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The a-b-c's of · Pa rl ia menta ry Procedure National Associatioff of Parliamentarians 213 South Main Street Independence, MO 64050-3850 . Telephone: [PHONE REDACTED] Fax: [PHONE REDACTED] E-Mail: [EMAIL REDACTED] . www.parliamentarians.org Toll Free: [PHONE REDACTED] ---PAGE BREAK--- IT ®GltlATEO in the earty English Parliaments. . IT"' A ~ with th~fir.st European settlers. · It's a set of rul~ for · c.crnluc.ting busi~ at meetings ~nd poblie gatherings. rr BECAtA£ UtllfOl2Jv\ in 1876, when Henry M. Rot;iert · pµbli_shed his,:manual ori P_ar:liarnerit<:1ry lcl.w. . .~ert's@~ of :Order Newly /Zev,'5ed, IQf:h-~itlari, iS'the basic. ha~~kof'·p~on.for many. -clubs, :o~ni'zati~ ancf other groups~ : Qi Ii . rf1 Note: A g)ossary and index are on page 14. - Channing L.BeteCo_ lllc,:200State Rel, South Deerfield, MA 01373. A , et998 Channing L ~ Co., Inc. All.rights reseived. , Printed in USI\ · Product ' • To reonler call (SOO)· 628-7733 or W!ilE and ask jor i1Em number l B2.59R-11-00. PriceUs.tA 201llEditltn . Secaose. rt allows everyone to be -heard and to make decisions without c.onfusion . It can be adapted . to fit the needs of any organiZation. VIIIV IS PI\PLINUIIT#\12.Y PllOUOllll6 · 114PoP-Tl'IIT? So, it's important for everyone to 1'now these basie rules/ 3 ---PAGE BREAK--- 4 A FIJCEO AG~OA, or order of business; iS generally followed by orgarir.zations using parliamentary proeecJore. Heres a typieal example: I. CALL :ro If a quorum* is present, the chair (the person conducting the meeting) says, "The meeting will come to order." Mlr,IOTES The secretary reads a record of the previous meeting. 3. OFFICEP.5' IW>OIU"S Officers .and standing (permanent) committees may report on their activities. Some only report at annual meetings. 4. p.£,p~S OF SPECIAL COMM111E£S Special (temporary) committees report on the tasks for which they were created. S.SPWAL~ . This is important business previously, designated for consider<;ltion at this meeting. 6. Ur,lflr,IIStfEO BUSlrJESS This is business that has come over from the previous meeting. 1. r,IEW SUSlrJ£6S New topics are introduced. 8. Afl!r,IOUr,ICUAatrS These inform the assembly (the people at the meeting) of other subjects and events. 9. ADJ()Uf2.tlMEt.tr · The meeting ends by a vote or by general consent (or by the chair's decision if the time of adjournment was prearranged by vote). * A quorum is the number or percentage of members that must be present for business to be conducted legally. The actual number is usually stated in the bylaws. Note; Some assemblies may hold electronic meetings. such as videoconferences or teleconferences. These assemblies may need to modify some rules for obtaining the floor, but they shbU!d still follow the other rules of parliamentary procedure. They make motions. A mot"iori iS a proposal that the assembly talce a starid or talce ac.tion on some ;ssue. · Members ha-le a right to: ~MOTIOr,IS {make a proposal) OEBATE tJIOTIOr,IS (give opinions on the motion) S£C.Of,,IO M01"1otlS {express support for discussion of another member's [!lOtion} VOTE. Or,I tJlarJOr,IS (make a decision). . 5 - ---PAGE BREAK--- 6 TIIEPf ·l'Pf S Glt'EP-AL TYPES·'Of ~Ota!, o· li\Altl MC>110t1S These introduce subjects for consideration. They cannot be made when another motion is before the assembly. They yield to privileged, subsidiary and incidental motions. For example: e· PIWILEGEO MOTIOfJS These concern special or important matters not related to pending business. tn general, they are considered b?fore other types of motions. For example: 0 ltlCID£lJ"TAL tAartOtlS These are questions of procedure that arise out of other motions. They must be considered before the other motion. For example: J move to svspeno· the. rules for'the pvrpose of 8 SUBSIOIAltY fti\OTQIS These change or affect how the main motion is hafldled. (They are v.oted on before the main motion.) For example: J n,ove. to arnend the motion by .stri~n.9 out . . These enable certain items to be reconsidered. In general, they are brought up when no business is pending. For example: SOM£ QUESno~s 12.£1 An~G TO M01lO~S: Your motion must relate. to the business at hand and be presented at the right time. It must not be obstructive, frivolous or against the bylaws. MAYII~ 11£SP~? Some motions are so important that the speaker may be interrupted to make them. The original speaker regains the floor ~fter the interruption has been attended to. 00 I tlEW A SECOtlP? Usually, yes. A second indicates that another member would like to consider your motion. It prevents spending time on a question that interests only one person. IS rr PESA1"ABL£.? Parliamentary procedure guards the right to free and full debate on most motions. However, some subsidiary, privileged and incidental motions are not debatable. CAt' rr SE AtAe.tlPEO?. Some motions can be changed by striking out or inserting wording, or both. Amendments must relate to · the subject as presented in the · main motion. WAAT VOTE IS tlEE0£0? Most require only a majority vote (more than half the members present and voting). But, motions concerning the rights of the assembly or its members need a% vote to be adopted. CAr-1 rr 8£ fZ£C0t1SIP~? Some motions can be debated again and revoted to give members a chance to change their minds. The motion to reconsider must come from the wfnning side. .'The table on pages 8 and 9 answers these questions for some .sp~fic. motions. 7 ---PAGE BREAK--- 8 PAPLIAIUl'TAllY PllOCEOIIN P.T A GLl'r'U 1"0 00 1ll1S: YOO SAY 1ll1S: ADJOURN MEETING "I move to adjourn." CALL AN INTERMISSION "I move to recess for. " COMPLAIN ABOUT HEAT, NOISE ETC. "I rise to a questron of privilege." TEMPORARJL Y SUSPEND "I move to lay the motion on the table." CONSIDERATlON OF AN ISSUE END DEBATE AND AMENDMENTS "I move the previous question." POSTPONE DISCUSSION "I move to postpone the discussion until..." FOR A CERTAIN TIME GIVE CLOSER STUDY "I move to refer the matter to committee." OF SOMETHING AMEND A MOTION "I move to amend the motion by INTRODUCE BUSINESS "I move that..." PROTEST BREACH OF "l rise to a point of orde_r." RULES OR CONDUCT VOTE ON A RUUNG OF THE CHAIR "I appeal from the chair's decision." SUSPEND RULES TEMPORARILY "I move to suspend the rules so that..~· AVOID CONSIDERING AN "I object to consideratio_n of this motion." IMPROPER MATIER VERlFY A VOICE VOTE BY "I call for a division,· or "Drvision!" HAVING MEMBERS STAND REQUEST INFORMATION "Point of information " TAKE UP A MATIER PREVIOUSLY TABLED "I move to take from the table " RECONSIDER A HASTY ACTION "I move to reconsider the vote on " NOTES: o Unless e Affirmative eUnless .o Unless the OUnlessthe moved when votes may vote on committee has motion to be no question not be question already taken amended ls is pending. · reconsidered. has begun. up the subject. not debatable. ! > ' ' : 1 : ' ~ ' ' ' Here are some motions you might malce, how to malce them, and what to expect of the roles. MAY YOU YOU ll£EO IS IT _CAJ,I rr B£ Wt1AT'10TE lflTEAAtJPT P.~V? P£BA"f".Asu.? ~PED? ISflE@£0? Tm:~? NO YES NO NO .MAJORITY NO YES NOO YES MAJORITY. YES NO NO NO NO VOTE NO YES NO NO MAJORITY NO YES NO NO % NO YES YES YES MAJORITY NO YES YES YES MAJORITY NO YES YES0 YES MAJORITY NO YES YES YES MAJORITY YES NO NO NO NO VOTE& YES YES YES NO MAJORITY NO YES ' NO NO % YES NO NO NO %8 YES NO NO NO NOVOTE YES NO NO NO NO VOTE NO YES NO NO MAJORITY YES8 YES YESO NO MAJORITY O Unless the 0A%votein O Only if the 0 Unless the chair submits negative is speaker has the motion to be to the assembly needed to prevent floor but has not reconsidered is for decision. consideration of actually begun not debatable. the main motion. to speak. C/UI IT SE ~ NO NO NO N08 YES9 YES YESO YES YES NO YES NO YES8 NO NO NO NO 9 ---PAGE BREAK--- 10 0 YOU OSTAJfol 111£ ~ • Wait until the previous speaker is finished. • Rise and address the chair. Say, "Mr. (or Madam) · Chairperson" or "Mr. (or Madam) President." • Give your name. The chair will recognize you by repeating it. ~ what happens when you want a motion considered: 8 YOU.MAJ'£ YO\$. MOTl<»I • Speak clearly and concisely. • State your motion affirmatively. Say, "I move that we do " instead·of "I move that we do not. " • Stay on the subject and avoid personal attacks. e YOU WAIT f0f2. A SE.COfolD • Another member will say, "I second the motion." • Or, the chair will call for . asecond. • If there is no second, your motion will not be considered. Motions made at the direction of a board or committee (of more than one person) do not require a second. · 0 YOU EXPAtlO Ofol. YOUP.. tAOTIOtl • As the person who made · the motion, you are allowed to speak first. • Direct all comments to the chair. ~ Keep to the time limit tor speaking. • You may speak again after all other speakers are finished. · • You may speak a third time by a motion to suspend the rules with a % vote. 0 'Tt4£ etlAIP- S"fA'fES Y~tAOTIOtl • The chair must say, "It is moved and . seconded that we " • After this happens, debate or voting can occur. • Your motion is now "assembly property," and you can't change it without consent of the members. 0 1'M£ CtWP. PUTS TH£ QIJE.Sno,.I • The chair asks, "Are you ready for the question?" • If there is no more debate, or if a.motion to stop debate is adopted, a vote is taken. • The chair announces the results. II ---PAGE BREAK--- Ttlf, -DIOP OF V0'9~G: ·or, A f.lO r10 cJeper1os-·on the Situation and on the b~ws of your organization. You may vote by: VOICE The chair asks those in favor to say "aye" and those opposed to say "no" (for majority votes only). A member may move for an exact count. P-OU.CALL ~ lf a record of ~ · each person's vote · is needed, each member answers "yes," "no" or "present" (indicating the choice not to vote) as his or her name is called. IZ GEi-i~ COJJS£t1T When a motion isn't likely to be opposed, the chair says, "If there is no objection " Members show consent by their silence. If someone says, "I object,· the matter must be put to a vote. SHOW Of tlAt'OS Members raise their hands to verify a voice vote, or as an alternative to it. This does not require a count A member may move for an exact count. ke vve ready fur the A MOTIOtJ TO LAY OtJ Ttf£. TABLE. This motion is used to lay something aside temporarily to take care of a more urgent matter. It should not be used to prevent debate or to kill a question. Membe~s can "take from the table" a motion for reconsideration. This must happen by the end of the current or next s~ssion (depending on how soon the next session is scheduled). A quest"ton (rnotion) i5 pending when it has been stated by the ehair bvt not yet voted on. 1'he. last motion sti3ted by the ehair iS the first pending. The rnain rnotion iS always the last voted on. A tJ\OTIOtJ TO. _ POS1"POtJE This is parliamentary strategy. It allows members to dispose of a motion without making a decision for or against This is useful in case of a badly chosen main motion for which either a "yes" or "no" vote would have undesirable consequences. 13 ---PAGE BREAK--- Page To end the meeting Ways to adjourn 4 How to move to adjourn 8-9 AG~PA Business to be considered during a meeting 4 AtAEtlP To change a motion Ways to amend 7 How to move to amend 8-9 C.OMtAITTEE A group of members chosen for a certain task . . . . . . . 4 P£8AT£. , Discussion about a motion Members' right. , 5 When to debate 7-9 . Rules on debate 11 14 GEflEIZAL eotisurr Adopting a motion without a vote· 12 ltl.~ Relevant to the business at hand 7 MA,JOfUfY More than half of the members present and voting In voting 7 When required · 8-9 MO'f10tl Page A proposal that the assembly take a stand or take action on some issue Types of motions 6, 13 Procedures affecting motions 6-7 Typical motions 8-9 How to make a motion 10-11 QOO(W.tJ\ Number or percentage of members that must be present to conduct business legally 4 S£CC»IO . A verbal signal from a member that he or she wishes to consider a motion just made Members' right. 5 When required 7-9 How to give a second 11 \IOTIIIIG Means by which motions are accepted or rejected · by the assembly Members' right.- 5 What vot? is needed 7-9 Method of voting 12 Soo- PI\PLIAIUl'Tl\llY P~UOIIN tl&LPS Gl,T por,a MAI'£ MOn<>IIIS that are in order. OBTAU' n:1£ fL.O~ properly. "SP£AI(. clearly and concisely. OBEY the rules of debate. And, most of all, be courteous. 'That>s always in order".! 15