NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF POSTMASTERS POSTMASTERS PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES
Jan 03, 2016
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF POSTMASTERSPOSTMASTERS
PARLIAMENTARY PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURESPROCEDURES
PARLIAMENTARY WORKSHOPPARLIAMENTARY WORKSHOP
National Association of Postmasters
8 Herbert Street
Alexandria VA 22305
703-683-9027
BASIC PRINCIPLESBASIC PRINCIPLES
• SOMEONE MUST MAINTAIN ORDER
• MEMBERS HAVE A RIGHT TO BRING UP IDEAS
• MEMBERS SHOULD DECIDE WHAT COURSE OF ACTION TO TAKE
• MAJORITY RULES
• PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF THE MINORITY
BASIC PRINCIPLES CONT.BASIC PRINCIPLES CONT.
• TAKES CARE OF BUSINESS IN AN EFFICIENT MANNER
• EVERYONE HAS A RIGHT TO SPEAK AND VOTE
• TAKES UP BUSINESS ONE ITEM AT A TIME
• PROMOTES COURTESY, JUSTICE AND IMPARTIALITY
PROMOTING COURTESYPROMOTING COURTESY
• MEMBERS ARE RECOGNIZED BY THE PRESIDING OFFICERS
• REFER TO OTHER MEMBERS & OFFICERS IN THE THIRD PERSON
• OFFICERS ARE REFERRED BY TITLE• ALL REMARKS ARE MADE THROUGH
THE CHAIR• ONLY MAJOR INFRACTIONS ARE
CORRECTED
CONDUCTING A MEETING CONDUCTING A MEETING WITHOUT ROBERT’S RULES?WITHOUT ROBERT’S RULES?
• NO ORDER
• NO RULES
• NO BUSINESS
WHO USES ROBERT’S RULES WHO USES ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER?OF ORDER?
• U.S. CONGRESS
• STATE LEGISLATURES
• SCHOOL BOARDS
• BOARD OF DIRECTORS
• FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS
• UNIONS
• PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
CHANGE!CHANGE!
• WE MUST CHANGE THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS!
• CHANGE MUST BE FROM THE TOP DOWN!
• WE ARE ALL CUSTOMERS!
STANDING RULES OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE CONVENTION/CHAPTERCONVENTION/CHAPTER
• CONDUCT
• DEBATE
• RULES OF ORDER
• 2/3 VOTE TO APPROVE
ORDER OF BUSINESSORDER OF BUSINESS
• THE AGENDA – ITEMS THAT WILL BE ADDRESSED IN THE MEETING
• THE ORDER OF BUSINESS MUST BE ADOPTED BY THE ASSEMBLY
• DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS MAY ESTABLISH ITS OWN STANDARD ORDER OF BUSINESS PURSUANT TO ITS BY LAWS
AGENDAAGENDA
• CALL TO ORDER• ROLL CALL• APPROVAL OF AGENDA• READING & APPROVAL OF MINUTES• OFFICERS’ REPORTS• COMMITTEE REPORTS• SPECIAL ORDERS• UNFINISHED BUSINESS• NEW BUSINESS• ADJOURNMENT
THE CHAIRTHE CHAIR
• RECOGNIZES SPEAKERS
• RENDERS DECISIONS
• KEEPS ORDER
• APPOINTS COMMITTEE CHAIRS
THE POWER OF ONE!THE POWER OF ONE!
• CALL FOR DIVISION
• POINT OF ORDER
• ORDER OF THE DAY
• SPEAK
• PERSONAL PRIVILEGE
• CALL FOR ADJOURNMENT
REPORT OF OFFICERSREPORT OF OFFICERS
• PRESIDENT/VICE PRESIDENT - A REPORT IS NOT REQUIRED AT EACH MEETING
• USUALLY FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY
• RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE REPORT SHOULD BE MADE FROM THE FLOOR
THE TREASURER’S REPORTTHE TREASURER’S REPORT
• BEGINNING BALANCE
• TOTAL RECEIPTS
• TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS
• ENDING BALANCE
• ALWAYS FILED WITH THE SECRETARY
• NEVER APPROVED OR ADOPTED BY THE ASSEMBLY
COMMITTEE REPORTCOMMITTEE REPORT
• SUBMITTED IN WRITING• SUBMITTED ORALLY ONLY IF IT IS BRIEF• RECOMMENDATIONS MUST BE
CONSIDERED AT THE END OF THE REPORT• EACH RECOMMENDATION MUST BE
CONSIDERED AS A SEPARATE MOTION• COMMITTEE OF MORE THAN ONE DOES
NOT REQUIRE A SECOND
OTHER ITEMSOTHER ITEMS
• PARLIAMENTARIAN• TELLERS’ REPORT• THE FIRST THREE CONVENTION REPORTS:
– CREDENTIALS– STANDING RULES – THE PROGRAM (AGENDA)
• DILATORY PRACTICES• UNANIMOUS CONSENT• AUDIT REPORT
MAKING A MOTIONMAKING A MOTION
• TO MAKE A MOTION, THE MAKER SHOULD SAY: “I MOVE THAT…” OR
• “I MOVE TO…”
• NEVER SAY “I MAKE A MOTION TO…”
• ONCE A MOTION IS MADE AND SECONDED….THE CHAIR RESTATES THE MOTION AND PLACES IT BEFORE THE BODY FOR CONSIDERATION
MAKING A MOTION CONT.MAKING A MOTION CONT.
ONCE A MOTION IS RESTATED BY THE
CHAIR, THE MOTION BELONGS TO THE
ASSEMBLY
“SO MOVE” IS NOT A MOTION!
AMENDING A MOTIONAMENDING A MOTION
• MODIFYING A PENDING MOTION• AMENDMENT MUST BE GERMANE• REQUIRES A SECOND• IS DEBATABLE • MAJORITY TO ADOPT• CAN BE RECONSIDERED• TO INSERT OR TO ADD WORDS• TO STRIKEOUT WORDS
SPECIFIC TYPES OF MOTIONSSPECIFIC TYPES OF MOTIONS
• NOMINATIONS
• LAY ON THE TABLE
• APPEAL THE DECISION OF THE CHAIR
• DIVISION OF THE HOUSE
• QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE
• PREVIOUS QUESTION/CLOSE DEBATE
RANKING MOTIONSRANKING MOTIONS
PRIVILEGED MOTIONS
• FIX THE TIME TO WHICH TO ADJOURN
• ADJOURN
• RECESS
• RAISE A QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE
• CALL FOR THE ORDERS OF THE DAY
RANKING MOTIONS CONT.RANKING MOTIONS CONT.
SUBSIDIARY MOTIONS• LAY ON THE TABLE• PREVIOUS QUESTION (CLOSE DEBATE)• LIMIT OR EXTEND LIMITS OF DEBATE• POSTPONE TO A CERTAIN TIME• COMMIT OR REFER• AMEND• POSTPONE INDEFINITELY• MAIN MOTION
INCIDENTAL MOTIONSINCIDENTAL MOTIONS
• POINT OF ORDER – BREACH OF THE RULES
• PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY – REQUESTTHE CHAIR’S OPINION ON PARLIAMENTARY
PROCEDURE
POINT OF INFORMATION – AN INQUIRY AS TO THE FACTS AFFECTING THE BUSINESS
DIVISION OF THE ASSEMBLY – REQUIRE A STANDING VOTE BUT NOT A COUNTED VOTE WHICH ONLY THE CHAIR OR THE ASSEMBLY CAN DO
UNANIMOUS CONSENTUNANIMOUS CONSENT
• IS AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO TAKE CARE OF NONCONTROVERSIAL ISSUES OR MOTIONS FOR WHICH IT LOOKS LIKE THERE WILL BE NO OBJECTION.
• EXAMPLE: “WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE MINUTES ARE ADOPTED.”
• IF A MEMBER CALLS OUT “I OBJECT,” THEN THE PRESIDENT PUTS THE MOTION TO A FORMAL VOTE.
RECONSIDER THE VOTERECONSIDER THE VOTE
• NEED A SECOND
• VOTED ON THE WINNING SIDE
• DEBATE
• MAJORITY VOTE TO ADOPT
• MUST BE MADE ON THE SAME DAY OR THE NEXT SUCCEEDING DAY WITHIN THE SESSION
MOTION TO RESCIND OR MOTION TO RESCIND OR
AMEND SOMETHING AMEND SOMETHING PREVIOUSLY ADOPTEDPREVIOUSLY ADOPTED
• NO TIME LIMIT• PREVIOUS NOTICE/MAJORITY VOTE
TO ADOPT• WITHOUT PREVIOUS NOTICE/TWO-
THIRD VOTE OR MAJORITY OF THE ENTIRE MEMBERSHIP
• (WHICHEVER OF THESE IS THE SMALLER NUMBER AT THE TIME)