The proposed change to the existing NSS-CDS BYLAWS is presented to the NSS-CDS membership for review. The NSS-CDS board has voted to present this proposed AMENDMENT to the NSS-CDS bylaws to the membership.
A vote of the membership is required for any changes to be made to the bylaws. The membership will have the opportunity to vote on or about May 19, 2021.
The proposed amendment to the NSS-CDS bylaws is as follows:
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“Amend [Article III: Board of Directors] of the NSS-CDS bylaws to add the following requirement to [Section B. Qualifications] as a sub-section to be named [Conflicts of Interest].
TEXT TO BE ADDED IS AS FOLLOWS:
“Any individual that is nominated for or is presently serving on the NSS-CDS board of directors that currently, or at a later time while serving on the board, comes to hold any of the following positions;
(1) board member.
(2) executive director or non-executive director.
(3) officer.
(4) employee.
(5) ownership interest in an LLC or similar business structure.
(6) shareholder of a corporation with at least 15% equity.
(7) sole proprietor or partner.
with any of the following types of organizations;
(1) Any organizational or business entity, other than the NSS-CDS, that is considered a scuba diving certification agency.
This paragraph is not intended to include independent instructors, educators, or scuba diving retail outlets whom issue training credentials only through the use of either the NSS-CDS or some other independently operated certification agency to their students and/or customers.
(2) Any scuba diving related for profit or non-profit membership based organization other than the NSS-CDS. This restriction does not apply to those individuals that are simply “general members” of such an organization, it only applies to individuals in such an organization that holds one of the positions listed in items 1 through 7 previously stated in this section.
(3) Any organization, other than the NSS-CDS or NSS, that owns, manages, or controls access to caverns or caves used for diving in any commercial, recreational or scientific manner.
is disqualified from holding and many not be nominated for, elected to, or appointed to any NSS-CDS board of director position. Any current NSS-CDS director, upon becoming subject to any of the stated disqualifying conditions, shall immediately become ineligible to continue to serve on the board of the NSS-CDS and shall be immediately removed from the NSS-CDS board without any further action being required. “