Robert

1
Roberts Rules Of OrderIn A Nutshell

• ASQ 1401 Section
• El Paso TEXAS
• 2008 April 23
• Rudy Kittlitz

2
Brief Background On Roberts Rules Of Order

• General Henry Robert was a U S Army Engineer
• Born 1837 May 2
• He published the first edition of Roberts Rules
  of Order 1876 February 19
• He retired from the Army in 1901 and practiced
  consulting engineering and devoted the last
  decade of his life to writing on parliamentary
  procedures
• He died 1923 May 11

3
Basic Principles Of Parliamentary Procedures

• Business is taken up one thing at a time
• Follow an agenda with only one main motion MM
• Promote courtesy, justice, impartiality, and
  equality
• Rule of majority while practicing
• Rights of individual
• Minority
• Absentee

4
Main Motion

• Motion should be worded in the positive
• I move that
• Written out is very desirable
• Another member seconds the motion
• Does not mean s/he agrees
• Believes it should be discussed
• Until Chair restates the motion, it belongs to
  the maker
• May make changes, but needs OK of seconder
• May withdraw, but does not need OK of seconder

5
Main Motion, Contd

• Chair restates motion and now it belongs to the
  group
• Discussion
• Maker of motion has right to speak first
• Discussion should alternate between For and
  Against
• Chr must recognize person wanting to speak. Then
  Im for the motion / Im against the motion
  
• Dont cross talk. All remarks are to/thru the
  Chair
• Address Officer as Madam Chair or Madam Mayor
• Refer to others as Councilman from Ward 4 or
  The previous speaker
• Discussion kept to the issues
• Person may not speak twice until everyone has
  opportunity to speak

6
Main Motion, Contd

• Several secondary motions may be introduced to MM
• Lay on the table often misused when Postpone
  should be used
• Previous question to stop debate
• Cannot be made if someone has the floor
• Needs to be seconded Not debatable
• Needs 2/3rd majority to pass
• Limit or extend limits of debate
• Postpone to a certain time
• Next regularly scheduled meeting, but not over 3
  months
• Refer to a committee
• Amend
• Postpone indefinitely

7
Main Motion, Contd

• Voting is usually simple majority of those voting
• Chr states Hearing no further discussion, all
  those in favor of Repeats motion say aye,
  opposed say no
• If affirmative, Chr states The ayes have it and
  States the action required by the motion
• If negative, Chr states The noes have it and the
  motion is lost
• Vote can be by raising hands or standing
• Vote by ballot
• Member states I move that this vote be taken by
  ballot
• Needs to be seconded Not debatable
• Simple majority of those voting to pass
• Roll call

8
Main Motion, Contd

• Voting Contd
• Chair usually does not vote
• If a tie-vote
• Alpine city charter states that Mayor votes when
  there is a tie
• Mayor can vote aye to pass it or no to defeat
  it
• If by ballot, Mayor of Alpine must vote if
  possibility of a tie-vote when everyone else
  votes
• Mayor cannot vote by ballot after ballots are
  counted

9
Other Useful Motions

• Recess To take a break
• Reconsider
• Needs second and debatable if original motion
  debatable
• Simple majority to adopt
• Member who voted on prevailing side can move to
  reconsider a motion
• Timing that days action
• Adjourn
• Repeal or Rescind
• MM not in order if it conflicts with motion
  previously adopted and still in effect
• Rescind not in order when action cannot be undone
• Incidental motions

10
Further Comments On Amending A MM

• Purpose is to change the main motion
• Insert words or add words
• Strike out words
• Strike out and insert words
• Must be relevant to the main motion
• Example
• I move that we buy a new desk for the secretary
• Second
• Chair states the motion We buy a new desk for
  the secretary and now it belongs to the group

11
Further Comments On Amending MM, Contd

• Someone else states I move to amend the motion
  by inserting and a new chair after desk
• Second
• The motion is now We buy a new desk and a new
  chair for the secretary if it passes
• Another member states I move to amend the motion
  at the end total cost not be exceed 1500
• Second
• The motion is now We buy a new desk and a new
  chair for the secretary total cost not to exceed
  1500 if it passes
• Cannot have a third amendment

12
Further Comments On Amending MM, Contd

• Now have 3 motions 2nd amend, 1st amend, MM
• Discussion and voting only on 2nd amend
• total cost not be exceed 1500
• After discussion, assume that it passes
• Discussion and voting only on 1st amend
• and a new chair
• After discussion, assume that it passes
• Someone states I move to amend the motion by
  striking 1500 and replacing it with 1250
• But there is no second
• Chair states Hearing no second, this amendment
  will not be considered

13
Further Comments On Amending MM, Contd

• Discussion can now begin on the amended motion
• We buy a new desk and a new chair for the
  secretary total cost not to exceed 1500
• Someone states I move to amend the motion by
  adding after 1500 and send her to the
  Secretaries Convention in Washington DC
• The Chair states This proposed amendment is not
  relevant to the main motion and thus is
  out-of-order. This proposed amendment will not be
  considered.
• After discussion, assume the amended motion
  passes
• Chair states The council has approved that we
  buy a new desk and a new chair for the secretary
  total cost not to exceed 1500.

14
Example of Main Motion And Amendments

• I move that we buy a new desk for the secretary
  and a new chair total cost not to exceed 1500.
• First amendment and a new chair was seconded
• Second amendment total cost not to exceed 1500
  was seconded and voted on, thus only one
  amendment remaining First
• New second amendment total cost not to exceed
  1250 was not seconded, thus still only one
  amendment
• New second amendment and send her to the
  Secretaries Convention in Washington DC was ruled
  out-of-order since it was not relevant to Main
  Motion
• First amendment voted on and passed. Amended Main
  Motion voted on and passed

15
Further Comments On Main Motion Postponed

• The presiding officer will schedule the postponed
  motion under Unfinished Business for the next
  meeting
• Usual Order of Business
• Reading and Approval of Minutes
• Reports of Officers, Boards, and Standing
  Committees
• Reports of Special Committees
• Special Orders
• Unfinished Business
• New Business

16
Further Comments On Main Motion Referred To A
Committee

• Very useful motion when all facts may not be
  known
• Prevents long and pointless discussion
• Protects group from making a poor decision
• Must give direction to the motion
• A Standing Committee or a New Special Committee
• What size committee?
• How shall the committee be selected?
• Will the committee have authority?
• When shall the committee report?

17
Brief Comments On Incidental Motions

• Incidental motions are those
• Which arise out of a pending question
• Which arise out of a question that has just been
  pending
• That relate to the business of the group
• Appeal
• Consideration by Paragraph
• Division of the Assembly
• Division of a question
• Objection to the consideration of the question
• Parliamentary inquiry
• Point of order
• Suspend the rules