The Basics of Parliamentary ProcedureJosh Martin, PRP

The New Editions

Parliamentary ProcedureIntended to keep meetings running smoothly

and efficiently.Based on protecting the rights of several

groups:MajorityMinorityIndividual MembersAbsentee Members

Most of the rules can be understood by remembering these basic principles.

General Practices and ProceduresProcedures

A member makes a motion which must be seconded by another member (with some exceptions).

The motion is stated by the chair and the floor is open to debate (when the motion is debatable).

The chair puts the motion to a vote, and the motion is either adopted or lost.

Other motions may be made which take precedence over the original motion – these must be dealt with first.

FormalitiesAvoid referring to members by name and be

respectful.All questions are guided through the chair.Chair speaks in the third person.

Other Rules of Debate and VotingDebate

Two speeches of ten minutes each on each motion.Must be germane to the immediately pending

motion.Must not attack the motives of another member.May not speak on a prior action not pending.May not speak against own motion.May not read from papers without permission.

VotingAlways round up to the next whole number.Majority vote – more than half.Abstentions generally do not affect the result.

Types of MotionsMain Motion – Brings business before the assembly.Subsidiary Motions – Affects the pending motion.

Amend, Postpone, etc.Privileged Motions – Motions of special importance.

Adjourn, Recess, etc.Incidental Motions – Relates to specific instances.

Point of Order, Suspend the Rules, etc.Motions that Bring a Question Again Before the

AssemblyReconsider, Rescind, etc.

The Main MotionThe most basic type of motion.Brings business before the assembly.Can be anything from spending money to taking a

stance on an issue.Debatable, majority vote required.Example: “Move to allocate $50 from the

Refreshments line item to buy pizza and pop for the Student Senate Retreat.”

Try to make main motions specific to avoid confusion. “Move to buy pizza and pop” leaves too many unanswered questions – how much money? Where is the money coming from? What is the pizza for?

Subsidiary MotionsAmend

Modifies the language of a motion in some way.Must be germane to the motion.Is debatable and amendable (amendments to

amendments are not amendable for everyone’s sanity). Not debatable if it is amending something undebatable. Majority vote.

Three main forms of amendment.Insert or AddStrikeStrike and Insert (Substitute)

Filling blanksUsed when there are many different proposals for a

variable, such as amounts of moneyProposals are taken and voted on in order until one

receives a majority vote (or you can vote by ballot)

Commit or ReferSends the motion to a committee to report

back at a later meeting.Can be a standing committee (called for in

the Constitution or Bylaws) or a special/ad-hoc committee (created for a specific purpose)

Useful when you need a small group to study a complex issue.

Debatable, amendable, majority vote.

Postpone DefinitelyPostpones the motion to the next meeting or

to a specific time later in the same meeting Cannot be postponed to the next meeting if

it’s more than a quarterly interval away, or beyond the next meeting

Cannot postpone a motion if it would effectively kill it

Useful if you need more time to think about an issue

Amendable and debatable, majority vote

MSUSA Robert’s RulesAll motions require a 2/3

vote of the members present.

A speaker announces the votes for an entire delegation.

A motion must be seconded by a delegate from a different campus.

Most motions require a majority vote of the members present and voting.

Each member votes individually.

A motion may be seconded by any member.

Questions?