance of the Society and the custody of its property shall be as provided by law. Upon adoption of these bylaws, the board of trustees consists of twelve members elected by the Society membership, and three members appointed by the governor of the state of Nebraska. Four trustees are elected from each Nebraska congressional district, and one trustee is appointed by the governor from each Nebraska congressional district. If congressional district boundaries are altered or the number of congressional districts is increased or decreased, the board of trustees shall be adjusted as provided by law. See Appendix I.A. and I.B. (Attorney General Request and Response related to Board of Trustees Vacancy).

V.  Officers of the Board of Trustees
    At the last meeting of the board of trustees in each year, the trustees shall elect from their incoming and continuing membership a president, a first vice-president, a second vice-president, and a treasurer who shall be the officers of the Society and of the board of trustees. The term of office shall be one (1) year, to take effect January 1, and any trustee elected to office may be reelected to office so long as the individual is a member of the board of trustees.

    Vacancies in any of the offices may be filled by the board of trustees for the period until the next annual meeting. Officers shall serve until their successors are elected or appointed. The elected and appointed members of the board of trustees shall be regular members of the board of trustees and shall be entitled to vote on all matters presented to the board of trustees.

    The duties of the president shall be to preside at meetings of the Society and of the board of trustees, to appoint committees authorized by the board of trustees, and to perform such other duties as may be prescribed by law. In the absence of the president, the first vice-president shall perform the duties of the president. In the absence of the president and the first vice-president, the second vice-president shall perform the duties of the president.

    The treasurer shall have such duties as may be prescribed by law or by the board of trustees. The director shall keep a detailed account of receipts and disbursements which shall be open for inspection by members of the board of trustees and report of transactions to the Society at its annual meeting or at such other time as it may require such report or to the board of trustees at any time on its request.

    The board of trustees shall elect, by ballot, a director who shall also serve as secretary of the board of trustees. The term of office of the director shall be at the pleasure of the board of trustees. The director shall, with the president, make an annual report to the governor as required by law, keep the minutes of the meetings of the Society and of the board of trustees, conduct correspondence of the Society, collect dues of the Society and pay the same to the Society treasurer in collaboration with the NSHS Foundation, and be in charge of the management and administration of the Society, subject only to the direction of the board of trustees and state law.

    Any officer of the board of trustees shall perform such additional or different duties as may from time to time be imposed by the board of trustees or prescribed by the bylaws.
The board of trustees shall fix the salary to be paid to the director. Members of the board of trustees shall not be paid for their services but may be allowed expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties.

VI.  Meetings of the Board of Trustees
    Meetings of the board of trustees shall be held at least quarterly and at such time or place as may be determined in advance by the board of trustees and in accordance with state statute. Special meetings of the board of trustees may be called by the president or the director of the Society, with approval of the president, or shall be called by the director upon written request by five (5) members of the board of trustees. Eight (8) members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business of the board of trustees but a lesser number may be authorized to adjourn the meeting.

    If any elected member is absent from three (3) consecutive regular meetings of the board, unless on account of sickness or by consent of the board, the member may be requested to resign his or her position on the board.

    If any appointed member of the board is absent from three (3) consecutive regular meetings of the board, unless on account of sickness or by consent of the board, the board may request the Governor to appoint a replacement.

VII.  Parliamentary Authority 
    The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Society in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with Nebraska state statutes, the bylaws of the Society, and any special rules of order the Society may adopt.

VIII.  Amendments
    These bylaws may be amended by the board of trustees at any duly-convened meeting of the Board.

Adopted by the Nebraska State Historical Society Board of Trustees September 9, 1994.
Amended by the Nebraska State Historical Society Board of Trustees, September 26, 2003.
Amended by the Nebraska State Historical Society Board of Trustees, April 2, 2004.
Amended by the Nebraska State Historical Society Board of Trustees, June 4, 2004.