Parliamentary Procedure

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Parliamentary Procedure

• Get ready to take some notes. ?

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Why do we have Parli Pro?

• Without Parliamentary Procedure there would just
  be chaos everywhere you look. The Chamber of
  Commerce, legislature, congress, small business
  meetings, churches, schools, and just about
  everyone use parliamentary procedure.
• Why should you know it?
• When you are at church, or business, or somewhere
  one day you need to know when and how to speak to
  keep from getting laughed at. You have to be able
  to speak the language of a profession. What if a
  surgeon said, What we gone do is saw off da top
  ya head, root round in nere wid a stick and see
  if we cant find that dad burn blood clot?
• YOU CAN MAKE MONEY AND WIN A COMPETITION!
• PROVE HOW SMART YOU ARE AT DEBATING!
• HAVE SOME FUN!
• HARD TEST ON FRIDAY!

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Parliamentary Procedure

• Definition
• Correct rules for conducting or running a
  successful meeting
• 3 goals of Parliamentary Procedure
• Make meeting run smoothly
• Assure everyone gets to voice their opinion
• Maintain Order
• Started
• 1562 in England
• Sir Thomas Smyth
• Official Rule Book
• Roberts Rules of Order

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• Terms
• Quorum
• 1/2 of members in a club plus 1
• Minimum number of members that must be present at
  a meeting for legal business to be transacted
• Majority
• 1/2 of members present at any meeting plus 1
• minimum number of members that must vote for a
  motion for it to pass
• Presiding Officer referred to as
• Mr/Madam President
• Mr/Madam Chair
• Everyone gets the chance to voice their opinion
• Everyone gets the chance to Vote
• Must take yes and no votes
• Only one topic at a time can be discussed
• Who ever makes a motion has the right to discuss
  it first

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Types of Motions

• IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE AND RANK
• Privileged
• Subsidiary
• Main Motions
• Incidental Motions
• Unclassified

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Privileged

• Privileged
• Fix Time which to adjourn
• Adjourn
• Recess
• Question of Privilege
• Call for the orders of the Day

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Fixed Time to Adjourn

• Sets time to end a meeting.
• Second Required
• Not debatable
• Amendable
• Majority vote required
• Can be Reconsidered
• Proper Example
• Mr President, I move to fix the time to adjourn
  at 700pm.

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Adjourn

• Immediately end a meeting.
• Second Required
• Not Debatable
• Not Amendable
• Majority Vote Required
• Cant be reconsidered
• Proper Example
• Mr President, I move to adjourn.

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Recess

• Take a Break in the Meeting
• Must state a length of time in the motion such as
  10 minutes
• Second Required
• Not debatable
• Amendable
• Majority Vote required
• Not to be reconsidered
• Proper example
• Mr President, I move to take a 5 minute recess.

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Question of Privilege

• This allows for people in the group to ask for
  changes in the temperature, for ideas to
  clarified, for motions to be explained, for
  others to repeat their discussion or motions,
  and anything that may help the meeting run more
  smoothly.
• No second required
• Not debatable
• Not amendable
• Chair decides
• Not reconsidered
• Proper Example
• Madam President, I Rise to a question of
  privilege.
• President says, State Your Question
• Then the member says whatever they have to and
  the president decides on whether it will be
  allowed or not.

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Orders of the Day

• Purpose
• This motion forces the group to return to the set
  agenda, without finishing the current business.
• Does not require a second
• Not Amendable
• Not Debatable
• 2/3 vote against to fail
• Can only be made on motions that are not on the
  set agenda for that meeting.
• Mr. President, I call for the orders of the day.
• President Orders of the day has been called.
  All those who wish to return to the orders of the
  day, raise your hand. All those opposed to
  returning to the orders of the day, same sign.

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Subsidiary Motions

• Lay on the Table
• Previous Question
• Limit or extend debate time limits
• Postpone definitely
• Refer to committee
• Amend
• Postpone indefinitely

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Lay on the Table

• Purpose
• To defer action on the motion until later in the
  meeting or until the next meeting
• Requires a second
• Not amendable
• Not debatable
• Majority Vote
• Can not interrupt another speaker
• Proper example
• Mr. President, I move to lay this motion on the
  table

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Previous Question

• Purpose
• To force an immediate Vote on the motion
• Requires a second
• Not amendable
• Not Debatable
• 2/3 Vote
• Can not interrupt another speaker
• Proper example
• Madam President, I move the previous question
• Mr President, I call for the previous question

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Limit or extend debate time limits

• Limit / Extend Debate Continued
• Maker of the motion must specify
• the amount of time
• the number of speakers that can debate the motion
• Proper Example
• Madam President, I move that we limit debate on
  this motion to 3 discussions for the motion and 3
  discussions against the motion.
• Madam President, I move to limit debate to a
  maximum of 5 minutes.

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Postpone definitely

• Purpose
• allow for the motion on the floor to deferred to
  a different day, meeting, or until after a
  certain event
• Requires a second
• Amendable
• Debatable
• Majority Vote
• Can interrupt a speaker
• Proper example
• Madam President, I move to postpone this motion
  until the December Regular Meeting.

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Refer to committee

• Purpose
• used to send a pending question to a small group
  so that the question may be carefully
  investigated
• Requires a Second
• Amendable
• Debatable
• Majority Vote
• Proper example
• Mr President, I move that we refer this motion to
  the Leadership Committee

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Postpone indefinitely

• Purpose
• To kill a main motion
• Requires a second
• Not Amendable
• Debatable
• Majority Vote
• Can not interrupt another speaker
• Can be reconsidered only if passed
• Proper Example Mr President, I move to Postpone
  this motion indefinitely

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Main Motions

• Used to introduce ideas to the group
• Must be stated in the form
• I Move that
• I Move to
• Can not be in negative form
• Only one main motion at a time
• Require a second
• Amendable
• Can Be Changed
• Debatable
• Can be talked about
• Majority Vote
• Can be voice

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Main Motions Continued

• Main Motions that are not Legal
• Break any Local, State or National Laws
• Any motion that brings up a motion that has
  already been failed
• Items that are outside the power of the group
• Negative motions
• Political or religious Support
• The person who makes a motion can not talk
  against it
• Main motions can be reconsidered
• Can not interrupt another speaker
• Proper Example Mr President, I move that the
  chapter participate in crops judging this year.

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Steps to handling a Main Motion

• Stand
• Ask to be recognized by President
• President recognizes you by name
• Motion is correctly stated
• Motion is seconded
• Motion is repeated by President
• Motion is discussed
• President restates motion
• Motion is voted on
• Results of vote announced by President

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Amendments

• Purpose
• Used to modify a main motion
• Must be germane
• Closely related to the original topic
• Can be amended in 4 ways
• Inserting in middle
• Adding to end
• Striking Out
• Striking out and inserting
• Requires a second
• Amendable
• Debatable
• Majority Vote

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Amendments continued

• Can not interrupt another speaker
• Can be reconsidered
• Improper amendments
• any thing not germane
• frivolous or absurd
• leave an incoherent wording
• Proper Example
• Motion on floor That the FFA Chapter buy a boat.
• Amendment Mr President, I move to amend the
  motion by inserting speed in front of boat. So
  the motion would read, I move that the FFA
  Chapter buy a speed boat.

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Incidental Motions

• Appeal
• Division of the Assembly
• Division of a question
• Object to consideration
• Parliamentary Inquiry
• Point of Order
• Suspend the rules

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Appeal

• Purpose
• To reverse the decision of the chairman, after
  they have made an error.
• Requires a second
• Not amendable
• Debatable (this is the only motion where
  President can discuss)
• Majority vote
• Can interrupt another speaker
• Most of the time you should support the decision
  of your president.
• Proper Example
• Mr President I appeal the decision of the chair.
• President should say Appeal the decision of the
  chair has been called, all those who wish to
  uphold the decision of the chair say I, all
  opposed same sign.

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Division of the assembly

• Purpose
• When called, this forces a immediate revote by
  hand
• Does not require a second
• Not amendable
• Not debatable
• No vote needed
• Can interrupt another speaker
• Proper form
• Can be made by saying division loud enough for
  the entire group to hear
• Or by standing and saying I call for a division
  of the house

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Division of a Motion

• Divide a Motion
• Purpose
• This motion allows a motion that has been made to
  be split into two different motions
• This can only be made on motions that have two
  main ideas that are not dependent on each other
• Requires a second
• Not debatable
• Amendable
• Majority vote
• Can not interrupt another speaker

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Division of a Motion Continued

• Proper example
• Motion on the floor, I move to buy a boat and go
  to the zoo.
• Madam President, I move to divide this motion
  into tow motions. The first stating the we buy a
  boat and the second that we go to the zoo.

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Object to the Consideration

• Purpose
• Used when a member thinks that the activity or
  action of the group is not appropriate.
• Does not require a second
• Not amendable
• Not debatable
• 2/3 vote
• Can interrupt another speaker
• Proper form
• Mr President, I object to the consideration of
  this question.
• President should say Objection to the
  consideration has been called. All those who
  wish to consider the motion raise your right
  hand. All those who object to the consideration
  of this question same sign.

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Parliamentary inquiry

• Purpose It is used to allow members to ask a
  question about parliamentary procedure.
• Example
• Kristen Parliamentary inquiry
• President Kristen
• Kristen Does object of the consideration
  require a 2/3 vote?
• President Yes it Does, Is there any new business
  that should be attended to at this time?

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Point of Order

• Purpose
• Used when a member thinks that the rules of the
  group or the rules of parliamentary procedure are
  being violated.
• Does not require a second
• Not amendable
• Not debatable
• President decides on verdict
• Can interrupt another speaker
• Proper example
• Mr President, I rise to a point of order.
• President says, State your point
• After member states point, president says your
  point is well taken or Your point is not well
  taken

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Suspend the Rules

• Purpose
• allows the chapter to break the rules of
  parliamentary procedure, or the current
  constitution for a short period of time.
• Requires a second
• Not amendable
• Not debatable
• 2/3 vote
• Can not interrupt another speaker
• Proper example
• Mr President, Because of the lack of time
  tonight, I move to suspend the rules and skip
  directly to new business.

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Unclassified Motions

• Reconsider
• Rescind
• Take from the Table

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Reconsider

• Purpose
• to reevaluate a decision that was made earlier
• Requires a second
• Not amendable
• Debatable
• Majority vote
• Can not interrupt another speaker
• If passed, the motion to be reconsidered is
  handled just as if it was never voted on
• Only can be made by a person who voted on the
  winning side
• If passed the motion is handled immediately if
• only a main motion with amendments is on the
  floor.

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Reconsider Continued

• Handled after the current business if
• discussion on refer to committee, or postponement
  has started.
• Motions that can be reconsidered
• Main motions
• Amendments
• Refer to committee
• Postpone definitely
• Previous question
• Appeal the decision of the chair
• Only if failed
• withdraw
• Only if passed
• Postpone indefinitely
• Proper Example
• Mr President, I move to reconsider the motion to
  buy a boat.

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Recind

• Purpose
• To REPEAL PREVIOUS ACTION
• Requires a Second
• Debatable
• Amendable
• 2/3 majority vote
• Can not interrupt another speaker
• Proper Example
• Madam President, I move that we reconsider the
  vote to buy a boat.

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To take from the table

• Purpose
• To take a motion that is on the table off of the
  table.
• Requires a second
• not amendable
• Not debatable
• Majority vote
• Can not interrupt another speaker
• Proper Example
• I move to take the motion that reads to buy a
  boat from the table.

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Effective Debate

• So many points come from how well the students
  debate an issue. This is the area where you guys
  get to challenge either others mental power and
  how some fun with parli pro.

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Effective Debate

• The purpose of debate is to persuade the assembly
  to vote in a certain way.
• Beginning Statement
• How do you feel about the motion? Do you want it
  to be adopted? How do you want people to vote?
• Example This motion is an asenine idea!
• Middle Statement
• Present Sound logical evidence to back up your
  beginning statement.
• Effective debate should have complete thoughts,
  logical reasoning, and conviction of theory
• Example The FFA Simply can not afford this speed
  boat. We only have 500 in our account right now.
  Furthermore we need a new tablesaw that could
  benefit everyone in the Ag. Department. We also
  do not have anywhere to store the boat nor the
  funds to properly maintain a boat.

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Effective Debate

• Ending Statement
• Reinforce your statement and how you want people
  to vote.
• Example So for these reasons I beg you to vote
  against the horrible motion.

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The Competition

• The teams competing in this event will be
  composed of a maximum of six members.
• District AWARDS
• First Place 250.00 Second Place 150.00
  Third Place 75.00
• Fourth Place 50.00
• STATE AWARDS
•  
• First Place 2,500.00
• Second Place 100.00 Third Place
  75.00
• Fourth Place 50.00

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Parts of Competition

• Written Examination-25 questions 4 pts each 100
  points
• Presentation 750 Points
• One Main Motion
• Two subsidiary motions
• Two incidental
• One privileged motion
• Oral Questions- Individual or General 100 pts.
• Minutes of the Meeting-50 pts
• The specific types of motions and the motion will
  be given to each student on an index card.

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Sample Card

• Main Motion
• I move that our chapter sell citrus as a
  fundraiser.
• Required Motions
• Lay on the Table
• Amend
• Suspend the Rules
• Appeal
• Reconsider

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Competition

• There will be one chair, and 5 members at the
  meeting.
• Each student will have one minute only to review
  the card before the presentation must begin.
  STUDENTS CAN NOT COMMUNICATE DURING THIS MINUTE!

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Starting the Presentation

• The team demonstrating shall assume that a
  regular chapter meeting is in progress and new
  business is being handled on the agenda.
• The Chair should tap the gavel once to signify
  the end of the previous item of business then
  start the presentation by saying, Is there any
  new business that should be presented at this
  time? A team member should then move the
  assigned main motion as written on the card. This
  main motion must be first.

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Debate Rules

• Debate
•  
• The top four debates per member will be tabulated
  in the presentation score. No more than two
  debates per member per motion will be tabulated,
  even the subsidiary motion to extend the limits
  of debate has been passed.

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Time Limits

• A team shall be allowed 10 minutes in which to
  demonstrate knowledge of parliamentary law.
  Thirty (30) seconds past 10 minutes will be
  allowed without penalty. A deduction of 2
  points/second for every second over 1030 will be
  assessed. Example 1035 10 point deduction. A
  timekeeper will furnish the time used by each
  team at the close of the event.

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Minutes

• One student must keep notes during the meeting of
  what has happened in the presentation. This
  student will have thirty minutes after the
  presentation to prepare a detailed minutes to
  turn in with the notes he or she took.

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Instructions on Minutes

•  
• 1. Use the example of proper minutes as
  illustrated in the Official FFA Secretarys Book
  and/or outlined in Roberts Rules of Order Newly
  Revised.
• 2. A dictionary will be permitted for writing the
  official minutes of the presentation.
• 3. The minutes will begin by recording the first
  item of business presented. Opening ceremonies
  and other preliminary information will not be
  used. Example It was moved by John Smith to
  conduct a Food for America program during the
  month of April. 
• 4. The chair and the secretary may consult in
  preparing the official minutes of the
  presentation. A total of 30 minutes will be
  allowed to prepare the minutes.
• 5. A judge will read, review and grade the
  official minutes of the presentation after
  completion of each round of the event. The
  scores will be provided to the presentation
  judges for use in computing final scores.