Robert’s Rules Of OrderIn A Nutshell

ASQ 1401 Section

El Paso TEXAS

2008 April 23Rudy Kittlitz

Brief Background On Robert’s Rules Of Order

• General Henry Robert was a U S Army Engineer– Born 1837 May 2

• He published the first edition of Robert’s Rules of Order 1876 February 19

• He retired from the Army in 1901 and practiced consulting engineering and devoted the last decade of his life to writing on parliamentary procedures

• He died 1923 May 11

Basic Principles Of Parliamentary Procedures

• Business is taken up “one thing at a time” – Follow an agenda with only one main motion [MM]

• Promote courtesy, justice, impartiality, and equality• Rule of majority while practicing

– Rights of individual– Minority– Absentee

Main Motion

• Motion should be worded in the positive– “I move that …”– Written out is very desirable

• Another member “seconds” the motion– Does not mean s/he agrees– Believes it should be discussed

• Until Chair restates the motion, it belongs to the maker– May make changes, but needs OK of seconder– May withdraw, but does not need OK of seconder

Main Motion, Cont’d• Chair restates motion and now it belongs to the group• Discussion

– Maker of motion has right to speak first– Discussion should alternate between “For” and “Against”

• Chr must recognize person wanting to speak. Then “I’m for the motion …” / “I’m against the motion …”

• Don’t cross talk. All remarks are to/thru the Chair• Address Officer as Madam Chair or Madam Mayor• Refer to others as “Councilman from Ward 4” or “The

previous speaker”• Discussion kept to the issues• Person may not speak twice until everyone has

opportunity to speak

Main Motion, Cont’d• Several secondary motions may be introduced to MM

– “Lay on the table” often misused when Postpone should be used

– “Previous question” to stop debate• Cannot be made if someone has the floor• Needs to be seconded; Not debatable• Needs 2/3rd majority to pass

– “Limit or extend limits of debate”– “Postpone to a certain time”

• Next regularly scheduled meeting, but not over 3 months– “Refer to a committee”– “Amend”– “Postpone indefinitely”

Main Motion, Cont’d• Voting is usually simple majority of those voting

– Chr states “Hearing no further discussion, all those in favor of [Repeats motion] say ‘aye’, opposed say ‘no’”• If affirmative, Chr states “The ayes have it and

[States the action required by the motion]”• If negative, Chr states “The noes have it and the

motion is lost”– Vote can be by raising hands or standing– Vote by ballot

• Member states “I move that this vote be taken by ballot”• Needs to be seconded; Not debatable• Simple majority of those voting to pass

– Roll call

Main Motion, Cont’d• Voting Cont’d

– Chair usually does not vote• If a tie-vote

– Alpine city charter states that Mayor votes when there is a tie

– Mayor can vote “aye” to pass it or “no” to defeat it

• If by ballot, Mayor of Alpine must vote if possibility of a tie-vote when everyone else votes

– Mayor cannot vote by ballot after ballots are counted

Other Useful Motions• Recess – To take a break• Reconsider

– Needs second and debatable if original motion debatable– Simple majority to adopt– Member who voted on prevailing side can “move to

reconsider” a motion– Timing: that day’s action

• Adjourn• Repeal or Rescind

– MM not in order if it conflicts with motion previously adopted and still in effect

– Rescind not in order when action cannot be undone• Incidental motions

Further Comments On Amending A MM• Purpose is to change the main motion

– Insert words or add words– Strike out words– Strike out and insert words– Must be relevant to the main motion

• Example– “I move that we buy a new desk for the secretary”– “Second”– Chair states the motion “We buy a new desk for the

secretary” and now it belongs to the group

Further Comments On Amending MM, Cont’d• Someone else states “I move to amend the motion by

inserting ‘and a new chair’ after desk’”– “Second”– The motion is now “We buy a new desk and a new

chair for the secretary” if it passes• Another member states “I move to amend the motion at

the end ‘total cost not be exceed $1500’”– “Second”– The motion is now “We buy a new desk and a new

chair for the secretary total cost not to exceed $1500” if it passes

• Cannot have a third amendment

Further Comments On Amending MM, Cont’d• Now have 3 motions: 2nd amend, 1st amend, & MM• Discussion and voting only on 2nd amend

– “total cost not be exceed $1500”– After discussion, assume that it passes

• Discussion and voting only on 1st amend– “and a new chair”– After discussion, assume that it passes

• Someone states “I move to amend the motion by striking ‘$1500’ and replacing it with ‘$1250’– But there is no “second”– Chair states “Hearing no second, this amendment

will not be considered”

Further Comments On Amending MM, Cont’d• Discussion can now begin on the amended motion

– “We buy a new desk and a new chair for the secretary total cost not to exceed $1500”

• Someone states “I move to amend the motion by adding after $1500 ‘and send her to the Secretaries Convention in Washington DC’”– The Chair states “This proposed amendment is not

relevant to the main motion and thus is out-of-order. This proposed amendment will not be considered.”

• After discussion, assume the amended motion passes• Chair states “The council has approved that we buy a

new desk and a new chair for the secretary total cost not to exceed $1500.”

Example of Main Motion And Amendments• “I move that we buy a new desk for the secretary and a

new chair total cost not to exceed $1500.”• First amendment and a new chair was seconded• Second amendment total cost not to exceed $1500 was

seconded and voted on, thus only one amendment remaining [First]

• New second amendment total cost not to exceed $1250 was not seconded, thus still only one amendment

• New second amendment and send her to the Secretaries Convention in Washington DC was ruled out-of-order since it was not relevant to Main Motion

• First amendment voted on and passed. Amended Main Motion voted on and passed

Further Comments On Main Motion Postponed• The presiding officer will schedule the postponed motion

under Unfinished Business for the next meeting• Usual Order of Business

– Reading and Approval of Minutes– Reports of Officers, Boards, and Standing

Committees– Reports of Special Committees– Special Orders– Unfinished Business– New Business

Further Comments On Main Motion Referred To A Committee

• Very useful motion when all facts may not be known• Prevents long and pointless discussion• Protects group from making a poor decision• Must give direction to the motion

– A Standing Committee or a New Special Committee– What size committee?– How shall the committee be selected?– Will the committee have authority?– When shall the committee report?

Brief Comments On Incidental Motions• Incidental motions are those

– Which arise out of a pending question

– Which arise out of a question that has just been pending

– That relate to the business of the group

• “Appeal”• “Consideration by Paragraph”• “Division of the Assembly”• “Division of a question”• “Objection to the consideration of the question”• “Parliamentary inquiry”• “Point of order”• “Suspend the rules”