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 "Held in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order."

SUMMARY OF ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER

 

The Assembly

This consists of a group of people, who assemble together for the purpose of discussing and action on topics of common interest at a meeting. The members attending such a meeting are usually called the assembly.

The Agenda

The agenda is the heart of the meeting. It tells you for what purpose a meeting is called and what topics are to be discussed and acted upon.

Usually an agenda is put on the meeting notices ahead of time. If no, an agenda is proposed by a member of the assembly at the beginning of a meeting. A meeting without an agenda is like a ship without a rudder. It flounders around all over and accomplishes nothing.

Once an agenda is put on the floor and seconded, it must be put before the assembly for acceptance or rejection by a voice vote. In this way it assures that the topics to be discussed and acted on will be those topics of common interest to the majority of the assembly.

Once an agenda is accepted by the assembly by vote the only topics to be discussed and acted upon are those that appear on the agenda. Anything else is out of order.

The Chairman

He is the member of the assembly designated by appointment [for example, a business agent] or by vote to govern the meeting. He is the "traffic cop" of the meeting. It is his job to see that all parliamentary rules are being followed.

The chairman has no vote at the meeting, except in the case of a tie. He is to be impartial in applying all the rules. He cannot enter into any discussion or make any proposals of motions. He should not milk the assembly for proposals that the personally wants. If the chairman wants to enter the discussion of the meeting he must give up the chair. A chairman's ruling can be appealed by any member of the assembly. This means the ruling of the chair is put before the assembly for a vote on whether they sustain his ruling or reject it.

Speakers and Discussions

Any member can discuss the topic on hand. He must ask the chairman for the floor. No member can speak unless he is recognized by the chairman. No one can interrupt a recognized speaker who has the floor. Anyone who interrupts without just cause should be ruled out of order by the chairman.

No member can speak twice on one topic while there is a members remaining who wishes to speak and has not spoken once.

Motions and Amendments

A motion is simply a proposal with a thought of acting on a topic on the agenda in a specific manner. For instance, at a meeting of farmers, on the agenda appears the topic "This year's crop of apples." After discussing this topic at length, a farmer rises and is recognized by the chair and says, "I wish to make a motion to the effect that this crop of apples by used to make apple pies." Another farmer rises and says, "I second the motion."

Once this motion has been made and seconded it must be put to a vote before the assembly; after a discussion period, provided there is someone who wishes to speak for or against the motion.

However, another farmer rises and says, "I make a motion that this year's crop of apples be used to make cider."

This farmer is out of order!

The motion on the floor waiting to be acted upon is to make the crop into apple pie. This motion must be accepted or rejected before any other motion can be entertained. I other words no motion or proposal can be made at a meeting while there is another motion on the floor duly seconded which has not been acted upon.

An amendment to a motion is an additional idea to the motion which does not destroy the original intent of the motion.

Example: Another farmer rises and says, "I wish to make an amendment to the motion. My amendment is that the apple pies should be sold in the wholesale market." Another farmer rises and says "I second the amendment." When this happens, the amendment is put before the assembly for a vote and then the motion is voted on afterwards. Once an amendment is accepted by the assembly  it will carry the motion with it [In other words, the original motion, plus its amendment, are now carried]. 

Interrupting Speakers

There are times when any member of the assembly can interrupt the speakers or the chair without waiting for recognition by the chairman. Interruptions can be made on "a point of order" or "a point of procedure," these points must be recognized by the chairman immediately.

Point of Order – with this point anyone can interrupt any speaker when he is not speaking on the subject matter on the floor.

Example: The subject being discussed on the floor is apples. A members asks for the floor and is recognized by the chairman and when he begins to speak he starts to discuss carrots. Immediately a member of the assembly rises and without waiting for the chair to recognize him, he addresses the chair in this manner: "Mr. Chairman, I rise to a point of order." The chairman must recognize him at once and say: "What is your point of order?" The member replies, "Mr. Chairman, the topic on the floor is apples and this members is talking about carrots, he is out of order." The chairman should reply, "Your point is well taken" and then return to the speaker and tell him, "Please keep the discussion on apples or relinquish your privilege of speaking."

Point of Procedure – This is the time the chairman can be interrupted by anyone when he is not doing his duties as a chairman.

Example: There is a motion on the floor which has been seconded and the chairman tried to proceed to the next order of business without putting the motion to a vote.

A member rises without waiting to be recognized by the chair and says, "Mr. Chairman, I rise to a point of procedure." The chairman should say, "What is your point of procedure?" The member replies "Mr. Chairman, there is a motion on the floor, duly seconded, to make the apple crop into pies which has not been voted on and you now are proceeding into the next order of business which is carrots. I feel before carrots can be taken up, the motion should be voted on." The chairman should reply, "Your point of procedure is well taken, the motion on the floor will be voted on before we proceed into the next order of business."

Good & Welfare

Is a point on the agenda where a member can bring up any topic he desires which did not appear on any of the other points of the agenda. Good and Welfare usually will come before the adjournment of the meeting.

Typical Agenda

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