Transcript Texas AgriLife Extension Service & The Land Grant System

Parliamentary Procedure
Improving Lives. Improving Texas.
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
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
Using the Parliamentary
Procedure Lingo
 Motion
 Main Motion
 Motion to Lay on
the Table
 Motion to Take
from the Table
 Point of Order
 Previous Questions
 Friendly
Amendment
 Motion to Adjourn
 Majority Vote
 Quorum
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
Sample Agenda
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.
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
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!
Keys to Effective Meetings
 Parliamentary procedure is based on
motions
 The key to parliamentary procedure is
learning and understanding these motions
 Don’t 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!!!!
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
Methods of Voting
 There are 4 common methods of voting:
 Voice Vote
 Rising Vote
 Secret Ballot
 Roll Call
 Quorum
 Simple Majority
 Two-thirds Vote
Motions
Main Motions
Privileged Motions
Subsidiary Motions
Incidental Motions
Unclassified Motions
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
Seconding a Motion
Seconding a motion  Shows support by other members
 Puts the motion to a vote
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
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
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
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
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
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
Final Thoughts…
 Don’t 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
you’ll use on a regular basis
 Educate members of your organization
about parliamentary guidelines
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?