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Robert’s Rules of Order

Robert’s Rules of Order. Survival Tips on Parliamentary Procedures. Survival Tip #1.

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Robert’s Rules of Order

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  1. Robert’s Rules of Order Survival Tips on Parliamentary Procedures

  2. Survival Tip #1 The procedure in small boards of not more than about a dozen members present is relaxed a bit. The formalities necessary in order to transact business in a large assembly would hinder business in so small a body. – Robert’s Rules of Order, 10th Edition

  3. Survival Tip #2 We must learn to run a meeting without victimizing the audience; but more importantly, without being victimized by individuals who are armed with parliamentary procedure and a personal agenda. - California State Association of Parliamentarians

  4. Proper Procedure to a Motion…Before, During, After Before the Motion • Read those Bylaws • Meeting vs. Session • Unanimous Consent

  5. Before the MotionBest Advice…Read Your Bylaws • Parliamentary Procedure will be useless to you, unless you are familiar with your Organization’s Bylaws. • If you are familiar with the Bylaws, you will win half your battles merely because you will probably be the only person that has.

  6. Before the MotionMeeting vs. Session – typically misunderstood phrasing • ‘Regular Meeting’ - The periodic business meeting held on a weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis, as prescribed by Bylaws. • ‘Special Meeting’ - Being held at a time different from a regular meeting, and convened only to consider one or more items of business. Reason(s) for the meeting must be clearly stated in the call for a special meeting. • ‘Annual Meeting’ - Differs from a regular meeting in that at an annual meeting, Annual Reports from Officers and Election of Officers are in order. • ‘Executive Session’ is any meeting or portion of a meeting in which the proceedings are secret. • Members are honor-bound not to divulge what occurs, may be punished if they do. • Minutes are not necessary, but can only read/voted on in another executive session. They can be simply assumed to be approved. • A motion is required to go into executive session, requires a majority vote. • Only Board members, special invitees and staff may remain in the room.

  7. Before the MotionUnanimous Consent – “If there is no Objection…” • In cases where there seems to be no opposition in routine business; or on questions of little importance; and with a quorum; use Unanimous Consent. • The Chair introduces the order of business, stating, “If there is no objection, we will adopt a motion to..” If no objection is heard, then state, “Since there is no question, ...is adopted.” If someone objects, then the 6 steps of a properly made motion are in order. • Situations that clearly beg for the Unanimous Consent approach are: • Correct or approve Minutes. • Withdraw your own motion before its voted on. You may only withdraw your own motion if the assembly allows it. Unanimous consent allows it without another motion. • To suspend a rule on a matter clearly not controversial (and no Bylaw is violated) • To allow a speaker a few more minutes than the prescribed time In reality, as long as you have a quorum & don’t violate Bylaws, these five powerful words allow a chair to quickly accomplish just about anything.

  8. Proper Procedure to a Motion…Before, During, After During the Motion • 6 Steps to Every Motion • Presenting your Motion • What Precedes Debate • Modifying a Motion • Debating a Motion

  9. During the MotionSix Steps to Every Motion! • A member raises their hand, is recognized, and makes a motion. Common Mistake – Members don’t raise their hand, don’t wait to be recognized, and typically start to discuss their motion before completing steps 2, 3 and 4 below. • Another members seconds the motion. Common Mistake – The person seconding motion dives into merits of the motion. • Presiding officer restates motion (or secretary reads motion). Common Mistake - Motion is not restated, or restated differently from the wording of the maker. Beware, the motion that is adopted is the one that is stated by the presiding officer, not the one stated by the maker. Once minutes are approved, it finalizes the motion as written, regardless. • The members debate the motion. Common Mistake - Debate gets out of control in temper, duration & relevance. Members talk at each other rather than through the chair. ALL questions & comments are directed only to the chair. • Presiding officer asks for affirmative votes, then negative votes. Common Mistake - Presiding officer states ‘All in favor’ and fails to tell the members what to do as a matter of voting (e.g. ‘say aye’, ‘raise your hand’); or the negative vote is never requested or counted. • Presiding officer announces the result of voting; instructs the corresponding member to take action; introduces the next item. Common Mistake – Presiding officer fails to instruct action, doesn’t pronounce result of voting.

  10. During the MotionPresenting a Motion – Obtaining the Floor 1. Raise your hand…WAIT until the chairperson recognizes you. 2. Speak in a clear and concise manner – phrase your motion BEFORE stating it aloud 3. Always state a motion affirmatively. Say, “I move that we…” rather than “I move that we do not…”. 4. WAIT for someone to second your motion, and then for the chair to state your motion. 5. Once your motion is presented by the Chair, it is assembly property. You cannot modify it without their consent. 6. Assembly may debate your motion, or go directly to a vote.

  11. During the MotionPresenting a Motion – Debating & Voting on a Motion DEBATING ON A MOTION • If there is debate, the mover is always allowed to speak first. • All comments and debate must be directed only at the chairperson. • Keep comments to the established time limit. If there is no time limit established, RONR recommends no more than 3 minutes per speaker. • Each speaker should address the motion only once, unless there is time after all speakers have had an opportunity to make their comments. No one should speak more than twice. • The mover may NOT speak again until all other speakers are finished, unless called on. • The Presiding Officer should alternate comments for and against the motion – if everyone is for, or against the motion – then end debate and go directly to a vote. PUTTING THE QUESTION TO A VOTE • The Presiding Officer asks, “Are you ready to vote on the question?” • A move to Table, Postpone or Refer to Committee may be used here if the assembly not ready to vote. This can be easily accomplished with Unanimous Consent. PROVEN FACT - AFTER TWO HOURS, an assembly loses the capacity to be productive!

  12. During the MotionWhat Precedes Debate… • Debate is defined as any comments or questions regarding a motion – discussion on any other matters is not appropriate and can be ended with a call to ‘Point of Order’. • Before a subject can be debated, a motion must be made by a member who obtained the floor, was seconded, and re-stated by the chair. • For the brief interval between a motion being seconded and when the presiding officer restates the motion, the maker can make modifications or even withdraw his motion entirely. Members may informally offer modifying suggestions at this time, the maker may accept or reject them. • This can allow for a little informal consultation before the motion is finalized, and can save much time. The chair must see that this privilege is not abused and run into debate.

  13. During the MotionSimple Ways to Modify a Motion 1. After the chair has stated the motion, the maker may request unanimous consent from the members to modify the motion. 2. Sometimes the motion is so complex that the only way to deal with it is to urge its defeat, and offer to propose a simpler Substitute motion. 3. If a motion requires further study, the members may vote to Refer the Main Motion to a Committee.

  14. Proper Procedure to a Motion…Before, During, After After the Motion • Motions can be Finalized…but still not Final • Of Course...there’s Exceptions

  15. After the MotionYou would think, once a motion is adopted or voted down, the question would be settled. Well… No. • Move to Rescind (Repeal or Annul) Anyone, regardless of how he voted and without time limitations (but with previous notice), may move to annul, rescind or repeal a motion already adopted. However, if official notification to someone has been completed, a contract been signed, or a termination completed, this cannot be done. • Move to Amend Something Previously Adopted Even after the assembly long debated and heatedly amended a controversial motion, anyone with previous notice can later move to amend it some more…as long as a contract hasn’t been signed, etc. • Move to Reconsider the Vote on… If a member votes on the prevailing side, he may make this motion at the same meeting. Robert’s Rules of Order bases its parliamentary procedures on the potential of the majority to change its mind; the need to correct hasty and ill-advised actions, and for situations to change since voting.

  16. Exceptions to (almost) Every RuleOf Course…There are Exceptions. Some motions are so important, the maker can interrupt the speaker, doesn’t require a second and doesn’t even need to be recognized by the chair. • Point of Order If someone is disobeying Robert’s Rules of Order, you can state, ‘Point of Order’. Chair must immediately recognize you and hear your point. Chair then rules on it and the meeting continues. • Point of Information No one can take away your right to understand the process and potential consequences of the next vote. The Chair must immediately recognize you and address your question, or rule your question as being out of order. Then the meeting can continue. • Some motions may not be debated. Recess, Point of Order, Limit Debate, Suspend the Rules, Adjourn, Previous Question • Announcing the Result of Vote – No exceptions. The results of voting must always be announced!

  17. Totally Wrong Phrases • SO MOVED! This common statement means nothing. The actual motion must be stated to avoid any potential confusion. “So Moved!” is vague & pointless. • I MOVE TO TABLE! The motion is actually “Move to Lay on the Table”, and is meant only to temporarily interrupt the agenda, as to allow something special and urgent out of turn. It is not intended to postpone until the next meeting. There is “Move to Postpone until…”, and “Move to Postpone Indefinitely”. • CALL TO QUESTION! This is not a motion. It’s an impolite reminder. The chair should make sure everyone has an opportunity to speak, and keep it short. The chair should state that after one or two more speaker’s comments, the vote will be taken. The chair can specify time limits for speaking on an issue; specify only those with an opposing view can ask to speak. The actual motion, “I move the Previous Question” requires a second, and a 2/3rd vote.

  18. Motions to Remember

  19. References & ResourcesRobert’s Rules of Order, 10th Edition • www.roberts-rules.com Survival Tips for Robert’s Rules of Order • www.robertsrules.com Official Robert’s Rules of Order Website • www.robertsrules.org All revised and original versions of the Full Robert’s Rules of Order • http://miltonband.org/rulesord/contents.htm 300 page simplified Robert’s Rules of Order

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