Parliamentary Procedure in Action

Transcription

1 Parliamentary Procedure in Action Sara Clark Director of Legal Services OSBA leads the way to educational excellence by serving Ohio s public school board members and the diverse districts they represent through superior service, unwavering advocacy and creative solutions.

2 Basic Principles Take up business one item at a time. Promote courtesy, justice, impartiality and equality. The majority rules, but the rights of the individual, minority, and absent members are protected.

3 Robert s Rule and the law Robert s Rules is not required by statute. Relationship with local policies & procedures Roberts Rules was not written with school boards and other units of government in mind.

4 Planning and Using Agendas The chair should preside from an agenda. The Revised Code is silent about agendas. Belongs to the members. Check your board policies for requirements regarding: Format Preparation Dissemination

5 Consent Agendas Boards may adopt a policy to use consent agendas. Single vote on multiple items without discussion. Board policy should specify what items can be placed on consent agenda.

6 Types of Motions Main motions Secondary motions Subsidiary motions Privileged motions Incidental motions Motions that bring a question again before the assembly.

7 Main Motion I move that Brings business before the board Only one main motion at a time may be considered Six steps for adopting a motion: Member makes a motion Member seconds a motion Chair states the question Members debate Members vote Chair announces the vote

8 Subsidiary Motions Assist the board in disposing of a main motion that is currently pending before the board. Types of Motion: Lay on the table Move the previous question (close debate) Limit debate or extend limits on debate Postpone to a certain time Commit or refer Amend Postpone indefinitely

9 Table I move to table the motion. Frequently misused motion. Lays the pending question aside temporarily when something else of immediate urgency has arisen. Needs a second, is not debatable, and is not amendable.

10 Previous Question I move the previous question. Used to stop debate on a pending question. Can t be demanded by one member. If unsuccessful, debate continues. Needs a second, is not debatable and is not amendable. Requires a 2/3 vote.

11 Postpone I move to postpone the motion until Used if you don t have the right information or you are not ready to vote for whatever reason. Used if the right people are not in the room. Specify when item will return as unfinished business. When returned, discussion starts at the exact spot in the original debate. Needs a second, is debatable, is amendable.

12 Refer I move to refer the motion to [committee] with instructions to Sends the main motion and any pending amendments to a committee for further study or refinement. Second needed, is debatable, is amendable. Be specific as to what committee, report due date, and other directions/restrictions deemed appropriate.

13 Amend I move to amend Perfecting the wording of the main motion. Second is needed, is debatable and amendable. Must be germane or related to main motion. Amendment adopted, chair restates main motion as amended

14 Amend Types of amendments: Inserting words and paragraphs Striking out words or paragraphs Striking out and inserting words or paragraphs Amending the Amendment

15 Privileged Motions Normally don t have to do with the currently pending business, but relate to matters of overriding importance that require immediate attention. Types of motions: Fix the time to which to adjourn Adjourn Recess Raise a question of privilege Call for the orders of the day

16 Recess I move to recess for A short interruption that does not close the meeting. After a recess, meeting starts exactly where it left off. Needs a second and is not debatable. Always indicate a length or until the call of the chair. Only amendment allowed is to the length of the recess.

17 Adjourn I move that we adjourn. A motion to close the meeting. Items not addressed when adjournment occurs automatically appear at the following meeting under unfinished business. Needs a second, is not debatable, is not amendable.

18 Incidental Motions Usually relate to the subject currently under consideration, but address immediate needs. Types of motions: Point of order Appeal from decision of the chair Suspend the rules Object to consideration of the question Divide the question Parliamentary inquiry Request for information

19 Point of order Breach of rules that the chair hasn t noticed or isn t addressing. May interrupt another speaker, requires no second, is not amendable or debatable and is not usually voted upon directly. Try to refrain from using on minor irregularities of a technical nature where no individual rights are infringed upon. Chair rules on points of order.

20 Divide the question Motion presents what really are multiple questions that may be dealt with more readily if separated. In order to divide, separate questions must: Be able to stand alone Not contingent on one another Be easily separated without more rewriting than is necessary to mechanically separate them. Not debatable, but can be amended.

21 Parliamentary inquiry Question about the proper parliamentary procedure to be followed. May interrupt another speaker, requires no second, is not amendable or debatable and is not voted on. Chair answers the inquiry.

22 Request for information Ask a question of a factual nature pertaining to a matter under consideration. Also called point of information May interrupt the speaker, requires no second, is neither amendable nor debatable and is not voted upon.

23 Motions that bring a question again before the assembly Types of motions: Take from the table Reconsider Rescind or amend something previously adopted

24 Reconsider I move to reconsider the vote on the motion that was adopted to Correction of hasty, ill-advised, erroneous action or to take into account new or additional information. Must be moved by a voter on prevailing side. Needs a second, is debatable, is not amendable. Must be moved at the same meeting in which vote was taken.

25 Rescind I move to rescind the motion that was adopted [when] to Permits board to change an action adopted at a previous meeting. Any member may move. Needs a second, is debatable, is not amendable. Requires 2/3 vote of members present or majority of full membership if notice is not given to members. Doesn t apply to actions if matters are completed or rights have vested.

26 Voting General rule is that a majority of those present and voting is sufficient. Method of voting (roll call v. voice vote) Voting procedures

27 Does the motion carry Vote if you need a simple majority? If you need a majority of membership? 3-2 Carries Carries 2-2 Fails Fails 2-1, 2 abstentions Carries Fails 2-2, 1 abstention Fails Fails 2-0, 3 abstentions Carries Fails

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