Parliamentary Procedure

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Parliamentary Procedure Roberts Rules of Order

• Eighth District Workshop
• Saturday, October 18, 2008
• Facilitator
• Chris Rodgers

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• Roberts Rules of Order provides a group guide
  to democratic action, but it also imposes a great
  responsibility on individuals to understand and
  master the democratic procedures so painstakingly
  provided.
• Floyd M. Riddick
• Former Parliamentarian,
• - United State Senate

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Why Parliamentary Procedure Exists

• To expedite business
• To ensure legality
• To protect the rights of the minority

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Four Principles

• Roberts Rules foundation is Parliamentary Law.
  Parliamentary Rules protect
• The right of the majority to decide
• The right of the minority to be heard
• The rights of individuals members
• The rights of absentees.

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Parliamentary Procedure v. Roberts Rules

• Parliamentary procedure is the body of rules,
  usage, and precedents governing the proceedings
  of a deliberative body. The term is generic and
  describes the rules used to run an organization.

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Parliamentary Procedure v. Roberts Rules

• Roberts Rules refers to a particular
  parliamentary authority, books that were written
  by or based on the writing of General Henry M.
  Robert. Roberts Rules is one authority used in
  parliamentary procedure.

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Ranking Order of Rules

• Law rules prescribed by applicable law
• Corporate Charter for incorporated groups
• Bylaws or Constitution basic rules relating
  principally to itself as an organization

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Ranking Order of Rules (cont.)

• Rules of Order written rules of parliamentary
  procedure
• Special rules of order specific to organization
• Parliamentary authority general book of rules
• Standing rules administrative detail
• Custom

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MOTIONS
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Know Your Motions

• Main motion
• Subsidiary motions
• Privileged motions
• Incidental motions
• Motions that bring a question again before the
  assembly

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After obtaining and being assigned the floor,
these are the six steps in handling a motion

• A member makes a motion.
• Another member seconds the motion.
• The chair states the question.
• Members debate the motion.
• The chair puts the question to a vote.
• The chair announces the result of the vote.

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THE ART OF PRESIDING
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ALWAYS

• Maintain order
• Provide strong leadership
• Remain impartial
• Be tactful
• Be fair
• Exercise good judgment

• NEVER
• Get excited
• Be unjust, even to troublesome members
• Take advantage of a members lack of knowledge
• Be more technical than necessary
• Say I

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Protect the assembly from obviously frivolous or
dilatory motions by refusing to recognize them.

• A motion is frivolous or dilatory, if it
• seeks to obstruct or thwart the will of the
  assembly
• misuses the legitimate forms of motions
• abuses the privilege of renewing certain motions
• is absurd in substance

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Enforce the rules relating to debate.

• The maker of the motion is entitled to speak
  first in debate if s/he claims the floor
• No member may speak a second time so long as any
  member who has not yet spoken claims the floor
• If a motion is called out by anyone who hasnt
  obtained the floor, the chair should ignore it
• Allow debate to alternate between those favoring
  and those opposing a measure

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Expedite business in every way compatible with
the rights of members.

• Entertain a motion
• Use unanimous consent

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Decide all questions of order, subject to appeal.

• A ruling must be made on all points of order
• The chair can make the decision, subject to
  appeal
• The chair can submit the question to the assembly
  (no right of appeal)

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Respond to inquiries of members relating to
parliamentary procedure or facts.

• A parliamentary inquiry is a question to obtain
  information about parliamentary law or rules of
  the organization
• A point of information is a request to the chair,
  or through the chair, for information relevant to
  the business at hand

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Debate and Vote

• Do not express opinion or debate while in the
  chair
• Vacate the chair to participate in debate
• May cast a vote to make or break a tie
• Always vote by ballot
• Vote last when the vote is by roll call

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Presiding Officer Privileges

• May choose to follow or disregard the advice of
  the Parliamentarian
• Has the duty of presiding not deciding!
• In accordance with the bylaws, may be authorized
  to appoint committees and/or serve as an
  ex-officio member of all committees (except
  usually the Nominating Committee)
• May explain reasons for a decision on a point of
  order

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• May vote on any motion members can vote on

• May preside during nominations and elections,
  even if a candidate
• May vote for him/herself for office
• May call upon a vice-president to preside
• May debate motions, providing the chair is
  surrendered until the question is decided

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Main Motion

• The lowest ranking motion is the main motion.
• Original main motion
• Introduces substantive question as a new subject
• Incidental main motion
• Relates to business of the assembly or its past
  or future action

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If you want to introduce a subject, make a

• 1. Main motion
• I move to (that)
• or
• Resolved, That

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HOW TO HANDLE A MOTION
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Obtaining the Floor

• Member rises and addresses the chair
• Mr/Madam President
• Mr/Madam Chairman
• Other proper title
• In a large assembly, member gives name and
  identification
• The member remains standing and awaits
  recognition by the chair

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Assigning the Floor

• Chair recognizes the member
• Calls member by name or title
• Nods to the member (in a small assembly)
• If two or more rise about the same time, the
  member who rose and addressed the chair first
  after the floor was yielded is entitled to be
  recognized

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Bringing the Motion before the Assembly
1. A member makes a motion

• I move that (to)
• or
• Resolved, That

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2. Another member seconds the motion.

• I second the motion.
• or
• Second

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3. The chair states the question.

• It is moved and seconded that (to)
• Are you ready for the question?

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Considering the Motion

• 4. Members debate the motion.
• Before speaking in debate, members must obtain
  the floor
• Maker of the motion has right to speak first if
  the floor is claimed promptly
• All remarks must be addressed to the chair
• Debate must be confined to the merits of the
  pending question.

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Rules Governing Debate

• A member may speak twice for no longer than ten
  minutes each time
• No member is entitled to speak a second time
  while any other member wishes to make a first
  speech
• Remarks must be confined to the merits of the
  pending question
• Members may not speak directly to each other

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• Questions and remarks must be addressed to or
  through the chair

• Members may not speak against their own motions,
  but may vote against them
• Members motives may not be attacked
• A courteous tone must be maintained

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• Reading from books and reports is only allowed
  with permission of the assembly

• No member may comment adversely on any prior act
  of the assembly that is not pending
• Rights in debate are not transferable
• If a speaker yields to another member for a
  question, the time consumed by the question is
  charged to the speaker.

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• A committee chairman or reporting member is not
  considered to be debating when presenting or
  reading the committees report

• A member who is interrupted by the chair must be
  seated and stop speaking
• Usually, the chair may not participate in debate
  without relinquishing the chair

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Subsidiary Motions

• May be applied to a main motion by
• modifying it
• delaying action on it
• disposing of it
• Take precedence over the main motion (1)
• Take precedence over lower ranking subsidiary
  motions (2 thru 8)

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If you want to reject a main motion or kill it
for the session, move to

• 2. Postpone indefinitely

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If you want to change a motion, move to

• 3. Amend by
• inserting or adding words or a paragraph
• striking out words or a paragraph
• striking out and inserting words or substituting
  a paragraph

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If you want to send a pending question to a small
group for further study and/or recommendation,
move to

• 4. Commit or refer

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• If you want to delay action or a decision until
  later in the same or the next meeting, move to

5. Postpone to a certain time (or definitely)
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• If you want to change the rules of debate, move
  to

6. Limit or extend the limits of debate

• If you want to close debate, move the

7. Previous question
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• It is better to debate a question without
  settling it, than to settle a question without
  debating it.
• Joseph Joubert

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Motions Affecting Debate

• Limit Debate
• Reduces the number or length of speeches
• Sets a time to conclude debate
• Requires a two-thirds vote for adoption

• Extend limits of debate
• Allows for more or longer speeches
• Requires a two-thirds vote for adoption

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• Immediately closes debate
• Requires a two-thirds vote for adoption
• Committee of the Whole,
• Quasi Committee of the Whole, or
• Informal Consideration
• No limit on number of speeches
• Requires a majority vote for adoption

• Previous Question

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Rules Governing Debate

• A member may speak twice for no longer than ten
  minutes each time
• No member is entitled to speak a second time
  while any other member wishes to make a first
  speech
• Remarks must be confined to the merits of the
  pending question
• Members may not speak directly to each other

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• Questions and remarks must be addressed to or
  through the chair

• Members may not speak against their own motions,
  but may vote against them
• Members motives may not be attacked
• A courteous tone must be maintained

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• Reading from books and reports is only allowed
  with permission of the assembly

• No member may comment adversely on any prior act
  of the assembly that is not pending
• Rights in debate are not transferable
• If a speaker yields to another member for a
  question, the time consumed by the question is
  charged to the speaker.

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• A committee chairman or reporting member is not
  considered to be debating when presenting or
  reading the committees report

• A member who is interrupted by the chair must be
  seated and stop speaking
• Usually, the chair may not participate in debate
  without relinquishing the chair

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• A member may conclude remarks in debate by
  offering a secondary motion
• Subsidiary
• Privileged
• Incidental

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If you want to set aside the pending question
temporarily, move to

• 8. Lay on the table

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Privileged Motions

• Deal with matters of immediate and overriding
  importance
• Do not relate to the pending business
• Take precedence over the main motion, all
  subsidiary motions, and lower ranking privileged
  motions

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• To require that the adopted program or agenda be
  followed

9. Call for the orders of the day
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• To request any privilege (usually having to do
  with comfort level, or the ability to make an
  informed decision)

10. Raise a question of privilege
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• To take a short break in the meeting, move to

11. Recess

• To close a meeting, move to

12. Adjourn
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• To set a time to continue the business to another
  day without adjourning the present meeting, move
  to

13. Fix the time to which to adjourn
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5. The chair puts the question to a vote.

• The chair asks, Are you ready for the question?
• If no one rises to claim the floor, the chair
  proceeds to take the vote.
• The chair says, The question is on the adoption
  of the motion that (to) repeating the motion.

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• Those in favor of the motion, say aye. Pause
• Those opposed, say no. Pause

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6. The chair announces the result of the vote

• Which side has it
• Whether adopted or lost
• Effect of the vote
• Where applicable, announcement of the next item
  of business

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After obtaining and being assigned the floor,
these are the six steps in handling a motion

• A member makes a motion.
• Another member seconds the motion.
• The chair states the question.
• Members debate the motion.
• The chair puts the question to a vote.
• The chair announces the result of the vote.

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Incidental Motions

• Relate to the pending business
• Do not have rank
• Must be decided immediately before business can
  proceed
• Applicable only in its own type of special
  circumstance

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To enforce the rules, rise to a

• Point of order
• To reverse or question a decision of the chair,
• Appeal

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If an appeal is made

• It must be made at the time of the ruling
• The chair may speak first, explaining the reasons
  for the ruling (even if the appeal is
  undebatable)
• If debatable, each member may speak once

• The chair may speak one last time
• The question is Shall the decision of the chair
  stand as the decision of the assembly? or Shall
  the decision of the chair be sustained?
• A majority or tie vote sustains the decision of
  the chair

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To question a voice vote or vote by show of hands
as announced by the chair and require a standing
vote, call for a

• Division

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Motions that Bring a Question Again Before the
Assembly

• Bring business back before the assembly
• Sometimes called bring back motions
• Do not have rank
• Enable the assembly to reopen a completed
  question by
• Taking up a motion temporarily disposed of
• Changing something previously adopted

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To consider an item that was laid on the table at
the same or previous meeting, move to

• Take from the table

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If you voted on the prevailing side and changed
your mind about a vote, at the same meeting move
to

• If you no longer think a motion is a good idea,
  and it is not impossible to undo, move to

Rescind or Amend something previously adopted

• Reconsider

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References

• Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised 10th
  Edition (Henry M. Robert II, William J. Evans,
  Daniel H. Honeman, Thomas J. Balch)
• Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised In Brief
  (Henry M. Robert II, William J. Evans, Daniel H.
  Honeman, Thomas J. Balch)

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References

• Roberts Rules In Plain English (Doris P.
  Zimerman)
• The Guerrilla Guide to Roberts Rules (Nancy
  Sylvester)
• Preventive Medicine for Meetings A Dozen
  PowerPoint Presentations on Basic Parliamentary
  Procedure (National Association of
  Parliamentarians 2005)

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Questions?