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Parliamentary procedure

Parliamentary procedure is a procedure whereby an organization may reach decisions in a systematic and democratic way in a fair and orderly fashion, based on the right of the deliberate majority to decide. It is a procedure with rules, with constraints put on all of the individuals involved. It is a procedure whereby the group decides what its policies will be, what actions it will take, how it will spend its resources, and how it will determine what its organizational leadership will be.

As Major Henry Robert explained "where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty."

The alternative to this democratic procedure, is to reach decisions by force, or muscle, or bullets. At times with these method, even the prevailing side comes out the loser as well.

Historically, parliamentary procedure is an organizational procedure that derives its name from the procedure used by the English Parliament, although its original date back to ways of life with the Angles and Saxons, Germanic tribes in the 5th century A. D. Apparently even they recognized the need for some ground rules for governing their meetings.

As vice president of the United States and presiding officer of the new U.S. Senate, Thomas Jefferson was the individual that was primarily responsible for adapting the English procedure to that outlined in his ANNUAL and adopted by the U.S. Congress in his time.

Probably because societies traditionally follow in part the custom of their legislative bodies. Luther Cushing, decades later, developed that procedure still further for use by common assemblies of many descriptions.

Still later, Major Henry Robert, of the U.S. Army, wrote up a procedure, patterned after the earlier works, to provide a more practice cal procedure for the many organizations that were forming in our early democratic society. Roberts Rules of Order has become the most commonly accepted and the most frequently adopted standard or organizations in our society. It is a thorough and complete text that addresses virtually any situation that may develop in the course of an organizations work.

Since the time of Henry Roberts not much has changed organizationally, except that there are a great many more of them today than there were then.

Increasingly our government has sought to involve the citizenry in the governmental decision making process, by listening to representatives of various organized representative groups. This in turn has caused the development of more and more groups.

To prepare for this adult participatory role, our young people have a multitude of organizations to participate in, such as HERO, DACCA, Key Club, Student Council, 4-H, DT, FBA-BE, SAVOS, VICA, Junior Jaycees, INTERACT, Jaycettes, Kiwanettes, Alpha Gamma Rho, and many others.

In order to participate effectively it is desirable that young people learn the parliamentary procedural ropes at the earliest age possible.

This effort is to provide a handbook pared down to the basic principles of parliamentary procedure, to provide the opportunity to learn the bare essentials, the ground rules, to enable the novice to function effectively with a minimum of time and effort spent on the learning process.

Because there is a limited amount of instruction in parliamentary procedure at any level in our society, those who are fortunate enough to be the recipients of it become the experts on the subject in organizational meetings, even with their limited knowledge.

Major Robert words of advice to the student who has become reasonably proficient in the basic principles of parliamentary procedure are appropriate. "While it is important to every person in a free country to know something of parliamentary law, this knowledge should be used only to help, not to hinder business. One who is constantly raising points of order and insisting upon a strict observance of every rule in a peaceable assembly in which most of the members are unfamiliar with these rules and customs, makes himself a nuisance, hinders business, and prejudices people against parliamentary law. Such a person either does not understand its real purpose or else willfully misuses his knowledge."

This text is designed to proved information on the basics of parliamentary procedure. 95% of the skills and information that an organizational member will need to function effectively in a meeting are covered in part on of this booklet.

The text is arranged on a need to know basis, so that the student can read the booklet in chronological order from page one on, and develop a working knowledge on that basis.

How to use parliamentary procedure

This short page about parliamentary procedure is not to be considered as a complete set of rules to cover all possible questions that might arise. It is to be used as a guide to cover the points most often encountered. For a more detailed set of rules we recommend Robert=s Rules of Order: Revised, and Sturgis Parliamentary Manual.

How to make a motion

Obtain the floors follows: Address the president by saying, "Mr. President" and then wait to be recognized before presenting a motion.

State the motion carefully. This is usually done by saying, "I move that.." Or "I move the adoption of the following resolution."

The motion must be seconded. A motion cannot be discussed unless it is seconded; also, unless it receives a second, it is lost. Any eligible voter, other than the one making the motion may second it. He usually simply says, " I second the motion."

The chairperson must repeat the motion in full and call for any discussion.

The motion is the open for discussion. This is cone by members of the group who obtain the floor by addressing the chair and being recognized by the chairperson. The person who made the motion is usually given the opportunity to open and case the discussion.

After the discussion, the vote is taken in one of the following ways: (1) by acclamation, (2) by standing or raising the hand, (3) by roll call, (4) by ballot

How To Amend a Motion.

An amendment to a motion is really a new motion made to change or modify the previous motion which is under consideration an amendment may be one of four stages:

1. Add or insert a certain word or words, or s sentence, to the motion under consideration.

2. Strike out a certain word or words, or a sentence, to the motion under consideration.

3. Substitute another motion for the one being considered.

4. Substitute words to replace wording under consideration.

An amendment, like the principle motion, must be seconded. It is also debatable and may again be amended. The proper form for making an amendment is: "I move to amend the motion to read... or" I move to amend the motion."

The amendment to motion, if seconded, must be voted upon before the original motion. If the amendment to the motion is carried, the original motion must be voted as amended.

Point of Order

A point of order may be raised by a member whenever an unparliamentary or disorderly procedure has been made. This may be done without recognition by the chair. If a person is speaking when a point of order is raised, then s/he must be silent. The chair decides whether the point was well made. The decision of the chair may be appealed in the same manner as a point raised, except that it requires a second and is debatable. An appeal may be made by any member of the assembly. Business is RS resumed where it broke off with any changes needed.

Glossary of commonly used parliamentary terms

Accept - Adopt, approve, agree to assent.

Addressing the chair - Using the appropriate title of the presiding officer when seeking recognition of the presiding officer.

Adjourn - To close a meeting officially, with or without a specified date for the next meeting

Agenda - An outline of the order of business for use by the chair in conducting meeting

Amend - Change, alter, modify, correct, or improve.

Assembly - Members of a society actually assembled for the transaction of business.

Ballot - A secret vote usually on a slip of paper.

Budget - Itemized estimate of income and disbursements, NOT the authority to spend it.

Business - Important matters to be brought before the assembly for action, motions, etc.

By-laws - A document, adopted by a society, which contains the basic rules for governing that organization.

Chair - Presiding officer (whatever title is used by the organization: chairperson, president, etc.)

Commit - To refer a motion or matter to a committee.

Debate - Discussion which follows the Chair=s statement of a debatable motion.

Delegate - A member sent as an official representative of an organization and usually empowered to vote.

Division of the assembly - The motion which calls for a vote to be retaken by rising.

Division of the question - Separating a motion into two or more parts.

Ex-officio - By virtual of office.

Fiscal year - Financial year.

Floor (to obtain) - To be recognized by the Chair in order to address the assembly.

General consent - A form of voting in which the Chair states, "If there is no objection, we will...:" silent majority consent by silence.

Germane - Related or relevant; having a bearing or the pending subject; appropriate.

Immediately pending questions - The last motion stated by the Chair which has not yet been out to a vote.

In order - Correct procedure for a parliamentary standpoint.

Main motion - More than half of the votes cast by persons legally entitled to vote.

Meeting - Assembly of members gathered for a sort time during which they do not separate longer than for a short recess.

Order of the day - Program, order of business, agenda.

Pending - Any motion or business properly before the body and not yet voted on.

Postpone indefinitely - A subsidiary motion used to test the strength of a main motion or to "kill" a motion.

Plurality - Largest number of votes cast without regard to majority when there are three or ore choices.

Preamble - Reasons for a resolution or the introduction of a resolution.

Precedence - Priority order of rank of a motion.

Prevailing side - The winning side; the side having secured the greatest number of votes.

Previous notice - Notice of proposed action made either as an announcement or I writing a specified time in advance of the meeting at which it is to be considered.

Program - An outline, adopted for a given session, of items of business and possibility of time for speakers, meals, and other non-business matters--as compared with an AGENDA, which technically includes only items of business.

Question - The motion as stated by the Chair.

Quorum - The minimum number of members necessary to be present for the legal transaction of business. Majority of all members unless otherwise stated by the by-laws.

Ratify - An incidental main motion to approve action taken under circumstances that require a later vote to make that motion valid.

Recess - A short intermission in a meeting taken by the assembly.

Recommendation - A proposal usually made by a committee for taking action or expressing an opinion on a subject.

Report - An account, usually in writing, of the study of work conducted by an officer or by a committee.

Revision of the by-laws - Rewriting the laws.

Ruling - A decision made by the presiding officer.

Second - An indication by a second member of willingness to have a proposed motion considered.

Seriatim - To consider article by article or by paragraphs.

Same die - A Latin term meaning without day. Refers to adjournment without provision for convening the assembly again.

Table a motion - To lay aside a motion temporally in order to attend to more urgent business.

Two-thirds vote - Two-thirds of the votes cast by persons legally entitled to vote.

Withdraw a motion - Remove a motion from consideration by the assembly upon the request of mover and by permission of the assembly, if a motion stated by the chair.

What do you want to do?

You wish to:

Introduce new business
Kill the motion
Change or perfect the motion
Have the motion investigated
Defer action
Change regulations of debate
stop debate
Lay questions aside temporal
Return to order of business
Take care of emergency matter.
Provide for intermission
Close meeting
Continue present meeting on another day
Reverse decision of chair
enforce the rules
Avoid consideration of motion
Obtain information
Take up question not in order then
Separate two parts of a motion
Verify the vote of the assembly
Consider motion by sections, etc.

An easy guide to completing action on a motion

To help pass it:

Second it. "I second it."
Rise and speak for it.
Vote for it.
Vote against indefinite postponement to rescue it.
Vote against referring it needlessly to any committee.
Propose needful mends.
Vote against postponement and pass it right now.
Defeat motions to recess so they may not go after votes.
Execute passed motions before any next meeting, they cannot be rescinded.
Defeat the previous question so you can discuss fully its good points.

To help defeat it:

Do not second it. Be silent.
Rise and speak against it.
Vote against it.
Move to postpone it indefinitely to "Kill" it outright.
Move to refer it to a committee so as to prolong it.
Move to postpone it to the next meeting to delay it.
Move the previous question so as to shut off discussion of its good points.
Move to take a recess so you can seek additional votes.
If a passed motion remains unexecuted up to any next meeting. Move to rescind it.

Motions that help control debate

Previous Question Closes debate and prohibits any further motions except lay on the table.
Limit Debate Restricts time for debate by the number or length of speeches
Postpone Definitely sets consideration aside for another time.
Lay on the Table Disposes consideration temporarily, if taken from the table in time, kills the motion if not
Object to Consideration if moved in time prevents any discussion whatever
Refer to Committee temporarily disposes of discussion or kills debate if not reported out

Motions that may legitimately interrupt

Call for Orders of the day when they are not being conformed to, may interrupt if urgent
Point of order for failure to observe procedural rules of decorum in debate may interrupt speaker
Request or Inquiry requires immediate action, usually may not interrupt speaker
Question of Privilege when members comfort is not provided, may not interrupt speaker
Point of No quorum when in doubt, may not interrupt speaker
Division or Call for a separate Vote. May interrupt the speaker.
Notice of Intent to Introduce a Motion: may not interrupt the speaker
Move to Reconsider may not interrupt the speaker
Reconsider and Enter on the Minutes may not interrupt the speaker

Strategy

How to manipulate motions for passage or defeat

from Demeter’s Manual of Parliamentary Law, page 28

To help defeat a motion

Do not second it. Remain silent
Speak against it while it is before the body.
Vote against it.
Move to postpone it indefinitely to "kill" it
Amend it adversely to encumber it or complicate it.
Move to refer it to the next meeting to delay it.
Move the previous question to shut off debate on its good point.
Move to table it.
Move to recess to go after more votes.
If their motion wins move to reconsider it.
If their successful motion remains unexecuted by a later meeting move to respond it.
Move to adjourn to prevent action on their motion at this meeting.
Only votes win. Get your voters to the meeting. Require them to stay to the end and to vote as you or another key leader will vote.

To help pass a motion

Second it immediately.
Speak in favor of it while it is still before the body
Vote for it.
Vote postponing it to save it.
Amend it sensibly to perfect or improve it.
Vote against referring it, to achieve action now.
Vote down all postponements that delay it.
Defeat the previous question so you can continue to debate.
Vote against tabling it.
Defeat recess so they may not go after more votes.
Vote against the motion to reconsider it.
Execute motions promptly so that they may not be subject to recession later.
Vote down all motions to adjourn so as to achieve adoption of your motion now.
It is votes that win elections and other proceedings at meetings. Have your supporters there to help you with their votes.