Parliamentary Procedure:
Introduction
Lesson One
General History of
Parliamentary Procedure
• Parliamentary Procedure arose from
the early days of English
Parliamentary Law.
• Formalized by an individual named
General Henry M. Roberts a 19th
century US Army engineer.
Basic Principles of
Parliamentary Procedure
1. The right of the majority
to rule
2. The right of the minority
to be heard
3. The equal right of each
individual to be heard and
represented
• While parliamentary procedure cannot
guarantee that every member of an
organization is pleased with the outcome of
a decision, it aims to ensure that every
member is satisfied by the manner in
which the decision was made, and that the
organization makes decisions efficiently
but with consideration for every member’s
opinion
Meaning of Simple Majority
• This means 51% or more – the
rule of simple majority
• Since the primary objective is to
determine what the majority wants
to carry out that want, a simple
majority must be used.
At each meeting, have:
 Bylaws (the specific
rules that govern an
organization, written
by the members)
 parliamentary
authority (reference
guide for how to
conduct a meeting)
At each meeting, have:
 list of all standing
and special
committees* and
their members
 order of business
(agenda)
*Standing committee – a
committee that works all
year long (example:
financial, membership)
*special committees - a
committee that works for
a specific time on a
special project (example:
Christmas party)
AGENDA
Order of business
Standard Order of
Business
Minutes
 Reports of officers, boards and standing

committees
Special committee reports
 Special orders
 Unfinished business
 New business

Usual Agenda Includes:
1. Call to order (Chair)
2. Taking roll
(Secretary)
3. Reading minutes of
previous meeting
4. Treasurer’s report
5. Report of officers
6. Standing committee
reports
Usual Agenda Includes (cont):
7. Special committee
reports
8. Unfinished business
9. New business
10. Program (Optional)
11. Adjournment
*Note: Agenda is decided in
advance of the meeting
by the Chair.
CONVENE MEETING
Convene is to cause to come
together
Establish a Quorum
A Quorum is the minimum number of
members who must be present to conduct
business. Each club sets their own
quorum.
 Attendance Sign-In
 Have Secretary take Roll as members
arrive
 Roll call
Call to Order

On time

One rap of gavel

“The meeting will come
to order.”
Opening Ceremonies
(optional)




Invocation
Pledge of Allegiance
to the Flag of the
United States of
America
Inspiration
Welcome and
Introductions
Officers
• President, Chair, • Historian
Chairman,
• Parliamentarian
Presiding Officer • Sergeant at Arms
• Secretary
• Treasurer
President, Chair, or Chairman
• Decides the agenda
• Opens the meetings at the correct time
• Presides over the meetings
Vice President
• Presides over the meeting when the
president steps down to debate
Secretary
• Recording officer of the assembly. The record of
the meeting is call minutes. The minutes are
approved by the chairman.
Treasurer
• Disburses money on the authority of the
president
Parliamentarian
• Advisor to the president on procedural
matters
Sergeant at Arms
• Helps the presiding officer to maintain
order and unity at meetings
Rules of a Club
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Constitution – basic rules guiding a club
Name of the club
Purpose
Requirements of membership
Officers and how to elect
Time and place of meetings
Ways of changing anything by amendment