Parliamentary Procedure

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Parliamentary Procedure
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What is Parliamentary Procedure?

• Set of proven rules used to move business along
  during a meeting
• Guidelines not laws
• System that allows an organization to conduct
  business in a fair and democratic manner

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Why use Parliamentary Procedure?

• Handle only one item of business at a time
• All participants have an opportunity to
  participate in discussion
• Observe the rule of the majority
• Protect the rights of the minority

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Using the Parliamentary Procedure Lingo

• Point of Order
• Previous Questions
• Friendly Amendment
• Motion to Adjourn
• Majority Vote
• Quorum

• Motion
• Main Motion
• Motion to Lay on the Table
• Motion to Take from the Table

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Importance of the Agenda

• An agenda is a formal listing of business that is
  to be conducted at a meeting
• Usually developed by the chair and distributed to
  the members in advance
• Must be approved by the membership at the
  beginning of the meeting
• A well planned agenda is critical to a well run,
  organized meeting

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Sample Agenda

• Call to Order
• Roll Call (if appropriate)
• Adoption of the Agenda
• Approval of Minutes from Previous Meeting
• Reports of Officers
• Reports of Committees
• Unfinished Business
• New Business
• Announcements
• Adjournment

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Role of Meeting Participants

• It is the participants responsibility to
  establish and maintain effective meeting
  structure
• All participants have the right and
  responsibility to participate in meetings and in
  parliamentary procedure
• Participants should know the Constitution and
  By-Laws of the organization
• Be involved in discussion!

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Keys to Effective Meetings

• Parliamentary procedure is based on motions
• The key to parliamentary procedure is learning
  and understanding these motions
• Dont become overwhelmed by the list of motions
  -- concentrate on those that will be used on a
  regular basis
• REMEMBER using parliamentary procedure takes
  patience, practice, and a lot of effort!!!!

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Use of the Gavel

• The gavel allows the chair to obtain attention
  quickly
• One tap signals for members (participants) to
  be seated and follows the completion of an item
  of business or announces adjournment
• Two taps calls a meeting to order
• Three taps signals for members to stand
• Series of taps restores order of the room

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Methods of Voting

• There are 4 common methods of voting
• Voice Vote
• Rising Vote
• Secret Ballot
• Roll Call
• Quorum
• Simple Majority
• Two-thirds Vote

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Motions

• Main Motions
• Privileged Motions
• Subsidiary Motions
• Incidental Motions
• Unclassified Motions

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Main Motions

• Introduces a principal subject. Only one main
  motion may be considered at a time and must be
  disposed of before another can be considered.
• The only way to start a motion is to say I
  move
• Example Mr./Madame President, I move that we
  attend the County Leadership Camp.
• Main motions require a second and they are
  debatable and amendable
• A majority vote is required

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Seconding a Motion

• Seconding a motion -
• Shows support by other members
• Puts the motion to a vote

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Debating a Motion

• Members can raise any concerns they may have
  about the motion
• Others can be persuaded to vote one way or
  another
• Further information about the motion can be
  provided to the group

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Amending a Motion

• Allows for changes to be made to the motion
• No more than 2 amendments can be considered at
  one time
• Requires
• Second
• It is debatable and amendable
• Majority vote
• Main motion can be altered by
• Addition
• Subtraction
• Substitution

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Privileged Motions

• Do not relate to a pending question, however they
  are of such great importance that they take
  precedence over all other motions
• Include
• Fix time to which to adjourn
• Adjourn
• Recess
• Raise a question of privilege
• Call for the orders of the day

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Subsidiary Motions

• Applied to other motions for the purpose of
  appropriate disposal
• Include
• Lay on the table
• Call for the previous question
• Postpone definitely
• Refer to a committee
• Amend
• Postpone indefinitely

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Incidental Motions

• Correct ill-advised actions
• Correct improper use of parliamentary procedure
• Include
• Object to the consideration of question
• Appeal from the decision of the chair
• Rise to a point of order
• Withdraw a motion
• Suspend the rules
• Call for the division of the house
• Rise to parliamentary inquiry

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Unclassified Motions

• Have a definite purpose but are not classified as
  any other type of motion
• Usually pertain to actions taken at previous
  meetings
• Include
• Reconsider
• Rescind
• Take from the table

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Final Thoughts

• Dont get overwhelmed mastering parliamentary
  procedure takes a lot of practice and patience
• Modify parliamentary procedure to fit the needs
  of your group not all motions need to be
  memorized only focus on those youll use on a
  regular basis
• Educate members of your organization about
  parliamentary guidelines

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Putting it all Together

• Using the handouts provided, rate yourself as a
  participant at meetings
• Using the handout provided, rate yourself as the
  leader of a meeting
• How did you do?
• What will you change?