Robert's Rules

Parliamentary Procedure

A set of rules for conducting orderly meetings that accomplish goals fairly

Main Motion

Introduces a new item of business for consideration, and is a foundation of parliamentary procedure

Subsidiary Motions

Assist the assembly process main motions. Can modify, delay, or dispose of main motions

Refer to a Committee

Sends the motion to a smaller group for study

Privileged Motions

Motions that do not relate to main motion, and are of such urgency they take precedence over all other business

Question of Privilege

Addresses comfort or rights

Incidental Motions

Arise from pending questions and must be decided before business can proceed

Deliberative Assemblies

convene meetings; groups of people who come together for a common agenda

Mass Meetings

Open and unorganized meetings with a purpose defined by the meetings' sponsors

Conventions

Meetings of deligates chosen to enact or debate decisions effecting a large group of people

Legislative Bodies

groups of people who are elected to create, change or repeal laws for a specific state or country

Boards

Administrative or managerial bodies with an assigned, specific function

Committees

Bodies that are usually very small and subordinate to an assembly or Board

Mass Meetings must:

- Choose who they prefer as a chairperson

- Choose who calls the meeting to order and who nominates the chairperson

- Choose who should be nominated for secretary and by whom

- Decide the rules that will be proposed for the meeting

- Choose who makes the initial speech opening the meeting and explaining its purpose

Bylaws that govern a convention must outline:

- The authorization for a periodic convention

- The powers and duties for the convention and delegates

- The quorum for the convention

- The voting members

- Qualifications for the delegates and alternates and their election

- Anything the convention needs for organization and operation

Caucus

A meeting delegates hold before the actual convention where they decide how they will deal with certain procedural matters of the convention

Credentials Committee performs the following duties:

- Distributes information for attending the convention

- Distributes information for being a delegate

- Examines all applications to verify the eligibility of the members who wish to be delegates

- Compiles the list of eligible members

- Arranges for registration to take place at the convention, usually starting one or two days before the convention starts

- Handles registration

- Prepares the committees first report

- Continues until the convention ends

Committee on Standing Rules

Drafts rules for the convention, including:

- Parliamentary rules

- Rules for conducting business at the convention

- Any other non-parliamentary rules that the committee feels should be added

Program Committee

Plans the schedule of meetings, proceedings, and convention events

Convention Arrangements Committee

Makes arrangements for the site of the convention and any hotel arrangements for the members

Resolutions Committee

Screens all the main motions that are about to come in front of the convention

Duties of a Chairperson

- Opening a meeting on time and calling to order

- Announcing order of business and keeping to the stated order

- Recognizing members to speak on the floor

- Keeping tabs on voting procedures and announcing the legitimate results of each vote

- Refusing to honor frivolous motions and ensuring all members act with decorum

- Handling business in most efficient way possible

- Deciding questions for order and responding to members' questions about parliamentary procedure

- Authenticating his/her signature

- Properly adjourning the meeting

Making a motion to postpone indefinitely

"I most to postpone the motion indefinitely..."

Making a motion to amend

"I move to amend the motion by..."

Making a motion to commit or refer

"I move to commit/refer the matter to..."

Making a motion to postpone definitely

"I move to postpone the motion to..."

Motion to limit or extend the debate

"I move to limit/extend the time for debate..."

Motion for previous question

"I move for previous question..."

Motion to table

"I move to table..."

Motion to un-table

"I move to un-table..."

Motion for orders of the day

"I move for the orders of the day..."

Motion for a question of privilege

"I rise for a question of privilege..."

Motion for a recess

"I move for a recess..."

Motion to adjourn

"I move to adjourn..."

Motion to fix the time to adjourn

"I move to fix the time to adjourn..."

Motion of point of order

"Point of order, Chairperson, (question)..."

Motion of point of information

"Point of information, Chairperson, (question)..."

Motion to recind

"I move to rescind my motion..."

Motion to reconsider

"I move for a reconsideration of..."

Motion to vote

"I motion to vote on..."

Motion to nominate

"I move to nominate..."

Motion to suspend the rules

"I move to suspend the rules and..."

Motion to divide the question

"I move to divide the question..."

Motion to divide the assembly

"I move for a rising vote..."