Name __________________________

Exploratory Business Practices

Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised

Parliamentary Procedure Packet

"Using Parliamentary Procedure." Southern Region Program Leadership Network. 9 Sep 2006
<http://srpln.msstate.edu/seal/03curriculum/organizing/pp/lesson.htm>.
 BACKGROUND
What is Parliamentary Procedure?
It is a set of rules for conducting a meeting that allows everyone to be heard and operates under four basic
principles:
Justice and courtesy for all.
One thing at a time.
The rule of the majority.
The rights of the minority.
Parliamentary Procedure provides the group with a structured, logical, consistent format under which to make
decisions and therefore should be used to help groups achieve their goals and objectives through a democratic
process.
Why is Parliamentary Procedure Important?
It is important that every group has certain basic operating rules. Parliamentary Procedure is a time tested
method that insures the smooth functioning of business at meetings and public gatherings, and it can be adapted
to fit the needs of any organization.
Historically
Although parliamentary procedure is centuries old, Thomas Jefferson wrote the first manual for America. Today,
Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised is the basic handbook of operation for most clubs, organizations and
other groups.
Important Point
How you apply the rules of Parliamentary Procedure is entirely up to your membership. Large groups (state
legislatures, county commissions, etc.) are better suited to Parliamentary Procedure in the strictest sense as they
simply require a greater variety of rules of order. Smaller groups (Extension Advisory Committees,
subcommittees, etc.) may be more flexible in their application of Parliamentary Procedure perhaps using only
such procedures as nomination and election procedures, making a motion, amending a motion, tabling a motion,
referring to a committee, point of order, adjourning, etc. Use what works for your organization for a smooth
flowing meeting, but remember, if a procedural problem arises, there is a rule of order to address it!

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 Responsibilities of the Chair

1. Start meeting on time

2. Ensure quorum (Number of members entitled to vote who must be present in

order to conduct business. Often a simple majority.)

3. Review agenda

4. Keep discussion focused

5. Encourage participation

6. Help group come to decisions

7. Summarize decisions

8. Agree on action plans

9. Draft next meetings agenda

10. Evaluate Meeting

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 Robert's Rules' Basic Agenda
Robert gives us an order of business but doesn't mandate any particular agenda. However, he does give us an agenda
protocol that has been so widely used that it's almost universally accepted as a fundamental meeting plan. Not everything
in the agenda shown here is necessary in every situation, and your agenda may even need to be more extensive and
detailed.

Call to order

When the time comes, start the meeting on time. A single rap of the gavel at the appointed hour and the declaration, "The
meeting will come to order" is sufficient. You can't finish on time if you don't start on time, and everybody knows when the
meeting starts. A good chairman is known for starting meetings on time and will always be respected for doing so.

Opening ceremonies

Your group may customarily open meetings with an invocation and a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

Roll call

If your group is a public body, or if you have a rule that certain officers must be in attendance before the meeting can
proceed, this is the time to call the roll. But if you don't have a rule requiring it, you shouldn't waste your time on this item.

Standard order of business (Move to approve the current meetings agenda, Move to approve last
meetings minutes after they are read, Old Business, New Business, Committee Reports)

Everything on the agenda outside of the standard order of business is really just ancillary to the meeting. All the business
really begins with the approval of the minutes, and ends when you're finished with any new business.

Announcements

This portion of the basic agenda sets aside time for officers (and members, when appropriate) to make announcements.
However, the fact that this is an agenda item does not prevent the chair from making an emergency announcement at any
time.

Adjourn

This part of the agenda marks the end of the meeting — time to go home. But don't leave until the chair declares the
meeting adjourned.

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 5 Classifications of Motions
(Refer to page 4 of Using Parliamentary Procedure by Cheek, et al.)

1. Privileged Motions - while not relating to the immediate question, privileged motions are of such
importance they take priority over all other business, and therefore are not debatable.
Types of Privileged Motions:
Fix the Time to Adjourn (if another question is pending)
Adjourn (if unqualified)
Take a Recess (if another question is pending)
Raise a Question of Privilege
Call for Orders of the Day

2. Incidental Motions- arise from the immediate question, also take priority over, and must be decided on
before returning to the question from which they arose.
Types of Incidental Motions:
Questions of Order and Appeal
Suspension of the Rules
Objection to the Consideration of a Question
Division of a Question
Division of the Assembly

3. Unclassified Motions- are motions that do not fall into any category.
Types of Unclassified Motions:
Take from the Table
Reconsider
Rescind

4. Subsidiary Motions- are motions that are applied for the purpose of moving business along. By using
a subsidiary motion the original motion may be modified, or action postponed, or it may be referred to
committee to investigate and report, etc. Subsidiary motions may be applied to any main motion, and
when made they supersede the main motion and must be decided before the main motion can be acted
upon.
Types of Subsidiary Motions:
Lay on the Table
The Previous Question (ends debate on a motion)
Limit or Extend Limits of Debate
Postpone Definitely, or to a Certain Time
Commit or Refer, or Recommit
Amend
Postpone Indefinitely

5. Main Motion- is a motion made to bring before the group any particular subject for consideration. It
takes priority over nothing, that is, it cannot be made when any other question is before the group. It
yields to all Privileged, Incidental, and Subsidiary Motions.

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 Steps in Making a
Main Motion
(Refer to page 2 of Using Parliamentary Procedure by Cheek, et al.)

Every motion should follow the following 6 steps:

STEP 1. A member is recognized by the Chair and makes a motion; must use words "I MOVE
TO MAKE A MOTION"
Common Mistakes: Members do not wait to be recognized or begin to discuss their motion before making a
motion! In formal settings, members often forget to stand up.

STEP 2. Another member seconds the motion; must use the words "I second the motion" or
simply “Second”
Common Mistakes: Do not wait to be recognized by the Chair before saying “Second”, when making a second
you need not stand.

STEP 3. Without rewording, the Chair restates the motion to the assembly; "it has been moved
and seconded that we..."
Common Mistake: Motion is restated differently from the wording of the maker!

STEP 4. The Chair asks for discussion and the members debate the motion; discuss in favor and
against the motion
Common Mistakes: Debate gets out of control in temper, in duration, in relevance!

STEP 5. Chair asks for the affirmative votes & then the negative votes;
Common Mistakes: The Chair states 'All in favor' and fails to tell the members what to do (for example, 'say
aye', 'stand up', 'raise your hand', etc.), or the negative vote is never requested or counted, Chair uses voice vote
and says all in favor say "aye" all opposed like sign.

STEP 6. The Chair announces the result of the voting.

Common Mistake: Presiding officer fails to pronounce the result of the voting! Remember, if a voice vote is
used and you feel the group could not determine the outcome (i.e., yeas and nays are similar in quantity) you
can call for hand count by saying “Division of the Assembly” or “Divide”
SOME SPECIFIC RULES FOR DEBATE FOUND IN ROBERT'S RULES:

A. A member must obtain the floor and be recognized by the chair before beginning to
speak. (courtesy)
B. A member can speak twice to the motion but only the second time after everyone who
wishes to speak the first time has spoken. (justice and equality)
C. Each member can speak for a certain amount of time unless the assembly has rules that
state differently. (equality)
D. Debate must be germane to the motion.
E. Speakers must address all remarks to the chair.
F. Speakers must be courteous and never attack other members or make illusion to the
motives of members. In controversial issues keep discussion focused on the ideas not
personalities.
G. Speakers refer to officers by title, and should avoid mentioning other members names
as much as possible. (impartiliaty) 6
H. The member who makes the motion can not speak against his own motion but can vote
against his motion. However, the person who seconds the motion can speak against
the motion.
 How to Amend a Motion
(Refer to page 5 of “Using Parliamentary Procedure” by Cheek, et al.)

The Purpose of an amendment is to change the words or meaning of the original motion. You
must vote to pass the amendment.

Amendments can be made in 5 ways:

 Adding Words
I move to amend the motion by adding the date "May 15th" after cookout.

 Striking Words
I move to amend the motion by striking the word "new" in front of tractor.

 Striking and Inserting Words

I move to amend the motion by striking the number "5" and inserting the number "10".

 Substituting or Replacing
This is to substitute by paragraph.

 Dividing the Motion into Two or more Separate Motions

I move to amend the motion by dividing the motion into "we hold a fundraiser" and we "landscape the park as a service project".

Common Mistakes: Don't forget to vote on the amendment to the motion, and if it passes then vote on the
motion as amended.

The motion can be amended as many times as the group desires, however, only two amendments can be on the
floor at a given time and they must be related.

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Table of Common Motions in Parliamentary Procedure
May you Can it be
Needs Amend- Vote
MOTION WHAT YOU SAY interrupt Debatable? recon-
second? able? needed?
speaker? sidered?
Adjourn the meeting "I move that we adjourn." no yes no no majority no
Call an intermission "I move that we recess for..." no yes no yes majority no
Complain about heat, noise, etc. "I rise to a question of privilege." yes no no no no vote no, usually
Suspend consideration of something "I move to table the motion" no yes no no majority no
End debate and amendments
"I move the previous question" no yes no no 2/3 no
(move to a vote)
"I move to postpone discussion
Postpone discussion for a certain time no yes yes yes majority yes
until..."
"I move to refer the matter to
Refer matter to committee for study no yes yes yes majority yes
committee"
none if
friendly,
Amend a motion "I move to amend the motion by..." no yes yes yes yes
majority if
not
Introduce business "I move that..." no yes yes yes majority yes
THE ABOVE MOTIONS ARE TAKEN IN ORDER. BELOW, THERE IS NO ORDER .

Protest breach of rules or conduct "I rise to a point of order" yes no no no no vote no
Vote on a ruling from the chair "I appeal the chair's decision" yes yes yes no majority yes
"I move to suspend the rules so
Suspend the rules temporarily no yes no no 2/3 no
that..."
Avoid consideration of an improper "I object to consideration of this
yes no no no 2/3 -
matter motion"
Verify a voice vote by a rising vote "I call for a division" or "Divide!" yes no no no no vote no
Request information "Point of information" yes no no no no vote no
Take up a matter previously tabled "I move to take from the table..." no yes no no majority no
Reconsider a hasty action "I move to reconsider the vote on..." yes yes - no majority no

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 IMPORTANT POINTS OF
PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE
(Refer to page 12 of “Using Parliamentary Procedure” by Cheek, et al.)

 Parliamentary procedure is a code of ethics for individuals to follow as they conduct business in groups, especially large
groups.
 Parliamentary procedure is based on democratic principles and majority rule.
 These are the steps in presenting and disposing of a motion: the member's rising and addressing the chair; recognition by the
chair; presentation of the motion; seconding of the motion; statement of the question by the chair; debate; call for the vote;
and announcement of the results of the vote.
 There are five methods of voting: rising or show of hands; voice; roll call; general consent; and ballot.
 The chair can vote when the vote is by ballot and in any case where the vote of the chair will change the results.
 A majority vote is the most common type of vote. A majority is one more than half the votes cast.
 Some motions are of higher rank than others. This ranking of importance is called "precedence." Motions are classified into
five groups based on precedence: privileged, incidental, subsidiary, unclassified, and main.
 Privileged motions do not relate to the pending question but take precedence over all other questions because they are of
immediate importance. Privileged motions include adjourn, recess, question of privilege, and call for the orders of the day.
 Incidental motions arise out of another question that is pending on the floor. Therefore, they take precedence over and must
be decided on before the question or motion out of which they arise. Incidental motions include appeal from the decision of
the chair, point of order, parliamentary inquiry, suspend the rules, withdraw a motion, object to the consideration of a
question, division of the question, and division of the group.
 Subsidiary motions are applied to other motions for the purpose of disposing of them. The following subsidiary motions are
arranged in the order of their precedence (the first one having the highest ranking): lay on the table, previous question,
postpone definitely, refer to a committee, amend, and postpone indefinitely.
 Unclassified motions are motions that cannot be classified. In order of precedence, they are take from the table, reconsider,
and rescind (cancel).
 Main motions bring items of business before the group for its consideration and action. Of the five classes of motions, the
main motion ranks lowest in precedence, because it cannot be voted on until all other motions have been voted on and
disposed of.
 Only one main motion may be on the floor at a time.
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