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Parliamentary Procedures

Parliamentary Procedures at a Glance

Parliamentary Procedure-Its Purpose and Use
General Principles of Parliamentary Procedure
Parliamentary Terms
Etiquette
Transacting Business at a Meeting
Summary of Steps in Handling a Motion
Types of Motions-Definitions and Examples
Precedence of Motions
Tips on Parliamentary Procedure
Committees
Table of Motions

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE-ITS PURPOSE AND USE
These parliamentary procedures facilitate the Graduate Student Government's (GSG's) Assembly meetings by maintaining fair and efficient order. They are based on Robert's Rules of Order. The following abridged overview has been adopted from that of California State University Chico and can be found, in full, on the GSG website. Special thanks to the Student Activities Office for its permission to adapt them for the purposes of the University of Maryland's Graduate Student Government (GSG).
Parliamentary law is a system of maintaining order in organizations. It provides an approved and uniform method of conducting meetings in a fair, orderly, and expeditious manner.
Respect for law is a basic characteristic of democratic government. This respect is clearly shown by a willingness to practice an orderly method of procedure in organizations so as to follow the will of the majority, to protect the rights of the minority, and to protect the interests of those absent.
The use of parliamentary procedure in itself, however, does not insure that these ideals will be met. Everyone involved with an organization must also work to create an atmosphere of trust, mutual respect, and shared purpose.
GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE
Every member of an organization should be familiar with the following simple rules and customs:
1. All members have equal rights, privileges, and obligations; rules must be administered impartially.
2. The minority has rights which must be protected.
3. Full and free discussion of all motions, reports, and other items of business is a right of all members.
4. In doing business the simplest and most direct procedure should be used.
5. Logical precedence governs introduction and disposition of motions.
6. Only one question can be considered at a time.
7. Members may not make a motion or speak in debate until they have risen and been recognized by the chair and thus have obtained the floor.
PARLIAMENTARY TERMS
Addressing the Chair: Getting the chair's attention by the raising of a hand, and saying, for example, "Madam Chairwoman," "Mr. Chairman," "Madam President," or "Mr. Moderator;"
Agenda: Order of business; program of a business meeting;
Ad Hoc Committee: Committee established for a specific purpose, for a particular case;
Adjourn: To end a meeting;
Ballots: Slips of paper for voting;
Carried: Passed or adopted; used in referring to affirmative action on a motion;
Caucus: Private session in advance of a scheduled meeting;
Chair: the Chair, Chairman, Chairwoman: To preside over; the presiding officer;
Chairman/Chairwoman Pro Tem: Presiding officer for the time being;
Commit: To refer to a committee;
Convene: To open a session;
Division of the Assembly; a Division: A vote retaken for the purpose of verifying a voice vote or show of hands; a division may be ordered by the chair or by a single member;
Election by Acclamation: Election by unanimous consent; used when only one person has been nominated for an office;
Ex-officio: By right of office;
Germane: Closely related, relevant; amendments and debate must be germane to the question at hand;
Having the Floor: Having been recognized by the chair to speak;
Immediately Pending Question: The last motion stated by the chair;
In Order: Correct according to rules of parliamentary procedure;
Majority: More than half of the votes cast by persons legally entitled to vote, excluding abstentions;
Minutes: Written records of business transacted;
Nominate: To propose an individual for office;
Obtaining the Floor: Securing permission to speak;
Parliamentarian: Parliamentary adviser to the presiding officer;
Pending Question: A motion awaiting decision;
Plurality: In an election, the largest number of votes given a candidate when three or more candidates are running; a plurality that is not a majority never elects anyone to office except by virtue of a special rule previously adopted;
Precedence: Take Precedence: Priority in rank; to outrank;
Previous Question: Motion which, if adopted, orders an immediate vote;
Recess: A short intermission;
Recognize: To allow someone to obtain the floor in order to speak;
Rescind: To repeal, annul, cancel, or revoke formally;
Resolution: Motion used to express the sentiment of a group, usually beginning with the words "resolved that;..."
Rising Vote: A vote taken by having members stand;
Roll Call Vote: A procedure by which the vote of each member is formally recorded in the minutes;
Second: To indicate support for consideration of a motion by saying: "I second the motion;"
Unanimous (or General) Consent: A means of taking action on a motion without a formal vote. When a presiding officer perceives that there is little or no opposition to a motion before the assembly, business can often be expedited by the chair's simply calling for objections, if any. If no objection is heard, the motion is adopted; if even one member objects, the motion is brought to a formal vote by the usual procedure;
Voice Vote: A vote taken by having members call out "aye" or "no" at the chair's direction;
Yield: To give the floor to the chair, to another speaker, or to a motion taking precedence over that being considered.
Etiquette
1. One "makes a motion" or one "moves." One does not "motion."
2. Members must not attack or question the motives of other members. Customarily, all remarks are addressed to the presiding officer.
3. In voting, members have the right to know at all times what motion is before the assembly and what affirmative and negative votes mean.
4. Calls of "Question! Question!" by members from their seats are not motions for the previous question and are simply informal expressions of individual members' desires to proceed to a vote; these calls are disorderly if made while another member is speaking or seeking recognition.
TRANSACTING BUSINESS AT A MEETING
1. Quorum:
  1. A quorum is the minimum number of members who must be present at a meeting for business to be legally transacted.
  2. An organization, in its established rules, may define its own quorum.
  3. In the absence of such a provision, the quorum is a majority of the entire membership.
2. Obtaining the Floor:
  1. Before a member in an assembly can make a motion or speak in debate, he or she must obtain the floor; that is, the member must be recognized by the chair as having the exclusive right to be heard at that time.
  2. If two or more members rise to seek recognition at the same time, the member who rose and addressed the chair first after the floor was yielded is usually entitled to be recognized. A member cannot establish "prior claim" to the floor by rising before it has been yielded.
3. Introducing Business (Making Motions):
  1. Business may be introduced by an individual member or by a committee.
  2. Business is always introduced in the form of a motion.
4. Seconding a Motion:
  1. After a motion has been made, another member, without rising and obtaining the floor, may second the motion.
  2. A second merely implies that the seconder agrees that the motion should come before the assembly and not that he or she necessarily favors the motion.
  3. A motion made by a committee requires no second, since its introduction into the assembly has been approved by a majority of the committee.
  4. The purpose of a second is to prevent time from being consumed by the assembly having to dispose of a motion that only one person wants to see introduced.
5. Placing a Motion before the Assembly:
  1. After a motion has been made and seconded, the chair repeats the motion verbatim, thus placing it before the assembly for debate and action.
  2. During the brief interval between the making of a motion and the time when the chair places it before the assembly by restating it, the maker of a motion may modify or withdraw it simply by stating the intention to do so; after the motion has been restated by the chair, it is officially before the assembly and must be dealt with appropriately (e.g., adopted, rejected, postponed).
6. Debate:
  1. All discussion must be confined to the immediately pending question and to whether or not it should be adopted. All debate must be germane.
  2. While debate is in progress, amendments or other secondary motions can be introduced and disposed of accordingly.
  3. In an organization that has no special rule relating to the length of speeches, a member can speak no longer than 10 minutes unless he or she obtains the consent of the assembly; such permission can be given by unanimous consent or by means of a motion to extend debate. Likewise, debate may be curtailed by a motion to limit debate.
  4. No member may speak twice on the same motion at the same meeting as long as any other member who has not spoken on the motion desires to do so.
  5. During debate, no member can attack or question the motives of another member.
  6. The maker of a motion, although allowed to vote against it, is not allowed to speak against it under any circumstances.
7. Amendments:
  1. At any time, a person who has the floor can introduce an amendment to the main motion being debated.
  2. Once an amendment has been seconded it may be debated if the main motion being amended is debatable.
  3. Only two amendments (primary and secondary) may be pending on a main motion at any time.
  4. Discussion of an amendment must relate only to the amendment, unless the whole motion is involved by substitution. Once the amendment has been passed, defeated, or withdrawn, discussion reverts back to the main motion, taking into account whether or not the amendment passed.
  5. An amendment must be germane to the question under consideration.
  6. Complex or lengthy amendments can be written out for the presiding officer to be able to read back to the assembly.
  7. There are six ways to amend a motion:
    1. Add words, phrases, or sentences at the end of a motion;
    2. Insert words, phrases, or sentences;
    3. Strike words, phrases, or sentences;
    4. Strike and insert words, phrases, or sentences;
    5. Strike and add words, phrases, or sentences; and
    6. Amendment in the Form of a Substitute: Substitute whole paragraphs or an entire text.
8. Voting:
  1. Unless special rules apply, a majority decides. A majority is more than half of the votes cast by persons legally entitled to vote, excluding blank ballots or abstentions.
  2. Unless otherwise provided for, voting is by voice vote.
  3. The presiding officer can only vote to break a tie.
  4. A member has no right to explain his or her vote during voting since that would be the same as debate at such a time.
  5. Any member may request a division of the assembly if there is uncertainty as to the true result of the vote.
9. Adjournment:
  1. A motion to adjourn may be made by any member. It may be made during the consideration of other business, although it may not interrupt a speaker.
  2. A motion to adjourn is not in order when the assembly is engaged in voting or verifying a vote.
  3. If the motion to adjourn is voted down, it may be made again only after the disposition of some business.
  4. The motion to adjourn is out of order when the assembly is arranging for the time and place of the next meeting.
  5. When it appears that there is no further business to be brought before the assembly, the chair, instead of waiting for a motion, may simply adjourn the meeting.
SUMMARY OF STEPS IN HANDLING A MOTION
1. A member rises and addresses the presiding officer.
2. The presiding officer recognizes the member.
3. The member states the motion.
4. Another member seconds the motion.
5. The presiding officer restates the motion, thus placing it before the assembly for consideration.
6. The assembly may discuss the motion if it is debatable and amend the motion if it is amendable.
7. The presiding officer takes the vote.
8. The presiding officer announces the result.
TYPES OF MOTIONS-DEFINITIONS AND EXAMPLES
1. Privileged Motions: Motions which do not relate to the pending question but have to do with matters of such urgency or importance that, without debate, they are allowed to interrupt the consideration of anything else.
  1. Adjourn: Terminates the meeting: "I move that we adjourn."
  2. Recess: Permits a short intermission in a meeting: "I move that we recess for 10 minutes," or "…until 2:00," or "…until called to order by the chair."
  3. Raise a question of privilege: Permits a request or main motion relating to the rights and privileges of the assembly or any of its members to be brought up for immediate consideration because of its urgency: "I rise to a question of privilege affecting the assembly."
2. Subsidiary Motions: Motions which assist the assembly in treating or disposing of a main motion. They have the effect of hastening action upon, delaying action upon, or modifying the main motion.
  1. Table: Lays a pending question aside temporarily when something more urgent has arisen: "I move to lay the question on the table," or "I move that the motion be tabled."
    1. Only the person who makes the Motion to Table can move to take the item off the table and present it for consideration by the Assembly.
  2. Previous question: Ends debate and orders an immediate vote: "I move the previous question," or "I move we vote immediately on the motion."
    1. If a member of the assembly feels that further debate is unproductive, he/she may "call the question," requesting the debate be ended. If there is no objection, the meeting proceeds to the main motion. If there is objection, then the meeting must vote on whether to end debate. This vote requires a two-thirds (2/3) majority to pass, and is non-debatable. If the "call" passes, a vote on the main motion is immediately taken, without any further debate.
  3. Limit or extend debate: Modifies debate by limiting or extending the number or length of speeches: "I move that debate be limited to one speech of two minutes for each member," or "I move that the speaker's time be extended three minutes."
  4. Postpone to a certain time: Defers consideration to a definite day, meeting, or hour, or until after some particular event: "I move that the question be postponed until the next meeting," or "I move to postpone the motion until after the address by our guest speaker."
  5. Commit or Refer to a committee: Gives a motion more detailed attention or permits it to be handled in privacy: "I move to refer the matter to the Program Committee."
    1. This motion is generally used to send a pending question to a committee so that the questions may be carefully investigated. This motion must be seconded and is debatable, but the debate can only extend to the desirability of committing the main motion, not the substance of the motion itself.
  6. Amend: Modifies a main motion by inserting, adding, striking, striking and inserting, striking and adding, or substituting some specific language: "I move to amend by adding the words,…" or "by striking,…" or "I move to substitute for the pending motion the following:…"
3. Main Motion:
  A motion which brings business before the assembly and which can be made only while no other motion is pending: "I move we have a banquet."
4. Motions that Bring a Question Again Before the Assembly:
  Motions which bring up a previously considered question.
  1. Reconsider: Allows a question previously disposed of to come again before the assembly as if it had not previously been considered. The motion to reconsider can be made only by a member who voted on the prevailing side and only on the same day the original vote was taken. The motion is debatable only if the motion to be reconsidered is itself debatable: "I move to reconsider the vote on the motion relating to the annual banquet."
  2. Discharge a committee: Takes a matter out of a committee's hands and places it again before the assembly as a whole: "I move that the committee considering what band to hire for the benefit dance be discharged."
  3. Rescind a motion previously adopted: Voids a motion previously passed: "I move to rescind the motion passed at the last meeting relating to where we will go on the ski trip."
5. Incidental Motions:
  Motions which deal with questions of procedure and arise out of another pending motion or item of business. With the exception of the motion to appeal from the ruling of the chair, they are not debatable.
  1. Point of information: Inquires as to the facts affecting the business at hand and is directed to the chair or, through the chair, to a member. A point of information is a QUESTION. A member may interrupt the speaker to ask his/her question, but the speaker who has the floor has the privilege to refuse the question. The chair should ask the speaker if he/she wants to entertain a question at that time. A point of information is not an opportunity to bring forward information, jump the speakers' list, harass another speaker, or generally disrupt the proceedings.
    1. "I rise to a point of information," or "A point of information, please."
  2. Parliamentary inquiry: Requests the chair's opinion-not a ruling-on a matter of parliamentary procedure as it relates to the business at hand: "I rise to a parliamentary inquiry," or "A parliamentary inquiry, please."
  3. Division of the assembly: Calls for a verification when a member doubts the accuracy of a voice vote or show of hands: "Division!" or "I call for a division."
  4. Objection to consideration: Suppresses business that is undesirable or that might prove damaging to the organization: "Madam President, I object to the consideration of the question."
  5. Suspend the rules: Temporarily sets aside a rule to permit the assembly to take an action it could not otherwise take: "I move to suspend the rules which interfere with considering the motion to hold a get-acquainted happy hour for new members."
    1. A motion to suspend the rules must receive a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote, is not debatable, cannot be amended, and cannot be reconsidered at the same meeting.
    2. The motion to suspend the rules does not apply to rules set forth in a constitution, plan of organization, by-laws, or rules of a subsidiary organization. Amendments are required to circumvent the rules outlined in such documents or codified bodies of rules.
  6. Point of order: Challenges an error in procedure and requires a ruling by the chair: "I rise to a point of order," or "Point of order!"
  7. Appeal the ruling of the chair: Challenges a ruling of the chair. A majority vote sustains the ruling: "I appeal the decision of the chair."
PRECEDENCE OF MOTIONS
Since only one question may be considered at a time, the sequence in which motions may be taken up is fixed by parliamentary law.
1. The main motion is the basic motion and all other legitimate motions are taken up and acted upon before the main motion is finally disposed of. Any privileged motions introduced are of such urgency or importance that they must be promptly acted upon. Subsidiary and incidental motions which are introduced must be given priority so that the action finally taken on the main motion will accurately reflect the will of the assembly.
2. Motions that bring a question again before the assembly are similar in status to main motions in that they can be considered only when no other business is pending.
3. Privileged and subsidiary motions have the highest status and are arranged in an explicit order of precedence.
4. Privileged motions come first in the order of precedence and among themselves have the following ranking:
  1. Adjourn;
  2. Recess; and
  3. Raise a question of privilege
5. Subsidiary motions follow in the order of precedence and have the following ranking among themselves:
  1. Table or Postpone to a certain time;
  2. Previous question;
  3. Limit or extend debate;
  4. Refer to a committee;
  5. Amend; and
  6. Postpone indefinitely.
6. Incidental motions are not ranked in the formal order of precedence. Since they arise out of-are "incidental" to-some other pending question, the incidental motions are decided as they arise. An incidental motion would be out of order, however, if it were not legitimately related to the business at hand.
TIPS ON PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE
1. It is a general rule that no member should be present in the assembly when any matter relating to himself or herself is under consideration.
2. Abstentions do not count in tallying the vote; when members abstain, they are in effect only attending the meeting to aid in constituting a quorum.
3. Motions are out of order that present essentially the same question as a motion already considered at the same meeting.
4. All persons present at a meeting have an obligation to obey the legitimate orders of the presiding officer. Members, however, can appeal from the decision of the chair, move to suspend the rules, or move a reconsideration-depending on the circumstances of the chair's ruling. A member can make such an appeal or motion whether or not the order involved applies to him or her personally.
COMMITTEES
1. While committees are not necessarily limited as to membership, most committees are composed of from five to nine members. When the committee is small, formal parliamentary procedure is abandoned in doing the group's business. That is, during a committee meeting, a formal motion, a second, formal debate, and a vote are not necessary since decisions can often be reached quickly by unanimous consent. However, even in a committee meeting, if a subject is controversial and spirits rise, the chair may resort to using formal procedure in order to facilitate the committee's work.
2. Special Characteristics of an Informal Committee Meeting:
  1. The presiding officer participates as freely as any other member.
  2. Discussion is neither limited nor suppressed.
  3. Most decisions are made by consensus, though votes may be taken.
3. Types of Committees
  1. Standing committees are permanently established and may be composed of appointed, elected, or ex-officio members.
  2. Special committees or ad hoc committees are temporarily established for a special purpose or to complete a particular task. Members may be appointed, elected, designated to serve ex-officio, or named in the motion that creates the committee.
Table OF MOTIONS
Not all motions require recognition or a second. Not all motions are debatable or amendable. Some motions do not require a vote or permit reconsideration. The following table summaries the rules related to each of the types of motions defined in Part VII.

RULES GOVERNING THE CONSIDERATION OF MOTIONS

Name of Motion	Requires Recognition?	Requires a Second?	Debatable?	Amendable?	Vote Required?	May Be Reconsidered?
Privileged Motions¹:
Adjourn	Yes	Yes	No	No	Majority	No
Recess	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Majority	No
Raise a question of privilege	No	No	No	No	----	No
Subsidiary Motions¹:
Lay on the table	Yes	Yes	No	No	Majority	No
Previous question	Yes	Yes	No	No	2/3	Yes
Limit or extend debate	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	2/3	Yes
Postpone to a certain time	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Majority	Yes
Refer to a committee	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Majority	Yes
Amend	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Majority	Yes
Main Motions	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Majority	Yes

Motions that Bring a Question Again Before the Assembly:
Reconsider	No	Yes	Yes²	No	Majority	No
Discharge a committee	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Majority or 2/3³	Negative⁴
Rescind	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Majority or 2/3³	Negative⁴
Take from the table	Yes	Yes	No	No	Majority	No

Incidental Motions:
Point of information	No	No	No	No	----	No
Parliamentary inquiry	No	No	No	No	----	----
Division of the assembly	No	No	No	No	----	No
Objection to consideration	No	No	No	No	2/3	Negative⁴
Suspend the rules	No	No	No	No	2/3	No
Appeal the chair's ruling	No	Yes	Yes	No	Majority or tie	Yes
Point of order	No	No	No	No	----	No

Note 1: In order of precedence.
Note 2: The motion to reconsider is debatable only if the motion to be reconsidered is itself debatable.
Note 3: Requires either a simple majority (with prior notice), or a two-thirds vote, or a majority of the entire membership.
Note 4: 0nly a negative vote may be reconsidered.