Congressional Debate Parliamentarian Instructions

Transcription

1 Respnsibilities Cngressinal Debate Parliamentarian Instructins 1. Please familiarize yurself with all frms prvided in yur flder/packet. If yu are unsure f the functin f any f these after reading these instructins, please ask a turnament fficial. 2. Welcme scrers t each sessin, reminding them t familiarize themselves with the rules and prcedures, and inviting them t assist yu in cunting presiding fficer ballts. If there are any students with special needs, make necessary adjustments (e.g., if a student is in a wheelchair, ask all students fr shw f hands instead f standing fr recgnitin). 3. Intrduce yurself t the chamber and annunce that yu are there t help presiding fficers facilitate debate, and prvide advice and adjudicate disputes, if necessary. Otherwise, yu will remain in the backgrund, but will nt hesitate t step frward when required. Remind students that their chief purpse is t debate legislatin; n misuse f parliamentary prcedure will be tlerated. Established Natinal Frensic League prcedures and rules must be fllwed. The parliamentarian may nt add guidelines r suggestins; when in dubt, please ask turnament staff. 4. Fr pening business fr the first preliminary sessin r eliminatin rund sessins fllw the rder here: a. Help students find their seats accrding t the seating chart furnished by the turnament. b. If the turnament did nt have an pening assembly, begin with the Pledge f Allegiance and Oath f Office. c. Presiding Officer (PO) Electin: i. Ask fr nminatins frm the flr (students may self-nminate) ii. Nminees give candidacy speeches (up t 1-minute each), in rder f nminatin. iii. Ask students t cast a legible vte n a small (but nt micrscpic) sheet f paper and cnduct a singleballt electin. Tally cunts fr each candidate n the Chamber Vting/Electin Recrd frm (see sample). When ne candidate receives a majrity vte, s/he is declared PO fr Sessin 1, shuld immediately take ffice, and ffer any pening annuncements. Each student vtes fr ne nminee at a time. The parliamentarian ften cunts single ballts, but shuld ask fr assistance fr any questins. After each vte cnducted, unless ne candidate has received a majrity f the vtes cast, fllw this pririty: 1) Separate ballts int piles by candidate. Vid ballts nt cntaining names f candidates, r cntaining duplicate entries fr a single candidate. 2) The ne candidate receiving the fewest vtes shall be drpped. 3) If the cmbined vtes f the tw lwest candidates d nt equal the vtes f the next lwest candidate, bth are eliminated. 4) If a tie exists fr the lwest candidates and their ttal vtes exceeds thse f the candidate abve them, have the chamber vte fr the tied candidates (called a run-ff electin). If the chamber is still tied, keep vting. After three vtes, ask the candidates t briefly address the chamber with reasns why they shuld be cnsidered. 5) If after casting five vtes, the chamber still cannt break a tie, have the parliamentarian cmplete a preferential ballt, ranking all candidates nminated at the beginning f the electin. 6) A single ballt electin can nly determine ne winner at a time; if subsequent places need t be determined, a new electin prcess must begin, cnsidering the remaining candidates (therwise their vte fr majrity is skewed, because f the earlier winners share in the previus electins).

2 d. Students may have caucused their agenda ahead f time, and/r individual students may nminate an agenda rder fr cnsideratin. The PO will call fr a rising, cunted vte; the winning agenda must be adpted by majrity vte. It is nt necessary t write the agenda n a chalkbard an agenda frm is available fr the chamber, and als can be used t recrd vtes. Time Limits applies t each new legislatin e. Once the agenda is adpted, the PO simply calls fr a Spnsr Speech 3 Minutes spnsr n the first legislatin. Questining f Spnsr 2 Minutes f. Each turnament sets its wn prtcl if a chamber First Negative Speech 3 Minutes cmpletes its agenda. Ask staff if yu have questins. Questining f First Negative 2 Minutes 5. A turnament may r may nt use name cards/placards, but yu and the PO, as well as judge(s) shuld have a seating All subsequent speeches Questining f all subsequent speakers 3 Minutes/each 1 Minute/each chart and alphabetical list. Please remind students t state their name and schl cde befre speaking. 6. Please track speaker precedence/recency n the chart prvided (which als shws fractins f vting numbers). Assist the PO when asked t cnfirm recency fr a particular delegate in the chamber. 7. Subsequent preliminary sessins pen with new seating charts, and electin f the PO in the same manner as #2.a. abve. Legislatin may nt be carried ver fr debate frm ne sessin t the next. The chamber must call fr Orders f the Day at the end f each sessin and vte n the legislatin at-hand. 8. Please help ensure sessins are as clse t the schedule as pssible. Recesses shuld be kept as shrt as pssible; try t nt allw mre than 15 minutes f recesses, ttal, during an individual sessin. 9. At the end f preliminary sessins, r eliminatin rund sessins, yu as parliamentarian will cmplete a ballt, ranking all cntestants in rder f preference, weighing the verall impact each had. Yu may cnsider the fllwing factrs: a. In additin t speaking and/r presiding effectively, did s/he encurage the legislative prblem-slving prcess in a cllabrative manner by asking meaningful questins, and mving useful mtins? Culd yu tell which students actually listened by making specific and accurate references t thers arguments? b. Ranking the PO amidst speakers is like cmparing apples and ranges. Therefre, cnsider the verall perfrmance f the PO. Did s/he effectively facilitate debate in an assertive but nt aggressive manner? Were mtins and vtes handled efficiently? Did s/he rely n a number f unnecessary crutch phrases, r did s/he speak briefly, but effectively? Cnsidering the PO s verall perfrmance, hw wuld it cmpare t a speaker s perfrmance based n yur expectatins? Let that be yur determining factr in hw yu might rank the PO amng speakers. c. Quality is mre imprtant than quantity. Rank best legislatrs even if they didn t give the mst speeches. 10. Yur first eight rankings are equivalent in weight t scrers, and the full ranking als serves as a final tie-break after all ther tie-breaks (judge preference, reciprcals, drp high/lw, etc.) have been exhausted. 11. Please recrd actin taken (vtes) n the Agenda Frm, and turn this in at the cnclusin f yur sessin(s). 12. At sme turnaments, at the end f Preliminary Sessins, Semifinal Sessin and the Final Sessin, students will preferentially rank their chice f legislatrs t be cnsidered fr a Leadership Award. A student frm each preliminary chamber, semifinal, and final chamber will be eligible fr the award, hwever, the award is cumulative, s semifinalists preliminary scres will cunt, and finalists preliminary and semifinal scres will cunt. Please be sure t return any chamber materials (flags, paperwrk, etc.) t turnament staff when yur sessins end. Ethics and Evidence Rules Judges shuld take adherence t these rules int accunt when ranking. Cnduct A cngresspersn shall act with integrity and he/she shuld never be guilty f intentinal harassment. Impeaching/censuring ther participants is nt allwed. Participatin in this event demands the seriusness f purpse and maturity pssessed by real wrld plicymakers. All adult fficials, including scrers, will hld each participant t this standard. Cngresspersns shuld have a cperative nature and if there is a prblem, then the student shuld take any cncerns t an adult fficial. Participatin in debate is essential. Extended absence frm the chamber during a sessin will affect a cntestant s verall impressin and perfrmance. The practice f pen chambers interferes with the parliamentarian s ability t mnitr student participatin. Evidence and Use f Electrnic Devices Cmputers may be used t retrieve evidence per the League s rules fr laptps in debate events. Visual aids are permitted in Cngressinal Debate, prvided they d nt require electrnic retrieval devices in the chamber.

3 Prcedural Rules Parliamentarians must ensure these rules are fllwed. 1. Recgnizing Speakers a. When mre than ne speaker seeks the flr, the presiding fficer must fllw the precedence/recency methd: i. First recgnize students wh have nt spken during the sessin ii. Next recgnize students wh have spken fewer times iii. Then recgnize students wh spke earlier (least recently) b. During any sessin, precedence/recency shuld nt reset, t ensure that all students in a chamber have an equal pprtunity t speak and receive evaluatin frm scrers. When a new sessin begins, precedence/recency will be reset alng with a new seating chart, and electin f a presiding fficer. c. Befre precedence is established, the presiding fficer shuld explain his/her recgnitin prcess and it must be fair, cnsistent and justifiable. They may nt use the fllwing methds: i. Number f mtins and/r questins (activity) ii. Number f times a speaker has risen t seek recgnitin (lngest standing r standing time) 2. Fllwing the first tw speeches n legislatin, the presiding fficer will alternately recgnize affirmative and negative speakers, wh will address the chamber fr up t three minutes, fllwed by ne minute f questining by ther delegates. If n ne wishes t ppse the preceding speaker, the presiding fficer may recgnize a speaker uphlding the same side. When n ne seeks the flr fr debate, the presiding fficer may ask the chamber if they are ready fr the questin, at which pint, if there is n bjectin, vting may cmmence n the legislatin itself. There is n minimum cycle rule, hwever, if debate gets ne-sided, the chamber may decide t mve the previus questin. a. In the event a student speaks n the wrng side called fr by the presiding fficer and the errr is nt caught, the speaker shall be scred and the speech shall cunt in precedence, but the speaker must be penalized at least three pints fr nt paying clse attentin t the flw f debate. b. In the event a student speaks n an item f legislatin nt currently being debated, said speech shall cunt in precedence, but zer pints shall be awarded. 3. The presiding fficer fairly and equitably recgnizes members t ask questins fllwing each speech. The presiding fficer starts timing questining perids when s/he has recgnized the first questiner, and keeps the clck running cntinuusly until the time has lapsed. Speakers are encuraged t ask brief questins, and may nly ask ne questin at a time (tw-part/multiple-part questins are nt allwed, since they mnplize time and disallw thers t ask their questins). There is n frmal permissin t preface, hwever, presiding fficers shuld discurage students frm making statements as part f questining, since that is an abusive use f the limited time available. 4. The presiding fficer shuld pause briefly between speeches t recgnize any mtins frm the flr, hwever, he/she shuld nt call fr mtins (at the beginning f a sessin, the presiding fficer shuld remind members t seek his/her attentin between speeches). 5. Amendments must be presented t the presiding fficer in writing (many turnaments ffer an fficial frm), with specific references t lines and clauses that change. This must be dne in advance f mving t amend. a. The parliamentarian will recmmend whether the amendment is germane that is, it uphlds the riginal intent f the legislatin therwise, it is cnsidered dilatry. The title f the legislatin may be changed. b. A legislatr may mve t amend between flr speeches. Once that mtin is made, the presiding fficer will read the prpsed amendment alud and call fr a secnd by ne-third f thse members present, unless he/she rules it dilatry. c. Shuld students wish t speak n the prpsed amendment, the presiding fficer will recgnize them as per the standing precedence in the chamber, and the speech will be cunted tward their ttal, accrdingly. d. Simply prpsing an amendment des nt guarantee an authr/spnsr speech, and any speeches n amendments are fllwed by ne minute f questining. e. Amendments are weighed n their wn value and d nt cnstitute an affirmative r negative speech n the riginal legislatin; therefre, speeches shuld alternate in favr r against the amendment itself. f. If there are n speakers r the previus questin is mved, the chamber may vte n a prpsed amendment withut debating it. 6. All majr vting (such as the main mtin/legislatin) which a Cngresspersn s cnstituents shuld have a recrd f, shall be dne with a cunted vte. Secret ballting is used when vting fr presiding fficer. 7. Student shuld ask permissin t leave and enter the chamber when it is in sessin (mve a persnal privilege). Hwever, d nt interrupt a speaker wh is addressing the chamber. 8. Since these rules gvern cmpetitin, they may nt be suspended (except t ccasinally extend questining).

4 Guidelines fr Laptp Use in Debate Events (Frm the Natinal Frensic League) A. Cmputers equipped with remvable wireless cards must have the cards remved befre the beginning f any rund f cmpetitin. It is the respnsibility f the cntestant t disengage the equipment. B. Cmputers with built-in wireless capability may be used nly if the wireless capability is disabled. It is the respnsibility f the cntestant t disable the equipment. C. Wired cnnectins (Ethernet r phne) during runds f cmpetitin are nt permitted. D. Cmputers r ther electrnic devices may nt be used t receive infrmatin frm any surce (caches r assistants included) inside r utside f the rm in which the cmpetitin ccurs. Internet access, use f , instant messaging, r ther means f receiving infrmatin frm surces inside r utside f the cmpetitin rm are prhibited. (This des nt prhibit nn-electrnic cmmunicatin between debate partners during prep time.) E. Penalty: Cntestants fund t have vilated prvisins A thrugh C abve will frfeit the rund f cmpetitin. Cntestants fund t have vilated prvisin D (abve) will be disqualified frm the turnament and will frfeit all runds. In case f a serius dispute r critical questin, the turnament mbudspersn can be cntacted fr a ruling. F. Availability f Evidence: Cntestants electing t use cmputers have the respnsibility t prmptly prvide a cpy f any evidence read in a speech fr inspectin by the judge r ppnent. Printers may be used. Evidence may be printed in the rund r prduced electrnically, but must be prvided in a frmat readable by the ppsing team and the judge. G. Cntestants electing t use cmputers are respnsible fr prviding their wn cmputers, batteries, extensin crds, and all ther necessary accessries. Turnament hsts will nt be respnsible fr prviding cmputers, printers, sftware, paper, r extensin crds fr cntestants. H. Because public speaking decrum remains an imprtant element f debate, all debaters are expected t stand at the frnt f the rm facing the judge while speaking. I. Cntestants chsing t use laptp cmputers and related equipment accept the risk f equipment failure. Judges and/r cntest directrs will give n special cnsideratin r accmmdatin, including n additinal speech time r prep time, shuld equipment failure ccur. J. By chsing t use laptp cmputers in the rund, debaters are cnsenting t give turnament fficials the right t search their files. Debaters wh d nt wish t cnsent shuld nt use cmputers in the rund. Acceptable times fr cnnectivity are befre cmpetitin begins, during the lunch recess, r after cmpetitin cncludes. Inapprpriate times are during sessins, including persnal privileges and recesses during sessin time. If a student is expecting an imprtant message (mnitring a medical cnditin f a family member wuld be an example) they may cme t the cngress ffice t check messages and if necessary respnd after checking with the ffice staff.

5 Cngressinal Debate Presiding Officer Guide This infrmatin is prvided t help parliamentarians guide presiding fficers as necessary. Opening a Sessin 1. Once elected, say this sessin will cme t rder. State yu will use yur best effrt t recgnize speakers arund the chamber in a fair and balanced manner. If gavel time signals have nt been explained previusly, demnstrate hw yu will cnduct them. Explain prcedures clearly ahead f time t save time later, including that yu will ask the chamber if it is ready fr the questin when it is clear that debate has exhausted, unless a legislatr wishes t mve the previus questin t end ne-sided debate. Always stand when addressing the chamber (t prject authrity). Use a calm, cntrlled and caring vice t shw a genuine interest in the chamber s business. 2. When yu are ready t begin, say Wh wuld like t spnsr the first item f legislatin? When yu recgnize speakers, use the third persn: The chair recgnizes 3. When a speaker cncludes, say The speech was minutes and secnds. Questiners, please rise. Call n ne legislatr at a time, until the questining perid is ver. Yu shuld keep track f questins t allw fair distributin. 4. Yu may gesture fr questiners t sit dwn when it is apparent time is running ut. Afterwards, say The questining perid has cncluded, and the speaker may be seated. 5. Thse wishing t speak in ppsitin, please rise. Call n a speaker, using a fair and equitable system, but nt using questins, mtins nr standing time. 6. When yu call n the last persn seeking recgnitin t speak n a bill/reslutin, say since this is the last senatr/representative wh wishes t speak n this issue, if n ne bjects fllwing his/her speech, we will mve t vting n the legislatin fllwing this speech. (That way, a separate vte t call previus questin is unnecessary). 7. The mtin fr previus questin shuld be discuraged when legislatrs have smething new t cntribute t discussin. When debate becmes repetitive/ne-sided, hwever, allw the previus questin withut reservatin. 8. When it is time t debate the next legislatin, say The next item f business is (say the legislatin s title). Legislatin shuld be cnsidered in the rder established n the agenda, unless it is laid n the table. Laying n the table shuld nly be dne t allw a legislatr time t cnstruct a speech t cntinue tw-sided debate, r intrduce new infrmatin. It shuld nt be abused t allw anther legislatr an earlier pprtunity t get t a later agenda item. Time and prudence is spent by the entire chamber t set a fair and balanced agenda t give everyne an equal pprtunity t debate their wn legislatin, and attempts t circumvent this shuld nt be allwed. The presiding fficer has authrity t rule abusive mtins ut f rder. Legislatrs shuld refer t yu as: Mr./Madam chair, Speaker, r President. Legislatrs may nt apprach the frnt table withut rising t a pint f persnal privilege. Mtins and Vting At the beginning f the sessin, remind members t stand and seek recgnitin when they wish t mve. D nt call fr mtins; rather, pause briefly between speeches. Recgnizing Members: (fr speeches): "The chair recgnizes [Sen./Rep. last name] r (fr mtins) and then: State yur pint/questin." Secnd: (if the chamber is silent) "Is there a secnd? Stating Mtins: "It is mved and secnded that Discipline Mtin Nt in Order "The chair rules that the mtin is dilatry [r "nt in rder"] because..." Member Out f Order (serius ffense) "The member is ut f rder and will be seated.

6 Taking Vtes (use recrded vtes fr any vtes requiring ther than a majrity fr passage (a specific fractin f members), and fr the main mtin (legislatin itself), since legislatrs vting recrds are stensibly tracked by their cnstituents). All vting is dne nly be members present at the time the vte is taken. Negative vtes and abstentins are cunted fr majrity vtes; vtes taken where a fractin f members are needed are based n thse seated in the chamber at the beginning f the sessin, s cunting n vtes and abstentins is unnecessary; hwever, never shuld an absentee r abstentin be cunted as a n vte. Vice Vte - "On the mtin t [read the mtin title] thse in favr, say aye. (Pause) Thse ppsed, say n." If the result is nt clear, especially evidenced by particularly lud members, r if a member mves fr a Divisin f the vte, then a standing vte is taken. Rising Vte (Yu may substitute raise hands ) "Thse in favr f the mtin t [read the mtin title] will rise [r, "stand"]." [Cunt vte.] "Be seated. Thse ppsed will rise." [Cunt vte.] "Be seated." Vting fr individuals (presiding fficer, awards) is dne by secret ballt. Rll Call vtes are a waste f time and nt relevant t the activity f debating, and shuld be avided. Vtes taken are f ayes and nes. Use this illustratin f eyes and nse as a mnemnic device. As Indiana cach and Registered Parliamentarian Bill Hicks says, nly hrses say neigh, meaning that nay is archaic. N is the crrect way t vte in Cngressinal Debate. Annuncing the Result: On the mtin t Vice Vte - "The ayes have it and the mtin is adpted [r "carried"]." Or, "The nes have it and the mtin is lst." If yu are unsure f the prevailing side, annunce that yu will take a rising vte (befre smene asks fr a divisin t save time). Cunted Rising Vte r Shw f Hands Vte - "With a vte f 51 in the affirmative and 23 in the negative, the affirmative has it [r, there are tw-thirds in the affirmative] and the mtin is adpted." Or, "There are 29 in the affirmative and 33 in the negative. The negative has it and the mtin is lst." Prcedural Reminders fr all Delegates It is unnecessary fr speakers t state they yield t questins, because League rules cnventinalize the perid fr questining. The presiding fficer wh has a seating chart cntrls calling n questiners, hwever, a legislatr may call fr a suspensin f the rules t allw fr recgnitin by the speaker n the flr. Legislatrs shuld nt argue with presiding fficers wh are elected t facilitate debate. Decisins shuld nt be challenged unless they vilate the rights f the assembly r its members. Fr significant errrs members shuld: Stand and say I rise t a pint f rder. After the presiding fficer says state yur pint, the member replies by stating what s/he believes has been dne wrng, and then sits dwn. Until the presiding fficer wh may first cnfer with the parliamentarian answers, members shuld remain respectfully quiet. If a member still believes the presiding fficer is wrng and the mistake shuld be crrected, s/he shuld rise and say I appeal the decisin f the chair. This mtin requires a secnd. There is n discussin, but the legislatr mving this may briefly explain why s/he thinks the presiding fficer shuld be verruled. The presiding fficer then takes the vte by saying thse vting t sustain the presiding fficer and thse vting t verrule the presiding fficer Once the vte has been taken and the results annunced, the decisin is irrevcable and n further discussin is permitted n the manner. Please see Natinal Frensic League rules relative t cnduct and rules relative t what may nt be suspended (because they frm the framewrk fr cmpetitin). On prcedural rules, the parliamentarian is the final authrity, and s/he will crrect any deviatins frm rules, particularly when they affect cmpetitive equity. The mtin fr previus questin may nt be abused. The reasn it requires a tw-thirds vte is it limits the free expressin rights f legislatrs in the chamber. While majrity rules fr actins an assembly takes, the rights f minrity t engage their peers in discurse is the very fundatin f ur demcracy. When a legislatr mves the previus questin immediately after speaking, it sends the message I gave a speech, and I dn t care if thers wish t have the same pprtunity. Limiting ther cntestants pprtunities t engage in debate by suspending rules t alter the agenda, r by laying legislatin n the table is even wrse, and shuld be discuraged by presiding fficers. If debate truly gets ne-sided and repetitive, that is the nly true purpse f the Previus Questin.