Parliamentary Procedure

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Parliamentary Procedure

• On second thought, operator, cancel the call to
  the riot squad and send over a parliamentarian.

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Who is Robert Rules?

• Thomas Jefferson, then Vice-President, created
  the Manual of Parliamentary Practice in 1801
• It was immediately adopted by the House and
  Senate
• Created so meetings can be run in a civilized
  courteous manner
• Gave all participants the opportunity to express
  their opinion so a consensus can be formed
• General Henry M. Robert published Roberts Rules
  of Order in 1876

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All Members are Equaland Their Rights are Equal

• Parliamentary procedure offers democratic rule,
  flexibility, protection of rights, and a fair
  hearing for everyone
• Is a set of rules for conduct at meetings
• Allows everyone to be heard make decisions
• Enables you to expedite the flow of business

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Membership is theBackbone of the Chapter

• The Membership administers the affairs of the
  Chapter
• Members rights are
• To attend meetings
• To make motions speak in debate
• To nominate
• To vote
• To hold office
• Majority rules
• The Officers carry out the members wishes

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Four Types of MotionsA Snapshot

• Main
• Subsidiary
• Privilege
• Incidental

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Main Motions

• Are generally used to present new business
• Amendments to bylaws are main motions
• Cannot be made when another motion is before the
  assembly
• Yield to privileged, subsidiary incidental
  motions
• EXAMPLE I move that we pay the California
  Division Meeting registration for our Delegate.

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Subsidiary Motions

• Change or affect how the main motion is handled
  before it has been decided
• Are voted on BEFORE the main motion
• EXAMPLE I move that the question before the
  membership be amended by insertingand lodging
  fees.

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Other Motions

• Privileged and Incidental Motions do not require
  the eight steps usually needed to make a motion
• Privileged motions are of immediate importance
  and take precedence over any main motion
• Incidental motions do not relate directly to the
  substance of the pending motion but to the method
  of transacting the business of the motion

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Privileged Motion

• Are urgent, about special, or important matters
  NOT relating to pending business
• A second is not required, may not be amended and
  do not require a vote. Two types are
• Question of Privilege If you cant see or hear
  the meeting, you may stop the meeting and have
  the problem corrected. Or room is too
  hot/cold/noisy.
• Call for the Orders of the Day Used to move
  discussion to the item scheduled for that
  particular time on the agenda. I move that we
  recess to count ballots.

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Incidental Motions

• Are questions of procedure that arise out of
  other motions
• Must be considered BEFORE the other motion
• Do not require that you be recognized
• Do not require a second
• Cannot be amended or debated

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Incidental Motions

• These Incidental motions do not require a vote
• Point of Order If someone isnt following
  Roberts Rules, you can state Point of Order
  and explain your point the Chair then rules on
  your point.
• Point of Information Used to stop action to
  call for clarification of the process or
  consequences of the debate.
• Division of Assembly Used to request a vote to
  be retaken in another manner if there is any
  doubt about the vote.
• This Incidental motion requires a 2/3 vote
• Object to Consideration This motion is made to
  kill a sensitive or embarrassing motion before it
  is discussed by the assembly. EXAMPLE I move
  that we set aside the bylaws so that all chapter
  members are eligible for nomination to the board
  of directors. 

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Perfecting a Motion a.k.a.Amending a Motion

• Motions are amended to change the wording to make
  it make more acceptable before taking final
  action
• There are 3 ways to change the wording of a
  motion, to make it more acceptable before taking
  final action
• To add words or phrases
• To strike out words or phrases
• To substitute by striking out inserting or
  substitute an entire motion or paragraph

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Perfecting a Motion a.k.a.Amending a Motion

• Modifications can be made
• Between the time a motion is made and before the
  Chair states the motion
• After the Chair has stated the motion
• Before the motion is voted upon
• The membership then votes on only the amended
  portion if that passes, then you return to the
  original motion AS AMENDED to vote on in its
  entirety
• If the amended portion fails, then the membership
  returns to vote on the motion as it was
  originally worded

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How Do I Present My Motion?- In 8 Easy Steps -

• Raise your hand (or rise) and address the Chair
• Receive recognition from the Chair
• Make the motion (I move that/to)
• Requires a second
• A motion must be seconded to bring it up for
  discussion. Seconding a motion does not mean you
  agree with it. The Chair must hear a second or
  the motion is lost.

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How Do I Present My Motion? - In 8 Easy Steps -

• Chair restates the motion
• It has been moved and seconded that
• Discussion
• Membership to be recognized by Chair
• No member shall speak twice to a motion until all
  members who want to speak to the motion have been
  heard
• Chair puts the motion to vote
• Voice, raise hand, stand, ballot
• Chair announces result of vote

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All Members Should Know

• Calling the meeting to order is thefirst item of
  business
• A motion to accept a report should not be made
  because there is no need to accept a report
• The President can assume a motion for example,
  If no objection the minutes are approved as
  read/presented/corrected.
• The Treasurers report is not approvedit is filed

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All Members Should Know

• A recess is called for a meeting to cease
  temporarily (for a speaker, entertainment, meal,
  etc.) and then reconvenes to conduct remaining
  business
• When there is a request for information you do
  not need a second
• Renewing a motion
• If a motion is defeated it usually cannot be
  brought up again (unless it is amended) at that
  meeting. However, the original motion can be
  brought up again at another meeting.

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All Members Should Know

• Before a motion is stated by the Chair, it may be
  withdrawn or modified by the maker
• After a motion is stated by the Chair, it may be
  withdrawn by a majority vote of the assembly
• To stop debate and force a vote, a member should
  obtain the floor and say I move the previous
  question. This requires a second and 2/3 vote
• A tie vote is a lost vote
• The phrase so moved is vague so always fully
  state the motion to avoid confusion

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Parliamentary Procedures 101Cliff Notes How Do
I Present My Motion?
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References

• This is an introduction to parliamentary
  procedure.If you are interested in finding out
  more
• www.calweb.com/laredo/parlpr2c.htm
• Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised, 10th
  Edition
• Websters New World, Roberts Rules of Order,
  Simplified and Applied
• Roberts Rules In Plain English, Doris P.
  Zimmerman
• The National Association of Parliamentarians
• The American Institute of Parliamentarians
• A special thank you to Sharon Weber for allowing
  excerpts of her Parliamentary Procedures column
  from Citrus Valley Chapters Insight newsletter
  to be used in this presentation