What are Robert’s Rules of Order?
The first edition of the book was published in February, 1876 by U.S. Army Major
Henry Martyn Robert. Its procedures were loosely modeled after those used in
the United States House of Representatives. Robert wrote Robert’s Rules of Order
after presiding over a church meeting and discovering that delegates from different
areas of the country did not agree about proper procedure. The book is now in its
10th edition; Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR).
Robert’s Rules of Order provides applicable rules governing key matters of meeting
and general procedures, including: Establishing a Constitution and Bylaws for your
student organization. Structure of the meeting Agenda and debate. Motions; including
making, seconding, debating, modifying and amending motions. Sufficient majority and
simple majority and which decisions are appropriate to them.
Establishment of a quorum.
Definition of membership.
Voting rights of presiding officer and voting procedures.
AN OUTLINE OF BASIC PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE
Prepared by Douglas N. Case
Parliamentary Authority: Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, Tenth Edition, 2001.
I. Rules Governing an Organization
A. State and Federal Law - governing corporations, tax-exempt organizations,
public legislative bodies, etc.
B. Articles of Incorporation - applicable to corporations.
C. Governing Documents of Parent Organizations - applicable to chapters,
affiliates, etc. of larger organizations.
D. Local Constitution and Bylaws - defines the organization's basic structure
and fundamental rules.
E. Normally requires a 2/3 vote and prior notice for amendment and are not
subject to suspension.
F. Standing Rules - operating procedures consistent with all of the above.
Normally can be amended by majority vote at any business meeting and can be suspended.
G. Rules of Order - parliamentary authority, superseded by any of the above that conflict.
H. Precedent and Custom - apply when there are no written rules governing a situation.
II. Purposes of Parliamentary Procedure
A. Ensure majority rule.
B. Protect the rights of the minority, the absentees and individual members.
C. Provide order, fairness and decorum.
D. Facilitate the transaction of business and expedite meetings.
III. Basic Principles of Parliamentary Procedure
A. All members have equal rights, privileges and obligations.
B. A quorum must be present for the group to act – if the bylaws of the
organization do not establish a quorum, the general rule is that a majority
of the entire membership must be present in order to transact business.
C. Full and free discussion of every motion is a basic right.
D. Only one question at a time may be considered, and only one person may
have the floor at any one time.
E. Members have a right to know what the immediately pending question is
and to have it restated before a vote is taken.
F. No person can speak until recognized by the chair.
G. Personal remarks are always out of order.
H. A majority decides a question except when basic rights of members are involved.
I. A two-thirds vote is required for any motion that deprives a member of rights
in any way (e.g., cutting off debate).
J. Silence gives consent. Those who do not vote allow the decision to be made by
those who do vote.
K. The chair should always remain impartial.
IV. Typical Order of Business
A. Call to Order.
B. Opening Exercises, if applicable.
C. Roll Call/Determination of a Quorum.
D. Adoption of the Agenda.
E. Reading and Approval of the Minutes of the Previous Meeting.
F. Reports of Officers.
G. Reports of Standing Committees.
H. Reports of Special (Ad hoc) Committees.
I. Special Orders.
J. Unfinished Business and General Orders.
K. New Business.
L. Program, if applicable.
M. Announcements.
N. "Good of the Order".
O. Adjournment.
V. Role of the Presiding Officer
A. Remain impartial during debate - the presiding officer must
relinquish the chair in order to debate the merits of a motion.
B. Vote only to create or break a tie (or 2/3 for matters requiring
a 2/3 vote) – exception: the presiding officer may vote on any vote by ballot.
C. Determine that a quorum is present before transacting business.
D. Introduce business in proper order.
E. Recognize speakers.
F. Determine if a motion is in order.
G. Keep discussion germane to the pending motion.
H. Maintain order.
I. Put motions to a vote and announce results.
J. Employ unanimous consent (general consent) when appropriate.
VI. General Procedure for Handling a Motion
A. A member normally must obtain the floor by being recognized by the chair.
B. Member makes a motion.
C. A motion must normally be seconded by another member before it can be considered.
D. Before the motion is restated by the chair, any member can rise, without waiting
to be recognized, and suggest a modification of the wording to clarify the motion.
The maker of the motion can choose to accept or reject the modified wording
(does not require a second).
E. If the motion is in order, the chair will restate the motion and open debate
(if the motion is debatable).
F. The maker of a motion has the right to speak first in debate.
G. Debate is closed when:
VII. General Rules of Debate
A. No members may speak until recognized by the chair.
B. All discussion must be relevant to the immediately pending question.
C. No member may speak a second time until every member who wishes to speak
has had the opportunity to do so.
D. No member can speak more than twice to each motion.
E. No member can speak more than ten minutes.
F. All remarks must be addressed to the chair – no cross debate is permitted.
G. It is not permissible to speak against one’s own motion (but one can vote
against one's own motion).
H. Debate must address issues not personalities – no one is permitted to make
personal attacks or question the motives of other speakers.
I. The presiding officer must relinquish the chair in order to participate
in debate and cannot re-assume the chair until the pending main question is disposed of.
J. When possible, the chair should let the floor alternate between those speaking
in support and those speaking in opposition to the motion.
K. When a large number of people wish to speak to a motion it may be advisable
for the chair to make a speakers' list.
L. Members may not disrupt the assembly.
M. Rules of debate can be changed by a two-thirds vote.
VIII. Motions in Ascending Order of Precedence
Only one main motion may be on the floor at a time, but more than one secondary motion may be on the floor. When any of the motions on the following list is the immediately pending motion (i.e., the last motion made), any motion listed below it on the list can be made at that time and any motion above it on the list cannot be made at that time. Pending motions must be disposed of in descending order of precedence.
A. Main Motion - introduces business to the assembly for its consideration.
A main motion can only be made when no other motion is pending.
A main motion yields to privileged, subsidiary and incidental motions.
B. Subsidiary Motions - change or affect how the main motion is handled
(voted on before the main motion)
IX. Incidental Motions
(Questions of procedure that arise out of other motions and must be considered before the other motion)
A. Point of Order - used when a member believes that the rules of the assembly
are being violated, thereby calling on the chair for a ruling and enforcement
of the rules. A member can interrupt a speaker to raise a point of order.
B. Appeal - used to challenge the chair’s ruling on a question of parliamentary
procedure. A member can interrupt a speaker to appeal from the decision of the chair.
C. Suspend the Rules - used to make a parliamentary rule or special rule of an
organization temporarily inoperative. The motion cannot be applied to the
constitution and bylaws unless those documents include specific provisions
for suspension. Normally requires a two-thirds vote.
D. Withdraw - permits the maker of a motion to remove it from deliberation
after the motion has been stated by the chair. If there is not unanimous consent,
the motion is debated and voted upon.
E. Point of Information - requests to the chair, or through the chair to another
officer or member, to provide information relevant to the business at hand. A point
of information must be in the form of a question. A request for information
regarding parliamentary procedure or the organization's rules bearing on the
business at hand is referred to as a Parliamentary Inquiry.
F. Objection to the Consideration of a Question - suppresses business that
is irrelevant or inappropriate and undesirable to be discussed. The objection
must be made immediately (acceptable to interrupt a speaker). Does not require
a second, is not debatable, and requires a two-thirds vote opposed to consideration
in order to pass.
G. Division of a Question - divides a motion containing two or more provisions
that can stand alone so that each provision can be considered and voted upon
separately. Not debatable.
H. Division of the Assembly - used to demand a rising vote to verify the vote
count. The motion can be made without obtaining the floor, does not require a
second, is not debatable, and does not require a vote.
X. Main Motions That Bring a Question Back Before the Assembly
A. Take from the Table - resumes consideration of a motion laid on the table
earlier in the same session or in the previous session. Not debatable.
B. Reconsider - reopens a motion to debate that has already been voted upon
in the same session. The motion to reconsider can only be made by a member
who voted on the prevailing side. It suspends action on the motion to which
it is applied until it has been decided. It cannot be postponed beyond the
next regular business session.
C. Rescind (Annul or Repeal) or Amend Something Previously Adopted - repeals
or amends a motion for which it is too late to reconsider. Normally requires
a two-thirds vote of those present or a majority vote or the entire membership;
however, if previous notice has been given then only a majority vote of those
present is required. A motion to rescind cannot be applied to action that cannot
be reversed.
XI. Voting
A. Majority vote - defined as more than half of the votes cast by those present
and voting (i.e., excluding abstentions) unless the organization’s rules specify
otherwise (e.g., majority of those present, or majority of the entire membership).
B. Two-thirds vote - defined as at least two-thirds of those present and voting,
unless otherwise specified by the organization’s rules. Examples of motions that
require a two-thirds vote: to close, limit, or extend debate; to suspend the rules;
to amend the constitution and bylaws; to close nominations; to remove an officer
or expel a member; or to object to the consideration of a motion.
C. Voting by the Chair - except when there is a ballot vote, the chair only
votes when his/her vote would affect the result.
D. Methods of Voting
Recommended Books:
Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, Tenth Edition, 2000
Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, In Brief, 2004
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Robert’s Rules, Nancy Sylvester, 2004
Robert’s Rules for Dummies, C. Alan Jennings, 2004
Recommended Web Sites
www.robertsrules.com
parliamentarians.org
www.rulesonline.com
www.parlipro.org