Parliamentary Procedure Basics

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Parliamentary Procedure - Basics

• Glenn Walker, DTM

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Agenda

• Principles
• Players
• Making a Motion
• The Basic Motions
• Other Types of Motions
• Wrap Up and Questions

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Principles

• Justice and courtesy to all
• Do only one thing at a time
• The majority rules
• The minority has the right to be heard.

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Players

• Chairman oversees the conduct of the meeting.
• Secretary keeps track of the motions and
  records the ones that pass.
• Participant usually someone with voting rights.
  But others can participate, if invited.
• Mover a participant with voting privileges who
  makes a motion.
• Second another participant with voting
  privileges that agrees a motion has merit to be
  discussed.

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Making A Motion

• Usually, the mover must be recognized by the
  Chairman.
• Mover states their motion.
• Chairman asks for a second.
• Chairman restates the motion and opens discussion
• Mover given first opportunity followed by second.
• Chair ensures balanced discussion.
• Chair conducts a vote by asking for all those in
  favor and all those opposed.

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Main Motion

• Most often used motion.
• Used to place a matter on the floor for
  discussion.
• Requires A second
• Is open to discussion
• Requires a simple majority vote.

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Main Motion - Example

• I move that the club spend up to 50 to procure a
  new lectern.
• I move that the all members who arrive late be
  fined 1.

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Amendments

• Second most used form of motion.
• Used to make changes to a motion being discussed.
  It must be germane.
• Just like a motion it must be made, seconded,
  discussed and voted on before discussion of the
  item it interrupted can continue.
• Basic formats include
• to add words
• to delete words
• to substitute words
• Only two active amendments are allowed at any
  time.

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Amendments - Examples

• I move to amend the motion by adding the words
  by the time of our next business meeting.
• I move to amend the motion by deleting the word
  red that appears before wagon.
• I move to amend the motion by substituting the
  word dragon for horse.

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The Hierarchy of Motions
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Subsidiary Motions

• Motions that deal directly with the matter
  currently on the floor for discussion.
• An amendment is one type of subsidiary motion.
• Others Include
• Refer
• Postpone to a certain time
• Limit Debate
• Lay on the table
• Take from the table

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Incidental Motions

• Motions that may or may not deal directly with
  the matter currently on the floor for discussion.
• Includes
• Objection to consideration
• Withdrawal of a motion
• Suspend the rules
• Appeal a decision of the chair

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Privileged Motions

• Motions that do not relate to the motion on the
  floor, but deal with important procedural matters
  that must be dealt with immediately.
• Includes
• Fix time of next meeting
• Adjourn the meeting
• Question of Privilege
• Orders of the day
• Rise to Point of Order

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Summary

• Remember the principles.
• Learn the rules.
• Roberts Rules of Order, Newly Revised, 10th
  Edition, Henry M. Robert III et al, Pegasus
  Publishing
• Roberts Rules of Order Simplified and Applied,
  Robert McConnell Productions, a Websters New
  World book.
• Practice!