PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE

HAVE YOU EVER EXPERIENCED…  Meetings that seem endless because the business could have been completed hours ago?  Confusion as to what exactly is being discussed and voted on?  Irritation because one person or a small group of people dominate a meeting?  The feeling that you never get your voice heard in group discussion?  Anger about decisions made that do not reflect the feelings of the majority of the group?

WHAT IS PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE?  A predetermined set of “rules” that will be used to “govern” the way business will be conducted  A system of procedure that allows an organization to effectively conduct its official business in a fair and democratic manner

WHY USE PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE? Focus on one item at a time - no more than one issue will be discussed Extend courtesy to everyone - all members have an opportunity to participate Observe the rule of the majority - no group decision is granted without majority Ensure the rights of the minority - all members have equal access to decision-making

THE IMPORTANCE OF AN AGENDA The agenda lists the business that needs to be conducted at the meeting It must be approved by the members at the start of the meeting

SAMPLE AGENDA Opening Ceremony Minutes of the previous meeting Officer reports Report on Program of Activities Special Business Unfinished Business Committee Reports New Business Closing Ceremonies

GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS A lot of information is going to be thrown at you at once. Learning and using parli pro takes time a and practice. When in doubt, you can always refer to the handout titled the Parliamentary Procedures Guide.

CLASSIFICATION OF MOTIONS Main Motion (1): Used to bring new business to the group. Subsidiary Motions (7): apply to other motions to clarify and modify Incidental Motions(8): used to provide proper and fair treatment to all members Privileged Motions (5): Not related to other motions, but important enough to take precedence over everything else. Unclassified (3): have a purpose, but not related to anything else

Main Motion Introduces new business to the group Say: “I move that….” A main motion needs to be presented (usually) before anything else can be done Needs a second Majority Vote Required

Subsidiary Motions (7) All subsidiary motions apply to the main motion Used to modify, postponed, or refer to a committee for more information.

Amendment Used to change the main motion Requires a second Majority Vote Required Say, “I move that this motion be ammended by….(state your changes)

Lay on the Table Used to postpone a main motion so that it can be taken up again at any time. Allows the group to attend to more urgent business Can also be used to “kill” a motion Requires Second Majority Vote

Call for Previous Question Used when a member wants an immediate vote Say, “I move the previous question” Requires Second 2/3rds vote

Postpone Definitely Delays a motion until the next meeting, or a defined time. Say, “I move to postpone this meeting until…..” Requires Second Amendable to time, debatable 2/3rds vote

Limit/Extend Debate Used to increase/decrease debate Say, “I move to limit/extend debate to X amount of minutes or X amount of debates per member.” Requires Second 2/3rds vote

Refer to Committee Used to allow a committee to do more research into a motion and look in on an issue. Say, “I move to refer this motion to a committee of three, appointed by the chair, chair appointed by the chair, giving them the power to act” Requires Second Amendable, Debatable Majority Vote

Postpone Indefinitely Used to remove an issue from debate permanently Say “I feel this motion should not be considered by our group, therefore I move to postpone this motion indefinitely.” Requires Second Debatable Majority Vote

Incidental Motions Used to provide fair treatment to all members Usually arise as the result of a question

Point of Order Used when a member makes a parliamentary error Can interrupt the speaker Say, “I rise to a point of order.” or “Point of order!”

Appeal Used when a member feels the chairperson has made a decision not in agreement with the group Can interrupt Say, “I appeal the decision of the chair.” Requires second Debatable Majority vote

Suspend the Rules Used to deviate from the agenda or allow for special circumstances Say, “I suspend the rules so that….” Requires second 2/3 vote

Division of the House Used when a member disagrees with the vote Can interrupt Say “I call for the division of the house” or yell “Division!” Chair then calls a revote by any other method than voice

Parliamentary Inquiry Used when there is a question about parliamentary law Can interrupt Say “I raise a parliamentary inquiry: State question, president responds.

Withdraw Used when a member wishes to withdraw their motion Say, “I withdraw my motion” President restates motion Majority vote before dropping

Division of the question Used when a member feels the motion is two motions in one Say “I move to divide the question into two parts; (then state the two motions) Requires Second Amendable Majority vote

Objection to the consideration of the question Allows the group to avoid a motion entirely if it’s not in the best interest of the group Can interrupt Say “I object to the consideration of the question!” 2/3 vote

Privileged Motions Unrelated to the main motion

Adjourn Ends the meeting Say “I move to adjourn the meeting” Second Majority vote

Question of Privilege A group or personal request from the chair Can interrupt Say “I rise to a question of privilege” then state your question

Fix a time to adjourn This does not mean to set a time to end the meeting; this is used to set a time for the group to reconvene Say “I move to fix the time in which to adjourn, so that when we adjourn we stand adjourned until (set time to reconvene) Requires Second Amendable to time Majority Vote

Recess A short break or intermission in the meeting Say “I move that we take a (amount of time) recess” Requires Second Amendable to time Majority Vote

Call for the orders of the day When the group deviates from topic to restate the agenda Interrupt Say “I call for the orders of the day” President asks the secretary to read the orders (agenda) and asks for any objections If there are objections, a 2/3 vote must be taken to not follow the orders

Unclassified These motions have a purpose but are not related to any other motion

Take from the Table Used to bring a motion that was tabled back to the floor Say “I move to take the motion from the table Requires Second Majority vote If vote passes, it is treated like a main motion

Rescind Allows a member to remove an action already taken Say “I move to rescind the motion which states…” Requires Second Amendable Debatable 2/3 vote

Reconsider Allows discussion and a revote on action previously taken Say “I move to reconsider the motion stating…” Second Debatable Majority vote