Parliamentary Procedure

What is the function of a main motion?

Bring businesses before the assembly.

What is the function of recess?

To allow for a brief intermission in the meeting to discuss business privately.

What is the function of raising a question of privilege?

To allow for a member to receive special privileges.

What is the function of a previous question?

Ends all debate and calls for an immediate vote.

What is the function of postponing to a certain time or postponing definitely?

Allows for a motion to be set aside for a certain date.

What is the function of commiting or refering?

Make business the responsibility of a committee. It can either be appointed by the chair or a standing committee.

What is the function of amending?

Changes the current motion so it reads something else.

What is the function of postponing indefinitely?

Kills a main motion without calling for a vote.

What is the fuction of point of order?

Allows for the chair to gain insight when a member does not follow Robert’s Rules of order.

What is the function of parliamentary inquiry?

Allows for a member to inquire on one of Robert’s Rules of order or one of the FFA Parli Pro Rules.

What is the function of division of the assembly?

Allows for a revote.

Main motion

“Mr./Madam Chair.” … “I move…”

Recess

“Mr./Madam Chair.” … “I move that we take a ____ minute recess to allows for informal consultation.”

Raise a question of privilege

“I rise to a question of privilege” … “(your question)”

Previous question

“Mr./Madam Chair.” … “I move the previous question.”

Postpone to a certain time of postpone definitely

“Mr./Madam Chair.” … “I move to postpone the motion and all of its pending parts to ________ (date/time)”

Commit or refer

“Mr./Madam Chair.” … “I move that the motion be referred to our standing executive committee with powers to (act or report back) and report back at our next regularly scheduled meeting.”

Amend

“Mr./Madam Chair.” … “I move that the motion be amended by (striking out the words _____ or adding the words _____)__ so that if passed it reads ______________.”

Postone indefinitely

“Mr./Madam Chair.” … “I move that this motion be postponed indefinitely.”

Point of order

“Point of order!” … “(state infraction)”

Parliamentary inquiry

“I rise to a parliamentary inquiry.” … “(state your question)”

Division of the assembly

“Division!”

Can a main motion be seconded?

Yes

Can a recess be seconded?

Yes

Can a question of privilege be seconded?

No

Can a previous question be seconded?

Yes

Can a postpone to a certain time or postpone definitley be seconded?

Yes

Can a commit or refer be seconded?

Yes

Can a amendment be seconded?

Yes

Can a postpone indefinitley be seconded?

Yes

Can a point of order be seconded?

No

Can a parliamentary inquiry be seconded?

No

Can a division of the assembly be seconded?

No

Can you debate a main motion?

Yes

Can you debate a recess?

No

Can you debate a question of privilege?

No

Can you debate a previous question?

No

Can you debate a postpone to a certain time or postpone definitely?

Yes

Can you debate a commit or refer?

Yes

Can you debate an amendment?

Yes

Can you debate a postpone indefinitely?

Yes

Can you debate a point of order?

No

Can you debate a divison of the assembly?

No

Can you amend a main motion?

Yes

Can you amend a recess?

Yes

Can you amend a question of privilege?

No

Can you amend a previous question?

No

Can you amend a postpone to a certain time or postpone definitely?

Yes

Can you amend a commit or refer?

Yes

Can you amend an amendment?

No

Can you amend a postpone indefinitely?

No

Can you amend a point of order?

No

Can you amend a parliamentary inquiry?

No

Can you amend a division of the assembly?

No

What kind of vote is required to pass a main motion?

Majority

What kind of vote is required to pass a recess?

Majority

What kind of vote is required to pass a question of privilege?

None (not voted on)

What kind of vote is required to pass a previous question?

2/3

What kind of vote is required to pass a postpone to a certain time or postpone definitely?

Majority

What kind of vote is required to pass a commit or refer?

Majority

What kind of vote is required to pass an amendment?

Majority

What kind of vote is required to pass a postpone indefinitely?

Majority

What kind of vote is required to pass a point or order?

None (not voted on)

What kind of vote is required to pass a parliamentary inquiry?

None (not voted on)

What kind of vote is required to pass a division of the assembly?

None (not voted on)

What does a second mean?

Someone **wants** to discuss a motion further, not necessarily that they agree with the current motion

What is a privileged motion?

Motions that provide the assembly with special rights or privileges.

What is a subsidiary motion?

Motions that relate to or assist in processing the main motion.

What is a main motion?

The most basic motions that introduce general ideas before the assembly.

What is a incidental motion?

Motions that concern procedure but not necessarily the main topic of discussion.

What is a motion that brings a question back?

Brings back a motion that was previously passed, discussed, or tabled (pushed to a later time).

What is the table of motions?

A table that lists motions in order of precedence (high to low).

What is precedence?

The ranking in which a motion is presented. A motion with high precedence will be transacted first.

How many classes of motions did we learn about?

5

Which class has the highest precedence?

Privileged motions because they give us special rights.

What is a yielding?

A motion that has low precedence yields to a motion with higher precedence.

If a main motion is the first motion, what does a main motion yield to?

Everything

What is parliamentary procedure?

An organized meeting structure.

What is quorum?

When a majority of the membership is present for a meeting. Quorum must be met before opening a meeting.

What is the assembly?

The members present.

Does a chair and secretary need to be present?

Yes

What is the chair’s role?

They facilitate the meeting business.

What is the secretary’s role?

They create meeting agendas and record minutes.

What are meeting agendas?

Documents that outline the business items to be ocvered in the meeting.

What are minutes?

A document that provides details about what occured at the meeting.

Who starts the meeting?

The chair

How do you obtain the floor?

You must stand up and say “Mr./Madam Chair.” The chair will give you permission by saying your name.

What does obtaining the floor mean?

Gaining the right to speak.

What words can you not say in a main motion?

No or not

What do you have to make sure your main motion doesn’t violate?

Governmental or bylaw policies

How many times and for how long is a member allowed to discuss a single motion?

Two times per day for no more than 10 minutes each time.

What should every discussion include?

A opening, content and support, and a closing with purpose.

What should be included in your opening of a discussion?

You should state whether you agree or disagree with the motion.

What should be included in your content and support section of a discussion?

You should discuss a few key points as to why you agree or disagree with the motion.

What things can you consider when brainstorming ideas for content and support of a discussion?

Who, what, where, when, why, and how

What should be included in your closing of a discussion?

You should remind everyone how to vote.

What does it mean to adjourn a meeting?

End the meeting

What are some different ways that voting can be done?

Verbal vote (saying “I” or “no”), raising hands, standing up, casting a ballet, mailing in a ballet, electronic voting, and more.

What are the 3 ways that a meeting can be adjourned?

A member can make a motion to end the meeting, the hour of adjournment has arrived, or if there is no further business on the agenda.

What is the hour of adjournment?

The amount of time they have for a meeting. (ex: if it is 7 p.m. and the assembly must exit the building at 7 p.m.)