Transcript Parliamentary Procedure - West Virginia University

Parliamentary Procedure
What is the Purpose of Parliamentary
Procedure
• Extends courtesy to everyone
– Equal privileges, rights and responsibilities
• Ensures the rights of the minority
• Ensures the rule of the majority
– Majority rule guides the action of democratic organizations
• Complete one item at a time
Use of Gavel (Not always used)
 One tap means three things:
◦ Sit down
◦ Announcement of a vote/Completion of a business item
◦ Adjournment or Recess
 Two taps calls the meeting to order
 Three taps stand in unison/together
 Series of taps restores order
Use of Gavel
You Try!!
Obtaining Recognition from the Chair
 Getting recognition to speak
 The chair controls who has the right to speak
 Stand and say “Mr./Madame Chair” and wait to be
recognized
◦ If the President is presiding then say “Mr./Madame
President”
◦ If Vice President is presiding say “Mr./Madame
Chairperson”
 Only one person can speak at a time or have
control of the floor
Possession of the Floor
• Chair has control of floor except when he/she
gives it to someone else
Recognizing Members
• Chair picks: Member who stands first
– If more than one member requests recognition at
the same time:
• Call on the one who made the motion
– Has the right to debate the motion first, even if he/she may
not have risen and addressed the chair first (Preference in
Recognition)
• Call on the one who hasn’t spoken yet
• Try to give both sides of an issue equal opportunity
You Try
• Select a Chairperson (rotate so that several
people get to be chair)
– Have the group rise to their feet and say Mr./
Madame Chair
– Let the chair person have practice selecting the
first person to stand.
Main Motion
• Purpose – Introduce new business
• Pertinent Facts
–
–
–
–
–
–
Can Interrupt a Speaker – No
Second Required – Yes
Debatable - Yes
Amendable - Yes
Vote Required - Majority
Can be Reconsidered – Yes
Main Motion Cont
• Point of Information
– Used to simply state and item or information.
– Neither a vote nor discussion is had for a point of
information.
– It is good practice for the chair to restrict
conversation about a point of information and
simply say: “All questions or comments can be
directed to XYZ committee or John Doe after the
meeting is adjourned”
Main Motion cont.
• 1) Introduce the Motion
– “I move to…” or “I move that..”
• 2) Seconding the Motion
– Makes sure the main motion has the support of at least
two members
– In a small informal group just yell out second
– In a large formal group get recognized and say “I
second the motion…”
– If it doesn’t receive a second, main motion fails/dies
Main Motion cont.
• 3) Stating the Question
– Chair should restate the question as it was moved by the
member.
• 4) Discussing/Debating the Motion
– Purpose
• Gives individual the opportunity to persuade the group
– To begin discussion the chair asks, “Is there any
debate/discussion?”
– Debate must be germane: remain on topic. You are out of
order of you start talking about something else.
Main Motion cont.
• 4) Discussing/Debating the Motion cont.
– Members may not disturb the demonstration by
inappropriate distractions.
– No member can debate more than twice on the same
motion. (Without permission from the chair)
– No member may have a second turn in debate until all
members who desire it have a first turn.
– The time limit for each speech is ten minutes
– All remarks must be addressed to and through the chair
Main Motion cont.
• 4) Discussing/Debating the Motion cont.
– The item, not the person, is the subject of debate.
– Its not good practice for members to speak against their
own motions; however they may vote against them.
– The chair must refrain from expressing personal opinions,
must be impartial at all times, and must relinquish the
chair in order to debate. The presiding officer takes back
the chair after the disposal of the pending motion.
Main Motion cont.
• 4) Discussing/Debating the Motion cont.
– The chair should not interrupt a person who has the floor
unless a rules violation occurs.
– The chair should not arbitrarily stop debate.
Main Motion cont.
• 4) Discussing/Debating the Motion cont.
― Debate should have a beginning, middle, and ending
statement.
• Beginning statement : How do you feel about the motion? Do you
want it adopted?
• Middle statement: Present sound, logical evidence to back up
your beginning statement.
• Ending statement: Reinforce your position. State how you want
your team members to vote.
Main Motion cont.
• 5) Vote/Voting
– Voice vote
• quickest, easiest, most common type of voting
– Standing, roll call, secret ballot
Main Motion cont.
– Simple Majority
• more than half cast (not counting the team members who do not
vote)
– Tie vote fails
• On the motion to Appeal, a majority or tie vote sustains the chair’s
decision.
– The chair can only vote:
• To make a tie
• To break a tie
– Team members can change their votes up to the
time the final results are announced, or after with
unanimous consent of the assembly
Main Motion cont.
• 6) Announce the Result of the Vote
– The chair should notify the members to be seated after a
standing vote.
– The chair should state which side has it (ayes or noes),
whether the motion is adopted or lost, the effect of the
vote, and the next item of business.
– The chair hits the gavel one time.
You Try
• Someone make a motion to make a Veggie
Pizza! With Peppers, onion, and mushrooms.
• Someone second the motion
• Have Discussion
• Vote on whether to have a Veggie Pizza or not
Amend
• Purpose
– Modifies or changes the wording of a pending motion
before action is taken
• Pertinent Facts
–
–
–
–
–
–
Can Interrupt a Speaker – No
Second Required – Yes
Debatable – Yes if motion is debatable
Amendable – Yes for Primary Amendment
Vote Required - Majority
Can be Reconsidered – Yes
Amend cont.
• Can only be made during discussion of the
original motion
• Must relate to main motion, cannot change
from a positive to a negative
• Once the amendment has been moved and
receives a second the chair should state, “If
the motion is adopted, the motion will read…..
Amend cont.
• Four ways to amend:
– Inserting words within a motion
– Adding words at the end of a motion
– Striking out words
– Striking out words and inserting words
You Try
• Make a motion to have beef stew after the meeting. Obtain a
Second
• To Ammend (change the motion during discussion)
– “I move to amend the current motion by striking the words
beef stew and inserting the words chicken noodle soup”
• This changes the type of soup that will be voted on.
– “I move to insert the word “next” after the word “the” and
before the word “meeting”
• This changes when you will have the soup.
• Now you must have a second for the amendment, discussion, and
finally vote on the amendment.
• Then you have to go back to the main motion have additional
discussion on the main motion and vote.
• This is an example… Make up some of your own motions
Commit or Refer to a Committee
• Purpose
– Places business in the hands of a committee
• Pertinent Facts
–
–
–
–
–
Can Interrupt a Speaker – No
Second Required – Yes
Debatable – Yes
Amendable - Yes
Vote Required - Majority
Commit or Refer to a Committee cont.
• Must be done before the motion is voted on
• Two types of committees:
– Standing: Permanent
– Ad Hoc: Temporary
Commit or Refer to a Committee cont.
– Ad Hoc: Temporary cont.
• When referring to an ad hoc committee be sure to
include at a minimum the size of the committee and
the method of appointment. It may also include when
the committee should report and if it should be given
“full power” to act for the Chapter.
• The first member named to a special committee is
automatically the chair.
You Try
• Make a motion to do whatever you want!
– Get a second and allow for discussion
– During discussion make a motion to refer to a
committee.
• “I move that the pending motion be referred to the
whatever committee with the power to act as the
club.”
– It is important to designate what power the committee
has because the club can vote to give them power to make
what ever decision they think is right or to bring their
recommendation back before the group.
Adjournment
Purpose
◦ To end the meeting in an orderly manner
Two types of adjournment
◦ 1) Unqualified
 Pertinent Facts






Can Interrupt a Speaker – No
Second Required – Yes
Debatable – No
Amendable - No
Vote Required - Majority
Can be Reconsidered – No
Adjournment - Unqualified
• Does not specify a time (adjourn
immediately if it passes)
• Can be done at anytime except when you’re
voting
• Can be made and voted on even if there is
not a quorum
• “I move to adjourn”
Adjournment - Qualified
• 2) Qualified
• Sets a time to adjourn or a time to start the next
meeting
• Can only be moved if nothing else is on the floor
You Try
• “I move to adjourn the meeting.”
• Get a second, and vote.
• If the motion passes then the meeting is adjourned
immediately.
• “I move to adjourn the meeting at 4:30pm”
• Get a second and vote. No Discussion or amendments
for adjournment
References
• Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, 11th
ed. (Da Capo Press, 2011)
• Dunbar, Shane. Dunbar’s Parliamentary
Procedure Competitive Event Handbook