usc parliamentary procedure 101
TRANSCRIPT
Parliamentary
RULES& PROCEDURE
Parliamentary
PROCEDURE
To safeguard the
organization’s welfare
against individual
member’s interests.
To facilitate an orderly
work meeting or
deliberation of a
collegial body.
To achieve impartiality
and fairness in every
undertaking of the
organization
To promote freedom of
speech through full and
free debate provided
that the rules on
decorum are properly
observed
BASIC PRINCIPLES
equality majority rules
minority to be protected singularity of subject
full and free debate motion is voted upon
group interest prevails impartiality of presiding officer
QUORUM
General rule:
50% of total
membership + 1
A quorum is that number or
proportion of the members of an
organization which must be
present at a particular meeting for
the organization to legally transact
business.
In case of delinquent/incapacitated members:
50% of total membership in good
standing*+ 1 *Total membership less number of delinquent members or number of
incapacitated members
order of BUSINESS
1. Call to order
2. Invocation(Optional)
3. Roll Call (Optional)
4. Reading of the Minutes of Previous Meeting
5. Reports of the Standing Committees
6. Reports of the Special Committees
7. Unfinished business
8. New business
9. Announcements
10. Adjournment
MOTIONS generally considered debatable
To have further
study on the
matter.
To postpone
consideration of a
matter To amend
To introduce a
new matter or
business.
To reconsider
kinds of VOTES
PERCENTAGE
VOTE
MAJORITY VOTE
which may be : 1. Majority of legal votes
2. Majority of total votes cast
3. Majority of members
present or
4. Majority of all the members PLURALITY
VOTE
UNANIMOUS
VOTE
method of VOTING
SHOW OF
HANDS
VIVA
VOCE BY RISING ROLL CALL
GENERAL
CONSENT BALLOT
ABSENTEE
VOTING
CUMULATIVE
VOTING
NOTE:
The result of any
voting has to be
announced in order
to consider the result
as official.
CLASSES OF MOTIONS
PRIVILEGED
MOTION
MAIN
MOTION
INCIDENTAL
MOTION
SUBSIDIARY
MOTION
BRING
BACK
MOTION
PRIVILEGED MOTIONS
Requires
Second
May be
Amended
May be
debated
Requires
Vote
May be
reconsidered May
interrupt
speaker
Fix time of
next meeting
Yes Yes
No Majority No
No
Adjourn
meeting
Yes
No
No
Majority No
No
Recess Yes
Yes No
Majority No
No
Question of
privilege
No
No
No
Chair Yes
Yes
Point of
Information
No
No
No
-- No
Yes
SUBSIDIARY MOTIONS
Requires
Second
May be
Amended
May be
debated
Requires
Vote
May be
reconsidered May
interrupt
speaker
Lay on table Yes No No
Majority No
No
Previous
question Yes
No
No
2/3 Yes
No
Limit debate Yes
Yes
No
2/3 Yes
No
Postpone to a
certain time Yes
Yes
Yes
Majority Yes
No
Refer to
committee Yes
Yes
Yes
Majority Yes
No
Amend Yes
Yes
(1) Majority Yes
No
Postpone
indefinitely Yes
No Yes
Majority Yes
No
MAIN MOTIONS
Requires
Second
May be
Amended
May be
debated
Requires
Vote
May be
reconsidered May
interrupt
speaker
Main motion
for general
business
Yes Yes
Yes
Majority Yes
No
Take from
table
Yes
No No
Majority
No
No
Reconsider Yes
No
(2) Majority
No
Yes
Rescind Yes
Yes
Yes
Majority
Yes
No
Make special
order of
business
No
No
No
2/3 -- Yes
INCIDENTAL MAIN MOTIONS
Requires
Second
May be
Amended
May be
debated
Requires
Vote
May be
reconsidered May
interrupt
speaker
Suspend rules Yes No No 2/3 No No
Withdraw a
motion No No No Majority
Yes
No
Object to
consideration No No No 2/3 Yes
Yes
Point of order No No No Chair No
Yes
Appeal from
chairman’s
decision
Yes
Yes
Chair
Majority
Yes
Yes
Division
(Verify a voice
vote)
No No No Yes
Roll Call Yes
No
No Majority
--- Yes
INFORMATION Point of
Example
If you want information
in order to know how to
vote on a motion
A question, not an
answer
Should not be disguised
as form of debate.
INQUIRY Point of Parliamentary
Example
How to properly use
particular parliamentary
procedures
Addressed to the Chair
PRIVILEGE Point of Personal
Used to call attention to
a violation of the rules
or improper decorum
ORDER Point of
Pertains to person’s
rights being hindered
during the assembly.
[procedure]
MAIN MOTION handling a
1. Obtaining and Assigning
the Floor
In a large assembly, the member
gives his name and identification.
The member remains standing
and awaits recognition by the
chair.
A member rises when no one else
has the floor and addresses the
chair:
"Mr./Madam
President," "Mr./Madam
Chair,"
or by other proper title.
The chair recognizes the
member by announcing his
name or title, or, in a small
assembly, by nodding to him.
2. Bringing the Motion
Before the Assembly
The member makes the
motion:
"I move that (or 'to')..."
and resumes his seat.
Another member, without
rising, seconds the motion:
"I second the motion,“ or
"I second it“ or
"second.”
The chair states the motion:
"It is moved and seconded
that .... Are you ready for
the question?"
3. Consideration of the
Motion
Members debate the motion.
The chair puts the motion to a
vote. The chair asks:
"Are you ready for the
question?"
If no one rises to claim the
floor, the chair proceeds to take
the vote. The chair says:
"The question is on the
adoption of the motion that...
As many as are in favor, say
'Aye". (Pause for response.)
“Those opposed, say
'No'.” (Pause for response.)
The chair states the motion:
"It is moved and seconded
that .... Are you ready for
the question?"
The chair announces the result
of the vote.
"The ayes have it, the
motion is adopted, and ....
(indicating the effect of the
vote)," or
"The noes have it, and the
motion is lost."
decorum in DEBATE
Avoid personalities.
Confine oneself to
questions before the
assembly.
Avoid using the name
but rather formally
refer to the speaker or
anyone being referred
to.
If the remarks are decided to
be improper (out of
decorum), the speaker
cannot proceed.
Chair decides impropriety.
A member can rise and claim the
floor and reopen the debate or
make a motion provided he rises
with reasonable promptness, after
the chair asks are you ready for
the motion.
Exception: if it is a dilatory tactic.
decorum in DEBATE
The chair should not
recognize a member
who has risen and
remained standing while
another has obtained
the floor.
After the question has
been stated by the
presiding officer, it is in
the possession of the
assembly for debate. The
motion can no longer be
amended or withdrawn.
TIPS
TIPS
Since the secretary is responsible for
keeping accurate records of business
transacted, the chair may require that
main motions, amendments, or
instructions to a committee be in
writing.
TIPS
GENERAL RULE
No member should be present in
the assembly when any matter
relating to himself or herself is
under consideration
TIPS
GENERAL RULE
Silence means consent.
TIPS
A question cannot be postponed
beyond the next regular meeting.
TIPS
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.
TIPS
A question laid on the table remains there
until taken from the table or until the close
of the next regular meeting. If not taken
up by that time, the question dies.
TIPS
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.
TIPS
Motions are out of order if they present
essentially the same question as a motion
already considered at the same meeting.
TIPS
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 for 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.
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and Action Center
of the
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Council