Transcript Parliamentary Procedure

Parliamentary Procedure
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Definition
 Correct rules for conducting or running a successful
meeting
3 goals of Parliamentary Procedure
 Make meeting run smoothly
 Assure everyone gets to voice their opinion
 Maintain Order
Started
 1562 in England
 Sir Thomas Smyth
Official Rule Book
 Roberts Rules of Order
• Other Important Information
• Quorum
• 1/2 of members in a club plus 1
• Minimum number of members that must be present at a
meeting for legal business to be transacted
• Majority
• 1/2 of members present at any meeting plus 1
• minimum number of members that must vote for a motion for it to
pass
• Presiding Officer referred to as:
• Mr/Madam President
• Mr/Madam Chairperson
• 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
Main Motions
• Used to introduce ideas to the group
• Must be stated in the form
– I Move that
– I Move to
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Can not be in negative form
Only one main motion at a time
Require a second
Amendable
– Can Be Changed
• Debatable
– Can be talked about
• Majority Vote
– Can be voice
Main Motions Continued
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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
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 an adopt a highway
program this year.
Steps to handling a Main
Motion
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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
Postpone Indefinitely
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Purpose
 To kill a main motion
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
Amendments
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Purpose
 Used to modify a main motion
Must be germane
 Closely related to the original topic
Can be amended in 4 ways
 Inserting in middle
 Adding to end
 Striking Out
 Striking out and inserting
Requires a second
Amendable
Debatable
Majority Vote
Amendments continued
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Can not interrupt another speaker
Can be reconsidered
Improper amendments
 any thing not germane
 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.
Amendment to an Amendment
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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.
Refer to Committee
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Purpose
 used to send a pending question to a small group
so that the question may be carefully investigated
Requires a Second
Amendable
Debatable
Majority Vote
2 ways to appoint a committee
 Standing Committee
 one of the 15 listed in the Program of
Activities
 Special Committee
 Appointed by the president
Refer to Committee Continued
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Can not interrupt another speaker
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
Postpone Definitely
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Purpose
 allow for the motion on the floor to deferred
to a different day, meeting, or until after a
certain event
Requires a second
Amendable
Debatable
Majority Vote
Can interrupt a speaker
Proper example:
 Madam President, I move to postpone this
motion until the December Regular Meeting.
Limit or Extend Debate
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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
Limit / Extend Debate Continued
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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.
Previous Question
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Purpose
 To force an immediate Vote on the motion
Requires a second
Not amendable
Not Debatable
2/3 Vote
Can not interrupt another speaker
Proper example:
 Madam President, I move the previous
question
 Mr President, I call for the previous question
To lay on the table
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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
To take from the table
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Purpose
 To take a motion that is on the table off of the
table.
Requires a second
not amendable
Not debatable
Majority vote
Can not interrupt another speaker
Proper Example
 I move to take the motion that reads to buy a
boat from the table.
Reconsider
 Purpose
to reevaluate a decision that was made earlier
Requires a second
Not amendable
Debatable
Majority vote
Can not interrupt another speaker
If passed, the motion to be reconsidered is
handled just as if it was never voted on
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
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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
 Only if failed
 withdraw
 Only if passed
 Postpone indefinitely
Proper Example
 Mr President, I move to reconsider the motion to buy a boat.
Recind
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Purpose
 To REPEAL PREVIOUS ACTION
Requires a Second
Debatable
Amendable
2/3 majority vote
Can not interrupt another speaker
Proper Example
 Madam President, I move that we reconsider
the vote to buy a boat.
Suspend the Rules
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Purpose
 allows the chapter to break the rules of
parliamentary procedure, or the current
constitution for a short period of time.
Requires a second
Not amendable
Not debatable
2/3 vote
Can not interrupt another speaker
Proper example:
 Mr President, Because of the lack of time
tonight, I move to suspend the rules and skip
directly to new business.
Modify or Withdraw
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Purpose
 This motion allows for the maker of a motion
to change a motion or completely take it off
the floor for discussion.
Not amendable
Not debatable
If made before President first states the motion it
is automatically withdrawn with no second or
vote.
If made after President first states the motion the
following steps must be taken.
Modify or Withdraw con’t
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1) President must if anyone objects to the
maker withdrawing the motion
 if someone objects
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On no one objects
• the motion is automatically withdrawn
Can not be made after discussion has begun
Proper form
 Mr President, I would like to withdraw my
motion.
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must be seconded, and passed with majority vote
Divide a Motion
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Purpose
 This motion allows a motion that has been
made to be split into two different motions
This can only be made on motions that have two
main ideas that are not dependent on each other
Requires a second
Not debatable
Amendable
Majority vote
Can not interrupt another speaker
Divide a Motion Con’t
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Proper example
 Motion on the floor, I move to buy a
boat and go to the zoo.
 Madam President, I move to divide this
motion into tow motions. The first
stating the we buy a boat and the second
that we go to the zoo.
Object to the Consideration
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Purpose
 Used when a member thinks that the activity or
action of the group is not appropriate.
Does not require a second
Not amendable
Not debatable
2/3 vote
Can interrupt another speaker
Proper form
 Mr President, I object to the consideration of this
question.
 President should say “Objection to the
consideration has been called. All those who
wish to consider the motion raise your right
hand. All those who object to the consideration
of this question same sign.
Division of the house
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Purpose
 When called, this forces a immediate revote
by hand
Does not require a second
Not amendable
Not debatable
No vote needed
Can interrupt another speaker
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”
Point of Order
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Purpose
 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
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
Appeal
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Purpose
 To reverse the decision of the chairman, after they
have made an error.
Requires a second
Not amendable
Debatable (this is the only motion where President can
discuss)
Majority vote
Can interrupt another speaker
Most of the time you should support the decision of your
president.
Proper Example
 Mr President I appeal the decision of the chair.
 President should say “Appeal the decision of the
chair has been called, all those who wish to uphold
the decision of the chair say I, all opposed same
sign.”
Orders of the Day
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Purpose
 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.
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,
Question of Privilege
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Purpose
 This allows for people in the group to ask for
changes in the temperature, for ideas to clarified, for
motions to be explained, for others to repeat their
discussion or motions, and anything that may help
the meeting run more smoothly.
Does not need a second
Not amendable
Not debatable
No Vote, Presidents decision
Can interrupt another speaker
Proper Example
 Madam President, I Rise to a question of privilege.
 President says, “State Your Question”
 Then the member says whatever they have to and the
president decides on whether it will be allowed or
not.
Recess
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Purpose
 This allows for a short break in the meeting
Needs a second
Amendable
Debatable
Majority Vote
Can not interrupt another speaker
Must specify the length of time in the motion
Proper example
 Mr President, I move to take a 5 minute
recess.
Adjourn
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Purpose
 To end the Meeting
Needs a second
Not Amendable
Not Debatable
Majority Vote
Can not interrupt another speaker
Proper example
 Mr president, I move to adjourn.
Fix time to Reassemble
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Purpose
 To arrange time for next meeting
Needs a Second
Amendable
Debatable
Majority Vote
Can interrupt a speaker
Proper example
 Mr President, I move to adjourn until 7 pm on
December 12th.