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Parliamentary Procedure
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Why?
• Parli Pro is used in most business, board
meetings, organizations, churches, city
councils, county commission, chambers of
commerce, state and national legislatures, and
much more.
• Students need to know how to defend
themselves.
• To properly run your chapter, allow students to
be active in business matters such as
educational trips, program of work, large
purchases, fundraising ideas, etc.
• To learn how to debate
• No one else is teaching it!
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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
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• Terms
– Quorum
» Minimum number of members that must be present at a
meeting for legal business to be transacted
» Normally, 1/2 of members in a club plus 1, however,
bylaws, charters, constitution may set a different
number.
– 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 Chair
– 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
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Ways to Vote
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Voice Vote (most common)
Rising Vote
Show of Hands
Roll Call
Secret Ballot
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Types of Motions
• IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE AND RANK
• Privileged-Special matters of immediate
importance not related to pending business.
• Subsidiary-assists in treating or disposing of a
main motion
• Main Motions-brings business before the
assembly
• Incidental Motions-related to the parliamentary
situation in such a way that it must be decided
before business proceeds.
• Motions that bring a motion before assembly
again
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Privileged
• Privileged
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Fix Time which to adjourn
Adjourn
Recess
Question of Privilege
Call for the orders of the Day
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Fix time to adjourn/reassemble
• Purpose
– To arrange time for next meeting
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Needs a Second
Amendable
Debatable
Majority Vote
Can interrupt a speaker
Proper example
– Mr President, I move that when we adjourn, we reassemble
on October 3rd at 3:00 pm in the school cafeteria.
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Adjourn
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Immediately end a meeting.
Second Required
Not Debatable
Not Amendable
Majority Vote Required
Can’t be reconsidered
Proper Example:
– Mr President, I move to adjourn.
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Recess
• Purpose
– This allows for a short break in the meeting (normally so a
motion can be discussed in private)
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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.
Question of Privilege
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• 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.
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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, It is hot in here, may we turn on the
air conditioner.
– President announces decision
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Orders of the Day
• Purpose
– This motion forces the group to return to the set agenda,
without finishing the current business.
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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 : 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.
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Subsidiary Motions
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Lay on the Table
Previous Question
Limit or extend debate time limits
Postpone definitely
Refer to committee
Amend
Postpone indefinitely
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To lay on the table
• Purpose
– To defer action on the motion until later in the meeting or
until the next meeting Used for more important pressing
business. Must be brought from table by close of next
meeting or motion dies.
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Requires a second
Not amendable
Not debatable
Majority Vote
Can not interrupt another speaker
Proper example:
– Mr. Chair, I move to lay this motion on the table
Previous Question
• Purpose
– To force an immediate Vote on the motion
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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
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Limit or extend debate time limits
• 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.
Postpone definitely
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• Purpose
– allow for the motion on the floor to be deferred to a different
day, meeting, or until after a certain event
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Requires a second
Amendable
Debatable
Majority Vote
Can interrupt a speaker
Proper example:
– Madam Chair, I move to postpone this motion until the
December Regular Meeting.
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Refer or Refer to committee
• Purpose
– used to send a pending question to a small group so that
the question may be carefully investigated
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Either standing or special committee
Must specify committee powers
Requires a Second
Amendable
Debatable
Majority Vote
Proper example:
– Madam Chair, I move that we refer this motion to the
Leadership Committee to report back to the assembly.
– Or. Mr. Chair, I move to refer this motion to a committee of 3
appointed by the chair with the power to act.
Postpone indefinitely
• Purpose
– To kill a main motion
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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
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Main Motions
• Used to introduce ideas to the group
• Must be stated in the form
– I Move that
– I Move to
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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
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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 chapter business
competition this year.
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Effective Debate
• The purpose of debate is to persuade the assembly to
vote in a certain way.
• Beginning Statement
• How do you feel about the motion? Do you want it to be
adopted? How do you want people to vote?
• Example: This motion is an asinine idea!
• Middle Statement
• Present Sound logical evidence to back up your
beginning statement.
• Effective debate should have complete thoughts, logical
reasoning, and conviction of theory
• Example: SkillsUSA can not afford JLDC this year. We
only have $500 in our account right now. Furthermore we
need a new plasma cutter that could benefit everyone in
the Department.
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Effective Debate
• Ending Statement
• Reinforce your statement and how you want
people to vote.
• Example: So for these reasons I beg you to vote
against the horrible motion.
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Steps to handling a Main Motion
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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
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Amendments
• Purpose
– Used to modify a main motion
• Must be germane
– Closely related to the original topic
• Can be amended in 4 ways
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Inserting in middle
Adding to end
Striking Out
Striking out and inserting
Requires a second
Amendable
Debatable
Majority Vote
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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 we attend state conference.
– Amendment: Mr. Chair, I move to amend the motion by
inserting “and national” after state so the motion would read
that we attend state and national conference
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Incidental Motions
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Appeal
Division of the Assembly
Division of a question
Object to consideration
Parliamentary Inquiry
Point of Order
Suspend the rules
Appeal
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• Purpose
– To reverse the decision of the chairman, after they have
made an error.
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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.”
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Division of the assembly
• Purpose
– When called, this forces a immediate revote by hand
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Does not require a second
Not amendable
Not debatable
No vote needed
Can interrupt another speaker
Must be called after decision is announced by
chair
• 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”
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Division of a Motion
• 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
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Division of a Motion Continued
• Proper example
– Motion on the floor, I move that we attend State and National
Conferences.
– Madam President, I move to divide this motion into two
motions; The first stating the we attend state conference
and the second that we go to national conference.
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Object to the Consideration
• Purpose
– Used when a member thinks that the activity or action of the
group is not appropriate.
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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.
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Parliamentary inquiry
• Purpose- To get clarification on parliamentary
procedure.
• May interrupt another speaker.
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Example:
Member: Parliamentary inquiry
Chair: State your Question
Member: What is the vote required to limit
debate?
• Chair: 2/3rd vote because it limits the rights of
members.
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Point of Order
• Purpose
– Used when a member thinks that the rules of the group or
the rules of parliamentary procedure are being violated.
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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”
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Suspend the Rules
• Purpose
– allows the chapter to break the rules of parliamentary
procedure, or the current constitution for a short period of
time.
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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.
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Motions that bring back a motion
before the assembly again
• Reconsider
• Rescind
• Take from the Table
Reconsider
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• Purpose
– to reevaluate a failing decision that was made earlier
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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.
Reconsider Continued
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• Handled after the current business if:
– discussion on refer to committee, or postponement has
started.
• Motions that can be reconsidered
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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 attend
JLDC.
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Recind
• Purpose
– To REPEAL PREVIOUS ACTION THAT PASSED
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Requires a Second
Debatable
Amendable
2/3 majority vote
Can not interrupt another speaker
Proper Example
– Madam President, I move that we recind the motion to tour
Austal Shipyard.
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To take from the table
• Purpose
– To take a motion that is on the table off of the table.
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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 attend State
Conference from the table.
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Withdraw a motion
• To take a motion from the table. Must be done
by person making motion. Must be seconded.
• Example: I move to withdraw the motion.
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We will now carry out a motion
using correct parliamentary
procedure.
Trail Mix
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Would you be interested in this
competition?
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• Main Motion: I move that our SkillsUSA donate
$500 to the local habitat for humanity project.
• Chair 1: Fixed time which to adjourn
• Chair 2: Recess
• Chair 3: Lay on the Table
• Chair 4: Main Motion
• Chair 5: Question of privilege (Cold, may we
turn off air conditioner?)