Parliamentary Procedure How to make and keep your School Board meetings running smoothly Dr. Leonard M. Young Professional Registered Parliamentarian

Quick Parliamentary Quiz True/False Questions 1. The mover of a motion can speak against his/her own motion. 2. A motion is before the assembly when it has been moved and seconded. 3. The motion to “lay on the table” is used to kill a motion without a direct vote on it. 4. Amendments can be applied to any motion regardless of whether or not they are germane.

Quick Parliamentary Quiz (2) 5. The minutes of a meeting must be approved by the use of a motion, a second, and a majority vote of the assembly. 6. “Majority” means “one more than half.” 7. The person seconding a motion must, by definition, be in favor of the motion being seconded. 8. A presiding officers should say “you are out of order” when ruling that a motion offered by a member is not in order at the time according to the parliamentary situation.

Quick Parliamentary Quiz (3) 9. When an election is conducted for a position on a board where six people have been nominated, if no one receives a majority vote, it is proper to drop off all but the top two candidates and hold a run-off election. 10. A quorum is always a majority of the members in any parliamentary assembly.

Parliamentary Procedure for Small Boards Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised. (RONR) - 10th Edition - © 2000 main motion amended referred postponed lay the pending motion on the table previous question

STEPS IN HANDLING OF A MOTION A member makes the motion. Another member seconds the motion. The Chair states the question The members debate the motion. The Chair puts the question (takes the vote). The Chair announces the results of the vote.

AMENDMENTS Amendments, like main motions, require a second, are amendable, are debatable, and require a majority vote. An amendment should be stated so that indicates exactly what is being done to the main motion. An amendment must always be handled before voting on the motion to which it was applied.

"That we sponsor a delegate to NSBA Convention in March." Main Motion "That we sponsor a delegate to NSBA Convention in March."

"That we sponsor a delegate to NSBA Convention in March." STRIKING OUT: "That we sponsor a delegate to NSBA Convention in March."

ADDITION (or insertion): "That we sponsor a delegate to NSBA Convention in March providing, however, that this board shall not be responsible for expenses in excess of $150.00."

STRIKING OUT AND INSERTING "That we sponsor a delegate two delegates to NSBA Convention in March."

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY AMENDMENTS ▲ SECONDARY AMENDMENT PRIMARY AMENDMENT MAIN MOTION

SECONDARY AMENDMENT "That we sponsor a delegate to NSBA Convention in March providing, however, that this board shall not be responsible for expenses in excess of $150.00 $100.00."

SUBSTITUTE MOTION Whenever it is desired to change the wording of a motion so substantially that several amendments would be required, a substitute motion may be used. A substitute motion has the same status as a primary amendment. The term substitute is usually used when an amendment applies to a large block of text, one or more paragraphs, or the entire document.

SUBSTITUTE MOTION "That we encourage all of our members to attend the Association's National Convention."

OTHER USEFUL MOTIONS

Postpone Indefinitely To kill a motion without a direct vote on it. Its adoption kills the motion for the remainder of the session. It can be introduced again at the next session. Form: “I move that the question be postponed indefinitely.”

Commit/Refer To send a pending motion to a committee so it can be carefully considered and/or put into better condition for the members to consider. FORM: “I move to refer the motion to the Finance Committee.”

Postpone to a Definite Time To postpone action until a certain time or until after a certain event Majority or 2/3rds Form: “I move to postpone the motion to the next meeting.” Form: “I move to postpone the question until 9:00 p.m.”

Limit or Extend Debate To set, reduce, or extend limits on debate (length of speech, number of speeches, length of debate) Form: “I move to limit debate on this motion to ten minutes.” or “I move to limit debate on this motion to the next four speakers.”

Previous Question To immediately close debate and take a vote. Form: “I move the previous question (on all pending questions).”

Lay on the Table To temporarily set aside pending business because something more urgent needs immediate attention. Form: “I move to lay the question on the table.”

Voting Unanimous Consent: “If there is no objection . . .” Consent Agenda Roll Call Vote Ballot Vote (prohibited)

Majority means more than half the votes cast. For example, if 19 votes are cast, a majority would be 10; if 20 votes are cast, a majority is 11. It is commonly used in elections and on most motions.

Two-Thirds Vote means 2/3 of the votes cast. If 30 votes are cast, a two-thirds vote is 20; if 31 votes are cast, a two-thirds vote is 21. It is used only in the case of certain motions, normally those that take away certain rights of a person or give another person additional rights. (Frequently, we hear the term "2/3 majority." Actually this is a misnomer since clearly they are two separate types of votes.)

Plurality This is the largest number of votes to be given any candidate or proposal where three or more choices are possible. It is sometimes used in elections but is not a recommended practice. For example, three persons are running for office: A gets 15 votes, B gets 14 votes, and C gets 13 votes. On a plurality basis, A is elected with far less than a majority having voted for him.

Point of Order The most common of these is the point of order. If a member feels that the rules of the assembly are not being observed, the member may "Raise a Point of Order." This requires the chair to make a ruling as to whether the point is "well taken" or "not well taken."

Appeal Then if the member disagrees with the decision of the chair, the member may appeal from the decision of the chair. If this is done, it will take a second to the appeal and a majority opposed to the decision of the chair to reverse it.

Point of Information If a member wants to get information (to ask a question), the member raises a point of information. The chair then directs the appropriate person to answer the question.

Parliamentary Inquiry If a member needs help with parliamentary procedure, the member raises a point of parliamentary inquiry. The chair attempts to assist the member to do what he/she wishes to do.

Question of Privilege If a member feels that the comfort of the assembly or anything else is interfering with the decision making process, the member can raise a point of privilege and ask the chair to correct the situation. (e.g., too hot, can’t hear, etc.)

Reconsider “...enables a majority in an assembly, within a limited time and without notice, to bring back for further consideration a motion which has already been voted on.” (RONR, p. 309) PURPOSE: to permit correction of hasty, ill-advised or erroneous action to can be moved only by a member who VOTED ON THE PREVAILING SIDE Time Limits: 1 day session—only on that day Multi-day session—on the same or next calendar day

Rescind/Amend Something Previously Adopted “...allows the assembly to change an action previously taken (Rescind) or to partially alter such a decision (Amend Something Previously Adopted). Vote Required: 2/3rds without previous notice or a majority with previous notice no time limit to be moved and can be moved by anyone regardless of how they voted originally

STANDARD ORDER OF BUSNESS Reading the Approval of the Minuets Reports of Officers, Boards, and Standing Committees Reports of Special Committees Special Orders Unfinished Business and General Orders New Business

SPECIAL RULES FOR SMALL BOARDS Members are not required to obtain the floor before making motions or speaking, which they can do while seated. Motions need not be seconded. There is no limit to the number of times a member can speak to a question, and motions to close or limit debate generally should not be entertained. Informal discussion of a subject is permitted while no motion is pending.

SPECIAL RULES FOR SMALL BOARDS (2) Sometimes, when a proposal is perfectly clear to all present, a vote can be taken without a motion's having been introduced. The chair need not rise while putting questions to vote. The chair can speak in discussion without rising or leaving the chair; and, subject to rule or custom within the particular board, he usually can make motions and usually vote on all questions.