Parliamentary Procedure

1. Parliamentary Procedure • 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

2. 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

3. Main Motions • Used to introduce ideas to the group • Must be stated in the form • I Move that • I Move to • 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

4. Main Motions Continued • 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 crops judging this year.

5. Steps to handling a Main Motion • 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

6. Postpone Indefinitely • 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

7. Amendments • 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

8. Amendments continued • 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.

9. Amendment to an Amendment • 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.

10. Refer to Committee • 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 • Number of members can be 3 or more

11. Refer to Committee Continued • Can 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

12. Postpone Definitely • 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.

13. Limit or Extend Debate • 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

14. Limit / Extend Debate Continued • 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.

15. Previous Question • 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

16. To lay on the table • 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

17. To take from the table • 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.

18. 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.

19. Reconsider Continued • 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.

20. Recind • 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.

21. Suspend the Rules • 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.

22. Modify or Withdraw • 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.

23. Modify or Withdraw con’t • 1) President must if anyone objects to the maker withdrawing the motion • if someone objects • must be seconded, and passed with majority vote • 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.

24. Divide a Motion • 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

25. Divide a Motion Con’t • 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.

26. Object to the Consideration • 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.

27. Division of the house • 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”

28. Point of Order • 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 taken”

29. Appeal • 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.”

30. Orders of the Day • 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, same sign.

31. Question of Privilege • 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.

32. Recess • 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.

33. Adjourn • 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.

34. Fix time to Reassemble • 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.