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Unity, Peace, and Harmony |
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Robert’s Rules of Order |
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ADDENDUM A ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER
1. Introduction Robert's Rules of Order is a system of parliamentary procedures first published in 1876 by Henry Robert, an American army general. Robert's Rules of Order are used to promote orderly discourse and debate, to defend the parliamentary rights of the minority, to act on the will of the majority, and to streamline the workings of the business of the Forum.
Patnode, Darwin, Robert's Rules of Order, Modern Edition, Berkley Books, 1989.
2. Basic Rules Business is conducted in any Forum meeting by means of motions introduced by individuals present at the meeting. Business may only be conducted when a quorum--a significant minority of the membership stipulated by the Bylaws--is present. An individual is typically permitted to speak by raising his or her hand and waiting for the Facilitator to recognize the potential speaker by calling upon him or her. When an individual has been recognized, he or she is said to have the floor; that is, he or she has the right to offer any motion or discussion that is in order at that time. A speaker may yield the floor permanently when he or she is finished speaking, or temporarily for an inquiry or for a secondary motion. No one can interrupt a recognized speaker who has the floor. Anyone who interrupts without just cause should be ruled out of order by the Facilitator. No member can speak twice on one topic while there is a member remaining who wishes to speak and has not spoken once. A motion that brings new business before the assembly is called a main motion, and it is submitted to consideration--debate and a vote--when it has been seconded by a show of support from some member other than the individual who proposed it. Only one main motion may be considered at a time.
The agenda describes the purpose of a meeting and what topics are to be discussed and acted upon. Usually an agenda is sent out with the meeting notices ahead of time. If not, an agenda is proposed by a member of the assembly (meeting) at the beginning of a meeting.
Once an agenda is put on the floor and seconded, it must be put before the assembly for acceptance or rejection by a voice vote. Once an agenda is accepted by the assembly by vote, the only topics to be discussed and acted upon are those that appear on the agenda. Anything else is out of order.
The Facilitator is a member of the assembly designated by appointment or by vote to govern the meeting. It is his or her job to see that all parliamentary rules are being followed.
The Facilitator of the Coordinating Body has no vote at the meeting, except in the case of a tie. He or she is to be impartial in applying all the rules. He or she cannot enter into any discussion or make any proposals of motions. If the Facilitator wants to enter the discussion of the meeting, he or she must give up the Facilitator position. A Facilitator’s ruling can be appealed by any member of the assembly. This means the ruling of the Facilitator is put before the assembly for a vote on whether they sustain his or her ruling or reject it.
3. Examples of Making Motions, Amendments, and Interrupting Speakers
A motion is simply a proposal with a thought of acting on a topic on the agenda in a specific manner. For instance, at a meeting of farmers, on the agenda appears the topic "This year's crop of apples." After discussing this topic at length, a farmer rises and is recognized by the Facilitator and says, "I wish to make a motion to the effect that this crop of apples be used to make apple pies." Another farmer rises and says, "I second the motion."
Once this motion has been made and seconded it must be put to a vote before the assembly after a discussion period, provided there is someone who wishes to speak for or against the motion.
However, another farmer rises and says, "I make a motion that this year's crop of apples be used to make cider." This farmer is out of order!
The motion on the floor waiting to be acted upon is to make the crop into apple pie. This motion must be accepted or rejected before any other motion can be entertained. In other words, no motion or proposal can be made at a meeting while there is another motion on the floor duly seconded which has not been acted upon.
An amendment to a motion is an additional idea to the motion which does not destroy the original intent of the motion.
Example: Another farmer rises and says, "I wish to make an amendment to the motion. My amendment is that the apple pies should be sold in the wholesale market." Another farmer rises and says "I second the amendment." When this happens, the amendment is put before the assembly for a vote and then the motion is voted on afterwards. Once an amendment is accepted by the assembly, it now becomes part of the original motion.
There are times when any member of the assembly can interrupt the speakers or the Facilitator without waiting for recognition by the Facilitator. Interruptions can be made on "a point of order" or "a point of procedure," these points must be recognized by the Facilitator immediately.
Point of Order – with this point anyone can interrupt any speaker when he is not speaking on the subject matter on the floor.
Example: The subject being discussed on the floor is apples. A member asks for the floor and is recognized by the Facilitator and when he begins to speak he starts to discuss carrots. Immediately a member of the assembly rises and without waiting for the Facilitator to recognize him, he addresses the Facilitator in this manner: "Mr. or Ms. Facilitator, I rise to a point of order." The Facilitator must recognize him at once and say: "What is your point of order?" The member replies, "Mr. or Ms. Facilitator, the topic on the floor is apples and this member is talking about carrots, he is out of order." The Facilitator should reply, "Your point is well taken" and then return to the speaker and tell him, "Please keep the discussion on apples or relinquish your privilege of speaking."
Point of Procedure – This is the time the Facilitator can be interrupted by anyone when he or she is not doing his or her duties as a Facilitator.
Example: There is a motion on the floor which has been seconded and the Facilitator tried to proceed to the next order of business without putting the motion to a vote. A member rises without waiting to be recognized by the Facilitator and says, "Mr. or Ms. Facilitator, I rise to a point of procedure." The Facilitator should say, "What is your point of procedure?" The member replies "Mr. or Ms. Facilitator, there is a motion on the floor, duly seconded, to make the apple crop into pies which has not been voted on and you now are proceeding into the next order of business which is carrots. I feel before carrots can be taken up, the motion should be voted on." The Facilitator should reply, "Your point of procedure is well taken, the motion on the floor will be voted on before we proceed into the next order of business." |
