Parliamentary Procedure
Wilcox Central High School
Objectives
Learn the rules of a meeting and the
order of operations.
 Discuss vocabulary needed to know
when participating in Parliamentary
Procedure.
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Opening Ceremony
 Taps
gavel 3 times
 Group rises
 President states: “FFA members,
why are we here?”
 Members reply: “To practice
brotherhood, honor agricultural
opportunities and responsibilities,
and develop those qualities of
leadership which an FFA member
should possess.”
Parliamentary Procedure
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Definition
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Correct rules for conducting or running a successful
meeting
3 goals of Parliamentary Procedure
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Make meeting run smoothly
Assure everyone gets to voice their opinion
Maintain Order
History of Parliamentary Procedure
Better known as “Robert’s Rules of
Order.”
 Written by Henry M. Robert in 1876.
 First revised in 1915.
 Last revised in 1990.
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 Vocabulary
Quorum
 1/2 of members in a club plus 1
 Minimum number of members that
must be present at a meeting for legal
business to be transacted
 Majority
 1/2 of members present at any
meeting plus 1
 minimum number of members that
must vote for a motion for it to pass
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Other Important Information
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Presiding Officer referred to as:
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Mr/Madam President
Mr/Madam Chairperson
Everyone gets the chance to voice their opinion
 Everyone gets the chance to Vote
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Must take yes and no votes
Only one topic at a time can be discussed
 Who ever makes a motion has the right to
discuss it first
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Other considerations
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The taps of the gavel (symbol of
leadership, represents chair’s authority).
1 tap: be seated, announce vote.
 2 taps: call to order
 3 taps: all rise
 Series of taps: restore order

Main Motions
• Used to introduce ideas to the group
• Must be stated in the form
– I Move that
– I Move to
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•
•
•
Can not be in negative form
Only one main motion at a time
Require a second
Amendable
– Can Be Changed
• Debatable
– Can be talked about
• Majority Vote
– Can be voice
Main Motions Continued
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Main Motions that are not Legal
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Break any Local, State or National Laws
Any motion that brings up a motion that has already been failed
Items that are outside the power of the group
Negative motions
Political or religious Support
The person who makes a motion can not talk
against it
Main motions can be reconsidered
Can not interrupt another speaker
Proper Example: Mr President, I move that the
chapter participate in crops judging this year.
Steps to handling a Main
Motion

Stand
Ask to be recognized by President
President recognizes you by name
Motion is correctly stated
Motion is seconded
Motion is repeated by President
Motion is discussed
President restates motion
Motion is voted on
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Results of vote announced by President
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Postpone Indefinitely
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Purpose
 To kill a main motion
Requires a second
Not Amendable
Debatable
Majority Vote
Can not interrupt another speaker
Can be reconsidered only if passed
Proper Example: Mr President, I move to
Postpone this motion indefinitely
Amendments
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Purpose
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Must be germane
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Closely related to the original topic
Can be amended in 4 ways
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Used to modify a main motion
Inserting in middle
Adding to end
Striking Out
Striking out and inserting
Requires a second
Amendable
Debatable
Majority Vote
Amendments continued
Can not interrupt another speaker
 Can be reconsidered
 Improper amendments
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any thing not germane
frivolous or absurd
leave an incoherent wording
Proper Example:
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Motion on floor: That the FFA Chapter buy a boat.
Amendment: Mr President, I move to amend the motion by
inserting speed in front of boat. So the motion would read, I
move that the FFA Chapter buy a speed boat.
Amendment to an Amendment
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Purpose
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To modify an amendment to make it more specific
Requires a second
Debatable
Not amendable
Majority vote
Can not interrupt a speaker
Proper Example:
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Madam President, I move to amend the amendment by inserting
Johnson in front of speed. So the final motion with if all amendments
pass would read, I move that the FFA chapter buy a Johnson speed
boat.
Refer to Committee
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Purpose
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used to send a pending question to a small group so that the question
may be carefully investigated
Requires a Second
Amendable
Debatable
Majority Vote
2 ways to appoint a committee
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Standing Committee
 one of the 15 listed in the Program of Activities
Special Committee
 Appointed by the president
 Number of members can be 3 or more
Refer to Committee Continued
Can interrupt another speaker
 President must specify when the
committee should report back to the
chapter
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Usually next regular meeting
Committee can be give full power to act
 Proper example:
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Mr President, I move that we refer this motion to the Leadership
Committee
Mr President, I move we refer this motion to a committee of three
appointed by the chair
Postpone Definitely
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Purpose
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allow for the motion on the floor to deferred to a different day, meeting,
or until after a certain event
Requires a second
Amendable
Debatable
Majority Vote
Can interrupt a speaker
Proper example:
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Madam President, I move to postpone this motion until the December
Regular Meeting.
Limit or Extend Debate
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Purpose
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To limit or lengthen the time allowed for discussion on a
motion when it is clear that there will be an excessive
amount of discussion or when the amount of time for the
meeting is limited.
Requires a second
 Debatable
 Amendable
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amount of time or number of speakers only
2/3 Majority Vote
 Can not interrupt another speaker
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Limit / Extend Debate
Continued
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Maker of the motion must specify
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the amount of time
the number of speakers that can debate the motion
Proper Example
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Madam President, I move that we limit debate on this motion to 3
discussions for the motion and 3 discussions against the motion.
Madam President, I move to limit debate to a maximum of 5 minutes.
Previous Question
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Purpose
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To force an immediate Vote on the motion
Requires a second
 Not amendable
 Not Debatable
 2/3 Vote
 Can not interrupt another speaker
 Proper example:
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Madam President, I move the previous question
Mr President, I call for the previous question
To lay on the table
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Purpose
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To defer action on the motion until later in the meeting or until the next
meeting
Requires a second
 Not amendable
 Not debatable
 Majority Vote
 Can not interrupt another speaker
 Proper example:
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Mr. President, I move to lay this motion on the table
To take from the table
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Purpose
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To take a motion that is on the table off of the table.
Requires a second
 not amendable
 Not debatable
 Majority vote
 Can not interrupt another speaker
 Proper Example
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I move to take the motion that reads to buy a boat from the table.
Reconsider
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Purpose
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to reevaluate a decision that was made earlier
Requires a second
Not amendable
Debatable
Majority vote
Can not interrupt another speaker
If passed, the motion to be reconsidered is handled
just as if it was never voted on
Only can be made by a person who voted on the
winning side
If passed the motion is handled immediately if:
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only a main motion with amendments is on the floor.
Reconsider Continued
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Handled after the current business if:
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Motions that can be reconsidered
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discussion on refer to committee, or postponement has
started.
Main motions
Amendments
Refer to committee
Postpone definitely
Previous question
Appeal the decision of the chair
Only if failed
 withdraw
Only if passed
 Postpone indefinitely
Proper Example
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Mr President, I move to reconsider the motion to buy a boat.
Recind
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Purpose
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To REPEAL PREVIOUS ACTION
Requires a Second
 Debatable
 Amendable
 2/3 majority vote
 Can not interrupt another speaker
 Proper Example
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Madam President, I move that we reconsider the vote to buy a boat.
Suspend the Rules
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Purpose
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allows the chapter to break the rules of parliamentary procedure, or the
current constitution for a short period of time.
Requires a second
 Not amendable
 Not debatable
 2/3 vote
 Can not interrupt another speaker
 Proper example:
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Mr President, Because of the lack of time tonight, I move to suspend
the rules and skip directly to new business.
Modify or Withdraw
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Purpose
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This motion allows for the maker of a motion to change a motion or
completely take it off the floor for discussion.
Not amendable
 Not debatable
 If made before President first states the
motion it is automatically withdrawn with
no second or vote.
 If made after President first states the
motion the following steps must be taken.
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Modify or Withdraw cont’d
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1) President must asks if anyone objects to the maker withdrawing the
motion
 if someone objects
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must be seconded, and passed with majority vote
On no one objects
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the motion is automatically withdrawn
Can not be made after discussion has
begun
 Proper form
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Mr President, I would like to withdraw my motion.
Divide a Motion
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Purpose
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This motion allows a motion that has been made to be split into two
different motions
This can only be made on motions that have two
main ideas that are not dependent on each other
Requires a second
Not debatable
Amendable
Majority vote
Can not interrupt another speaker
Divide a Motion Con’t
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Proper example
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Motion on the floor, I move to buy a boat and go to the zoo.
Madam President, I move to divide this motion into tow motions. The
first stating the we buy a boat and the second that we go to the zoo.
Object to the Consideration
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Purpose
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Used when a member thinks that the activity or action of the
group is not appropriate.
Does not require a second
Not amendable
Not debatable
2/3 vote
Can interrupt another speaker
Proper form
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Mr President, I object to the consideration of this question.
 President should say “Objection to the consideration has
been called. All those who wish to consider the motion
raise your right hand. All those who object to the
consideration of this question same sign.
Division of the house
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Purpose
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When called, this forces a immediate revote by hand
Does not require a second
Not amendable
Not debatable
No vote needed
Can interrupt another speaker
Proper form
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Can be made by saying “division” loud enough for the entire group to
hear
Or by standing and saying “I call for a division of the house”
Point of Order
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Purpose
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Used when a member thinks that the rules of the group or the rules of
parliamentary procedure are being violated.
Does not require a second
Not amendable
Not debatable
President decides on verdict
Can interrupt another speaker
Proper example
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Mr President, I rise to a point of order.
President says, “State your point”
After member states point, president says “your point is well taken” or
“Your point is not well taken”
Appeal
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Purpose
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To reverse the decision of the chairman, after they have
made an error.
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Requires a second
Not amendable
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Debatable (this is the only motion where President can
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discuss)
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Majority vote
Can interrupt another speaker
Most of the time you should support the decision of
your president.
Proper Example
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Mr President I appeal the decision of the chair.
President should say “Appeal the decision of the chair has
been called, all those who wish to uphold the decision of the
chair say I, all opposed same sign.”
Orders of the Day
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Purpose
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This motion forces the group to return to the set agenda,
without finishing the current business.
Does not require a second
Not Amendable
Not Debatable
2/3 vote against to fail
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Can only be made on motions that are not on the set
agenda for that meeting.
Mr. President, I call for the orders of the day.
President should say, Orders of the day has been called. All
those who wish to return to the orders of the day, raise your
hand. All those opposed to returning to the orders of the
day, same sign.
Question of Privilege
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Purpose
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This allows for people in the group to ask for changes in the
temperature, for ideas to clarified, for motions to be
explained, for others to repeat their discussion or motions,
and anything that may help the meeting run more smoothly.
Does not need a second
Not amendable
Not debatable
No Vote, Presidents decision
Can interrupt another speaker
Proper Example
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Madam President, I Rise to a question of privilege.
President says, “State Your Question”
Then the member says whatever they have to and the
president decides on whether it will be allowed or not.
Recess
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Purpose
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This allows for a short break in the meeting
Needs a second
Amendable
Debatable
Majority Vote
Can not interrupt another speaker
Must specify the length of time in the motion
Proper example
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Mr President, I move to take a 5 minute recess.
Adjourn
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Purpose
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To end the Meeting
Needs a second
 Not Amendable
 Not Debatable
 Majority Vote
 Can not interrupt another speaker
 Proper example
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Mr president, I move to adjourn.
Fix time to Reassemble
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Purpose
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To arrange time for next meeting
Needs a Second
 Amendable
 Debatable
 Majority Vote
 Can interrupt a speaker
 Proper example
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Mr. President, I move to adjourn until 7 pm on December 12th.