AHHA Membership Terms & Conditions
Effective Date: May 1, 2026
By applying for, renewing, or continuing membership in the American Hydrogen Health Association (“AHHA”) and/or by payment of membership dues, the member (“Member”) acknowledges and agrees to the following legally binding terms:
1. Voluntary Membership; No Guarantee of Status
Membership in AHHA is voluntary and constitutes a revocable privilege, not a right. AHHA reserves the sole, absolute, discretionary authority to approve, deny, suspend, reassign, or terminate membership at any time with or without cause in accordance with its governing documents and policies.
2. Agreement to Governing Documents
Member agrees to comply with all AHHA governing documents, including but not limited to the Bylaws, Code of Conduct, Membership Policies, and Enforcement & Conflict Resolution Policy (collectively, the “Governing Documents”), as may be amended from time to time.
Member acknowledges that adherence to these Governing Documents is a continuing condition of membership.
In the event of any conflict between these Terms and the Governing Documents, these Terms shall control with respect to legal rights, remedies, and dispute resolution.
3. Acknowledgment of Complaint-Based Enforcement System
Member expressly acknowledges and agrees that:
- AHHA operates a complaint-based compliance and enforcement system;
- Complaints may be submitted by members, consumers, competitors, or other stakeholders;
- AHHA may investigate, evaluate, and act upon such complaints in its sole discretion and in good faith;
- Outcomes may include, without limitation, warnings, corrective actions, probation, suspension, reassignment of membership tier, or termination of membership.
Member acknowledge that AHHA may rely on information provided by third parties and does not independently verify all such information.
Member further acknowledges that participation in such processes is a condition of membership and agrees to cooperate in good faith with any review, inquiry, or investigation.
4. Good Faith Determinations; No Professional or Regulatory Authority
Member acknowledges that:
- AHHA acts solely as a private trade association;
- AHHA’s decisions, findings, and determinations are made in good faith and are intended to uphold internal standards;
- AHHA does not provide legal, medical, or regulatory determinations and does not act as a governmental authority.
Member agrees that AHHA shall not be held to any standard applicable to regulatory, licensing, or governmental bodies.
Member further agrees that AHHA shall not be liable for any alleged failure to investigate, enforce, or reach a particular outcome.
5. Release and Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Member hereby releases, waives, and discharges AHHA and its past, present, and future directors, officers, committee members, employees, contractors, agents, and volunteers (collectively, the “Released Parties”) from any and all claims, demands, actions, damages, losses, or liabilities of any kind, whether known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected, arising out of or relating to:
- Membership decisions or status;
- Complaint submissions, investigations, or outcomes;
- Enforcement actions or sanctions;
- Communications, publications, or disclosures made in connection with AHHA activities.
This release includes, without limitation, claims for defamation, business interference, negligence, or any other tort or statutory claim.
In no event shall the Released Parties be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, punitive, or reputational damages, including but not limited to loss of business, loss of revenue, loss of goodwill, or competitive harm.
To the extent any liability is not legally waivable, such liability shall be limited to the total amount of membership dues paid by the Member to AHHA in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim.
6. Assumption of Risk
Member acknowledges and assumes all risks associated with participation in a self-regulatory trade association, including but not limited to reputational, commercial, and competitive risks arising from complaints, investigations, or enforcement actions.
7. Dispute Resolution; Mandatory Arbitration
Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to membership in AHHA, or the breach thereof, shall be resolved as follows:
- Good-Faith Negotiation: The parties shall first attempt to resolve the dispute through informal good-faith discussions.
- Mediation: If unresolved, the dispute shall be submitted to non-binding mediation in the State of Utah.
- Binding Arbitration: If mediation is unsuccessful, the dispute shall be resolved exclusively by final and binding arbitration in the State of Utah, administered by a nationally recognized arbitration provider (e.g., AAA or JAMS), in accordance with its applicable rules.
Judgment on the arbitration award may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.
Member expressly waives the right to file or participate in any lawsuit in court, except to enforce an arbitration award or where such waiver is prohibited by law.
8. Waiver of Jury Trial and Class Actions
To the fullest extent permitted by law:
- Member knowingly and voluntarily waives any right to a jury trial;
- Member agrees that disputes shall be resolved solely on an individual basis and not as part of any class, collective, or representative action.
9. No Reliance; Independent Judgment
Member acknowledges that they are not relying on AHHA for legal, medical, regulatory, or business advice, and that all decisions regarding their business, products, or practices are made independently.
10. Modification of Terms
AHHA reserves the right to modify these Terms at any time.
AHHA will provide notice of material changes through reasonable means, including but not limited to email or website posting.
Continued membership following notice of such modifications constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.
11. Acceptance of Terms
Member acknowledges that:
- These Terms constitute a binding legal agreement between Member and AHHA;
- Member has had the opportunity to review these Terms and seek independent legal counsel;
- Payment of dues, renewal, or continued participation in AHHA constitutes full acceptance of these Terms.
Member further acknowledges that these Terms are a material condition of membership and that AHHA would not grant or continue membership absent such agreement.
