Parliamentary Procedure

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Parliamentary Procedure

• How can I survive a formal meeting?
• NOTE Objectives are rearranged from LADOE for
  ease of teaching

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Objective 1

• Define parliamentary procedure.

Anticipated Problem How can parliamentary
procedure relate to all business meetings not
just FFA? Make a list of many ways that you
exercise leadership in your family, school, and
community. Explain what works and what does work
during a meeting.
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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?

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End the Frustration!!! Heres How

• What is Parliamentary Procedure?
• Why use Parliamentary Procedure?
• The Importance of an Agenda
• The Role of the Members
• Basic Parliamentary Procedure Skills

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What is Parliamentary Procedure?

• Set of rules and guidelines that allow the
  following
• Majority rules
• Minority is heard
• Handling one item at a time
• Maintains order
• 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

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History of Parliamentary Procedure

• 1562 Started in England by Sir Thomas Smyth
• 1876 Henry M. Robert finished
• 1900 became known as Roberts Rules of Order
• 1915 First revision
• 2010 Latest revision

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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

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Terminology

• The Floor
• point where attention of meeting should be
  focused.
• Quorum or Majority
• Minimum number of members that must be present at
  a meeting for legal business to be transacted
• 1/2 of members in a club/organization plus 1

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Objective 3

• Identify roles of the chairman and members of an
  organization.

Anticipated Problem How do we choose the
President of the United State of America? What is
his role versus a president of a FFA Chapter?
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Terminology

• Presiding Officer referred to as
• Mr./Madam President
• Mr./Madam Chairperson
• An Agenda
• is a formal listing of the business that is to be
  conducted at a meeting
• The agenda must be approved by the membership at
  the start of the meeting in order to follow it
• Whenever possible, an agenda should be presented
  to membership well in advance of the meeting for
  membership review

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Other considerations

• The taps of the gavel (symbol of leadership,
  represents chairs authority).
• 1 tap be seated, announce vote.
• 2 taps call to order
• 3 taps all rise
• Series of taps restore order

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Other considerations

• 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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The Role of Members

• It is the responsibility of the membership of any
  organization to establish and maintain effective
  meeting structure
• Every member has the right and responsibility to
  participate in meetings and the process of
  parliamentary procedure
• Members must educate themselves regarding the
  Constitution and By-Laws of the group
• REMEMBER Strong group discussion and
  interaction leads to strong decisions made by the
  group

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Voting on a Motion

• Can be done by the following means
• Voice
• Hand Raising/Standing/Visual
• Secret Ballot
• Roll call
• Mechanical device

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Types of votes

• Simple majority one more than half the votes
  cast 50 plus one
• Two-thirds must have two-thirds of the total
  population represented to pass 66.7 of the vote

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Objective 2

• Demonstrate a minimum of eight motions following
  Roberts Rules of Order.

Anticipated Problem How can you improve the
working order of a meeting? Without rules can a
meeting function properly?
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Classification of Motions

• Privileged Motions (5) do not relate to a
  pending question, however are of such great
  importance that they take precedence of all other
  questions (motions)
• Incidental Motions (8) arise from another
  question that is pending and must be decided
  before the question out of which they arise (are
  made as the result of another motion)
• Subsidiary Motions (7) applied to other motions
  for the purpose of appropriately disposing of
  them
• Main Motion (1) used to bring up a new subject
  or idea to the group
• Unclassified (3) have a definite purpose but
  are not classified as any other

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Main Motions

• Means of introducing business to a meeting.
• Requires
• Second
• Is debatable
• Is amendable
• Majority vote

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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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Anatomy of a Main Motion

• Always starts with I move

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Debating a motion

• Raise concerns about the motion.
• Persuade others to vote one way or another.
• Provide information about motion.

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Amending a Motion

• Allows for changes to a main motion to appease
  both sides or improve the motion.

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Seconding a motion

• Seconding ensures the following
• Get on record as supporting motion.
• Puts the motion to a vote.

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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

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Main Motions Continued

• 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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Privileged motions

• Motions that fulfill individual needs or the
  interest of the group individually.
• Motions do not pertain directly to the business
  being discussed.

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Privileged Motions

• Include the following
• Fix Time to Which to Adjourn
• Adjourn
• Recess
• Raise a Question of Privilege
• Call for Orders of the Day

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Fix Time to Which to Adjourn

• Set date and time to adjourn meeting
• Requires
• Second
• NON-Debatable
• Amendable
• Majority Vote

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Adjourn

• Privileged motion that ends current meeting
  immediately.
• Requires
• Second
• Non-debatable
• Non-amendable
• Majority vote
• Proper example
• Mr. president, I move to adjourn.

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Recess

• Temporary break in a meeting.
• Requires
• Second
• Non-debatable
• Amendable to time only
• Majority vote
• Proper example
• Mr. President, I move to take a 5 minute recess.

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Raise a question of Privilege

• Secures comfort/convenience for members.
• Requires
• Nothing. Question posed by member is decided upon
  by the chair.

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Subsidiary Motions

• Motions that alter, change or dispose of main
  motions.

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Subsidiary Motions

• Include the following
• Lay on the Table
• Call for Previous Question
• Postpone Definitely
• Refer to a Committee
• Amend
• Postpone Indefinitely

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Call for Previous Question

• Ends debate immediately.
• Requires
• Second
• Non-debatable
• Non-amendable
• Two-thirds vote
• Proper example
• Madam President, I move the previous question
• Mr. President, I call for the previous question

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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
• Second
• Debatable
• Amendable
• Majority vote
• Proper example
• Madam President, I move to postpone this motion
  until the December Regular Meeting.

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Postpone Indefinitely

• Purpose
• To kill a main motion or delay a motion to a
  certain time.
• 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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Refer to a Committee

• Assign main motion to a committee.
• used to send a pending question to a small group
  so that the question may be carefully
  investigated
• Requires
• Second
• Debatable
• Amendable
• Majority vote

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Refer to a Committee

• Two types of committees
• Standing Committee
• one of the 15 listed in the Program of Activities
• Special Committee/Ad Hoc
• Appointed by the president
• Number of members can be 3 or more

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Refer to a Committee

• Reasons for referring to a committee
• Gather more information
• Act on a motion
• President must specify when the committee should
  report back to the chapter
• Usually next regular meeting
• Committee can be give full power to act
• Proper example
• Mr. President, I move that we refer this motion
  to the Leadership Committee
• Mr. President, I move we refer this motion to a
  committee of three appointed by the chair

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Amend

• Changes, modifies, or alters a main motion by
• Striking out
• Inserting
• Striking out and inserting
• Adding

6th
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Amend

• No more than two amendments can be considered at
  one time.
• Requires
• Second
• Debatable
• Amendable
• Majority Vote

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Amendments continued

• Can be reconsidered
• Improper amendments
• 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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Amendment to an Amendment

• Purpose
• To modify an amendment to make it more specific
• Requires a second
• Debatable
• Not amendable
• Majority vote
• Can not interrupt a speaker
• Proper Example
• Madam President, I move to ament the amendment by
  inserting Johnson in front of speed. So the
  final motion with if all amendments pass would
  read, I move that the FFA chapter buy a Johnson
  speed boat.

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Postpone Indefinitely

• Kills motion without a direct vote.
• Requires
• Second
• Debatable
• NON-Amendable
• Majority Vote

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Incidental Motions

• Motions that
• Correct ill-advised actions
• Correct improper use of parliamentary procedure.

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Incidental Motions

• Include the following
• 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 Division of the House
• Rise to Parliamentary Inquiry

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Object to the Consideration of Question

• Stops offensive or inappropriate measures.
• Requires
• NO Second
• Non-Debatable
• Non-Amendable
• Two-thirds Vote

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Appeal from the Decision of the Chair

• Allows members to overrule chair
• Requires
• Second
• Debatable only if motion being overruled was
  debatable
• NON-Amendable
• Majority Vote

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Rise to Parliamentary Inquiry

• Check on parliamentary questions, or ask how to
  carry out a parliamentary ability.
• Requires
• Nothing. Question presented by member is address
  by the chair.

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Call for a Division of the House

• Purpose
• When called, this forces a immediate revote by
  hand
• Requires countable vote, if voice vote was
  announced incorrectly by chair.
• Can only be called for after vote has been
  announced.
• Requires
• Nothing. Addressed by chair upon being called.
• 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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Withdraw a Motion

• Retracts motion proposed. Can only be moved by
  member or proposed motion being withdrawn.
• Requires
• Nothing. If chair asks for objections and there
  is none, withdraw stands. If there is an
  objection, a majority vote is needed for passage.

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Suspend the Rules

• Make exceptions to by-laws of organizations
  constitution.
• Requires
• Second
• Non-Debatable
• Non-Amendable
• Two-thirds Vote
• 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

• Motions that do not fit other parliamentary
  categories
• Motions usually pertain to actions already taken
  at previous meetings.

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Unclassified Motions

• Include the Following
• 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
• 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

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Reconsider Continued

• Proper Example
• Mr. President, I move to reconsider the motion to
  buy a boat.
• If passed, the motion to be reconsidered is
  handled just as if it was never voted on

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Rescind

• Revoke or nullify previous action.
• Requires
• Second
• Debatable
• Amendable
• Two-thirds Vote

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To 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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Take from the Table

• Resume consideration of tabled motion.
• Requires
• Second
• Non-debatable
• Non-amendable
• Majority Vote
• Proper Example
• I move to take the motion that reads to buy a
  boat from the table.

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Limit or Extend Debate

• Purpose
• To limit or lengthen the time allowed for
  discussion on a motion when it is clear that
  there will be an excessive amount of discussion
  or when the amount of time for the meeting is
  limited.
• Requires a second
• Debatable
• Amendable
• amount of time or number of speakers only
• 2/3 Majority Vote
• Can not interrupt another speaker

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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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Point of Order

• 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

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Point of Order

• 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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Orders of the Day

• 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.

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Orders of the Day

• Procedure
• Mr. President, I call for the orders of the day.
• President should say, 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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Putting it All Together

• A common agenda item might look like this
• President Is there any new businessThe chair
  recognizes
• John.
• John M/M President, I move that we use
  Parliamentary Law
• according to Roberts Rules of Order at all of
  our
• meetings.
• Sue I second that motion.
• President Is there any discussion?
• (blah, blah, blah)
• President Seeing no further discussion, we will
  now proceed
• to vote. All those in favor say Aye all
  opposed
• same sign. Motion passes.

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Final Thoughts

• Do not get overwhelmed. Parliamentary Procedure
  takes practice, practice, practice and
  patience, patience, patience.
• Make a conscious group decision that meetings
  will be conducted according to Parliamentary
  Law and those laws will be followed by every
  member.
• Many parts of Parliamentary Procedure can be
  modified to fit the needs of an individual
  group.
• Work together to educate your members on the
  rules of Parliamentary Procedure to ensure
  effective meetings.
• REMEMBER This is only a brief overview of how
  Parliamentary Procedure works keep learning!