NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF POSTMASTERSPOSTMASTERS

PARLIAMENTARY PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURESPROCEDURES

PARLIAMENTARY WORKSHOPPARLIAMENTARY WORKSHOP

National Association of Postmasters

8 Herbert Street

Alexandria VA 22305

703-683-9027

BASIC PRINCIPLESBASIC PRINCIPLES

• SOMEONE MUST MAINTAIN ORDER

• MEMBERS HAVE A RIGHT TO BRING UP IDEAS

• MEMBERS SHOULD DECIDE WHAT COURSE OF ACTION TO TAKE

• MAJORITY RULES

• PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF THE MINORITY

BASIC PRINCIPLES CONT.BASIC PRINCIPLES CONT.

• TAKES CARE OF BUSINESS IN AN EFFICIENT MANNER

• EVERYONE HAS A RIGHT TO SPEAK AND VOTE

• TAKES UP BUSINESS ONE ITEM AT A TIME

• PROMOTES COURTESY, JUSTICE AND IMPARTIALITY

PROMOTING COURTESYPROMOTING COURTESY

• MEMBERS ARE RECOGNIZED BY THE PRESIDING OFFICERS

• REFER TO OTHER MEMBERS & OFFICERS IN THE THIRD PERSON

• OFFICERS ARE REFERRED BY TITLE• ALL REMARKS ARE MADE THROUGH

THE CHAIR• ONLY MAJOR INFRACTIONS ARE

CORRECTED

CONDUCTING A MEETING CONDUCTING A MEETING WITHOUT ROBERT’S RULES?WITHOUT ROBERT’S RULES?

• NO ORDER

• NO RULES

• NO BUSINESS

WHO USES ROBERT’S RULES WHO USES ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER?OF ORDER?

• U.S. CONGRESS

• STATE LEGISLATURES

• SCHOOL BOARDS

• BOARD OF DIRECTORS

• FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS

• UNIONS

• PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

CHANGE!CHANGE!

• WE MUST CHANGE THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS!

• CHANGE MUST BE FROM THE TOP DOWN!

• WE ARE ALL CUSTOMERS!

STANDING RULES OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE CONVENTION/CHAPTERCONVENTION/CHAPTER

• CONDUCT

• DEBATE

• RULES OF ORDER

• 2/3 VOTE TO APPROVE

ORDER OF BUSINESSORDER OF BUSINESS

• THE AGENDA – ITEMS THAT WILL BE ADDRESSED IN THE MEETING

• THE ORDER OF BUSINESS MUST BE ADOPTED BY THE ASSEMBLY

• DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS MAY ESTABLISH ITS OWN STANDARD ORDER OF BUSINESS PURSUANT TO ITS BY LAWS

AGENDAAGENDA

• CALL TO ORDER• ROLL CALL• APPROVAL OF AGENDA• READING & APPROVAL OF MINUTES• OFFICERS’ REPORTS• COMMITTEE REPORTS• SPECIAL ORDERS• UNFINISHED BUSINESS• NEW BUSINESS• ADJOURNMENT

THE CHAIRTHE CHAIR

• RECOGNIZES SPEAKERS

• RENDERS DECISIONS

• KEEPS ORDER

• APPOINTS COMMITTEE CHAIRS

THE POWER OF ONE!THE POWER OF ONE!

• CALL FOR DIVISION

• POINT OF ORDER

• ORDER OF THE DAY

• SPEAK

• PERSONAL PRIVILEGE

• CALL FOR ADJOURNMENT

REPORT OF OFFICERSREPORT OF OFFICERS

• PRESIDENT/VICE PRESIDENT - A REPORT IS NOT REQUIRED AT EACH MEETING

• USUALLY FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY

• RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE REPORT SHOULD BE MADE FROM THE FLOOR

THE TREASURER’S REPORTTHE TREASURER’S REPORT

• BEGINNING BALANCE

• TOTAL RECEIPTS

• TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS

• ENDING BALANCE

• ALWAYS FILED WITH THE SECRETARY

• NEVER APPROVED OR ADOPTED BY THE ASSEMBLY

COMMITTEE REPORTCOMMITTEE REPORT

• SUBMITTED IN WRITING• SUBMITTED ORALLY ONLY IF IT IS BRIEF• RECOMMENDATIONS MUST BE

CONSIDERED AT THE END OF THE REPORT• EACH RECOMMENDATION MUST BE

CONSIDERED AS A SEPARATE MOTION• COMMITTEE OF MORE THAN ONE DOES

NOT REQUIRE A SECOND

OTHER ITEMSOTHER ITEMS

• PARLIAMENTARIAN• TELLERS’ REPORT• THE FIRST THREE CONVENTION REPORTS:

– CREDENTIALS– STANDING RULES – THE PROGRAM (AGENDA)

• DILATORY PRACTICES• UNANIMOUS CONSENT• AUDIT REPORT

MAKING A MOTIONMAKING A MOTION

• TO MAKE A MOTION, THE MAKER SHOULD SAY: “I MOVE THAT…” OR

• “I MOVE TO…”

• NEVER SAY “I MAKE A MOTION TO…”

• ONCE A MOTION IS MADE AND SECONDED….THE CHAIR RESTATES THE MOTION AND PLACES IT BEFORE THE BODY FOR CONSIDERATION

MAKING A MOTION CONT.MAKING A MOTION CONT.

ONCE A MOTION IS RESTATED BY THE

CHAIR, THE MOTION BELONGS TO THE

ASSEMBLY

“SO MOVE” IS NOT A MOTION!

AMENDING A MOTIONAMENDING A MOTION

• MODIFYING A PENDING MOTION• AMENDMENT MUST BE GERMANE• REQUIRES A SECOND• IS DEBATABLE • MAJORITY TO ADOPT• CAN BE RECONSIDERED• TO INSERT OR TO ADD WORDS• TO STRIKEOUT WORDS

SPECIFIC TYPES OF MOTIONSSPECIFIC TYPES OF MOTIONS

• NOMINATIONS

• LAY ON THE TABLE

• APPEAL THE DECISION OF THE CHAIR

• DIVISION OF THE HOUSE

• QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE

• PREVIOUS QUESTION/CLOSE DEBATE

RANKING MOTIONSRANKING MOTIONS

PRIVILEGED MOTIONS

• FIX THE TIME TO WHICH TO ADJOURN

• ADJOURN

• RECESS

• RAISE A QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE

• CALL FOR THE ORDERS OF THE DAY

RANKING MOTIONS CONT.RANKING MOTIONS CONT.

SUBSIDIARY MOTIONS• LAY ON THE TABLE• PREVIOUS QUESTION (CLOSE DEBATE)• LIMIT OR EXTEND LIMITS OF DEBATE• POSTPONE TO A CERTAIN TIME• COMMIT OR REFER• AMEND• POSTPONE INDEFINITELY• MAIN MOTION

INCIDENTAL MOTIONSINCIDENTAL MOTIONS

• POINT OF ORDER – BREACH OF THE RULES

• PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY – REQUESTTHE CHAIR’S OPINION ON PARLIAMENTARY

PROCEDURE

POINT OF INFORMATION – AN INQUIRY AS TO THE FACTS AFFECTING THE BUSINESS

DIVISION OF THE ASSEMBLY – REQUIRE A STANDING VOTE BUT NOT A COUNTED VOTE WHICH ONLY THE CHAIR OR THE ASSEMBLY CAN DO

UNANIMOUS CONSENTUNANIMOUS CONSENT

• IS AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO TAKE CARE OF NONCONTROVERSIAL ISSUES OR MOTIONS FOR WHICH IT LOOKS LIKE THERE WILL BE NO OBJECTION.

• EXAMPLE: “WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE MINUTES ARE ADOPTED.”

• IF A MEMBER CALLS OUT “I OBJECT,” THEN THE PRESIDENT PUTS THE MOTION TO A FORMAL VOTE.

RECONSIDER THE VOTERECONSIDER THE VOTE

• NEED A SECOND

• VOTED ON THE WINNING SIDE

• DEBATE

• MAJORITY VOTE TO ADOPT

• MUST BE MADE ON THE SAME DAY OR THE NEXT SUCCEEDING DAY WITHIN THE SESSION

MOTION TO RESCIND OR MOTION TO RESCIND OR

AMEND SOMETHING AMEND SOMETHING PREVIOUSLY ADOPTEDPREVIOUSLY ADOPTED

• NO TIME LIMIT• PREVIOUS NOTICE/MAJORITY VOTE

TO ADOPT• WITHOUT PREVIOUS NOTICE/TWO-

THIRD VOTE OR MAJORITY OF THE ENTIRE MEMBERSHIP

• (WHICHEVER OF THESE IS THE SMALLER NUMBER AT THE TIME)