Motion for Constitutional Amendment to the following sections:

Existing:

“ARTICLE VII - USBA TOURNAMENTS

Section 7.01
Sanctioned Tournaments
All USBA sanctioned tournaments require that ALL players shall be a current member in good standing of the USBA or that they pay the USBA a $25 non-member tournament participation fee. The players who pay the participation fee will NOT receive USBA Ranking Points for that tournament and will not receive the benefits of USBA membership.

Section 7.02
Sanction Fee
Sanctioned tournaments require that other than the National Championship a fee of $10.00 per player be remitted to the organization unless waived by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.

Section 7.03
Waiver of Rights
Any player competing in a USBA sanctioned tournament agrees to hold harmless the Association for any act the player or agent may deem harmful or injurious. The player also agrees that all receipts from photographic or video images that result from a player competing in a tournament belong to the USBA and that it is up to the discretion of the USBA as to whether such photographs or video recordings may be taken.

Section 7.04
Endorsed Tournaments
By definition, an endorsed tournament is: “any billiard event that is not sanctioned by the USBA but is recognized by the USBA as not being in competition with or in conflict with the purposes and goals of the USBA”. Such events that will be endorsed by the USBA shall consist of all amateur tournaments, “house” tournaments with entry fees of one hundred dollars or less, and any charity events. The USBA, its members or its Board shall not endorse, publicize, or promote other billiard events without the prior approval by a majority vote of the entire Board of directors.

ARTICLE VII (a) - NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Section 7.01(a)
Authority
The United States national carom championships shall be conducted under the authority and auspices of the United States Billiard Association and the winner of such competition shall be granted the sole title of National Champion until the next National Championship is held or unless “stripped” of the title by action of the Board.

Section 7.02(a)
Residency Requirement
Participation in USBA national carom championships (and all qualifying tournaments leading up to the Nationals) shall be limited to persons who are members in good standing of the USBA and who are citizens of the United States or who are legal resident aliens that have a valid green card.

Section 7.03(a)
Site
The Board of Directors shall determine the site and the date of all USBA National Championships. Such site and date shall be published to the membership at least four (4) months prior to the start of the competition. It is the intent of the USBA to provide access for the tournament to all of its members and therefore it shall be conducted in a different region of the Country each year. Those regions are as defined in article 1.04(8)of these by-laws (Northeast, Southeast, Mid-America, Northwest, and Southwest. A committee as assigned by the President shall make their recommendations to the Board based on the following criteria:
1) Region
2) Facility
3) Room prize fund contribution

Section 7.04(a)
Room Requirements
Requirements of the facility to host the tournament shall be as follows:
1) The Room shall have a minimum of four (4) championship carom tables.
2) The Room will provide the facilities at no charge to the USBA or the players other than practice time by the players before the tournament begins.
3) The Room shall arrange for reasonable and convenient accommodations for the players.
4) The tables will have new cloth that is not more than one month old and ideally was recovered at least one week before the tournament.
5) New tournament balls will be placed into use for the tournament.
6) The Room agrees that all receipts from raffles, spectator admissions, and all USBA merchandise sales (including programs) shall belong to the USBA.
7) The Room will not allow smoking in or near the tournament area during the tournament.
8) The Room will not allow “play” on any tables adjacent to the tournament tables during the tournament.
9) The Room will provide a comfortable atmosphere for tournament play.
10) The Room shall provide scorekeepers and referees, at a minimum, for the final round.
11) The Room shall provide for the personnel to clean the tables and balls between matches.
12) All television and video recording rights will belong to the USBA, and no televised matches will take place without the authorization of the USBA.

Section 7.05(a)
Tournament Authority
The Board of Directors, or a committee appointed by the Board of Directors will:
1) Have total authority over all aspects of the tournament which shall include the location, the format, the rules, the dress, the designation as to any prize fund and the overall running of the tournament.
2) Appoint the “Tournament Director”.
3) Define the qualifications not otherwise addressed in the Constitution for competing in the National Championship.
4) Have final determination as to a player's qualifications to compete.”

To be amended as follows:

All these requirements have been moved to the “USBA Rules and Regulations” section of the USBA website and replaced with the following:

“ARTICLE VII - USBA TOURNAMENTS

7.01 The United States national carom championships shall be conducted under the authority and auspices of the USBA.

7.02 The Board will promulgate rules for the USBA National Championship tournament and any other tournament or event recognized by the USBA as consistent with the purposes and goals of the USBA.”

The Board of Directors approved this amendment by a vote of 10-0.

Those in favor: Raye Raskin, Steve Andersen, Victor Cuzzi, Doug Deitel, Tommy Thomsen, Mazin Shooni, Juan Sauz, Jim Shovak, Ricardo Carranco, Andrew Janquitto.

Non-votes: Felipe Razon, Pedro Piedrabuena, Merrill Hughes.