1. Parliamentary Procedure Shannon Sun, PRP, CPP
Running Efficient Meetings with a Cooperative Assembly
By: Shannon Sun, PRP, CPP
Shannon Sun,
PRP, CPP

2. Shannon Sun, PRP, CPP "Where there is no law, but
every man does what is
right in his own eyes, there
is the least of real liberty."
Henry M. Robert
Shannon Sun, PRP, CPP

3. Shannon Sun, PRP, CPP Overview Definition of Parliamentary Procedure
Principles of Parliamentary Procedure
How and When to Use Parliamentary
Procedure
Order of Business and Agendas
Motions
Shannon Sun, PRP, CPP

4. Shannon Sun, PRP, CPP What is parliamentary procedure? What are its
Parliamentary procedure is defined as a “set of
What is
rules used to facilitate the transaction of
business and to promote cooperation and
parliamentary
harmony among members.” Also known as
"parliamentary law."
procedure?
There are five basic principles of parliamentary
procedure:
What are its
Order
Equality
fundamental
Justice
Minority Rights
principles?
Rule of the Majority
Shannon Sun, PRP, CPP

5. Shannon Sun, PRP, CPP More parliamentary procedure terms:
Parliamentary Authority
More
(n.) set of rules that a group
parliamentary
adopts as the rules that will
govern them.
procedure
Bylaws
terms:
(n.) set of rules and regulations
that govern the organization;
often has a portion that states
the organization's adopted
parliamentary authority
Shannon Sun, PRP, CPP

6. Why do we How do we use use parliamentary parliamentary procedure?
Parliamentary procedure is used to:
The use of parliamentary procedure
varies by the meeting and organization.
Facilitate the transaction of business
Generally, formalities are required when
Ensure that members have equal
the membership is high and/or when
rights
issues are very divided. However, it is
Protects “minority” members with
always good to obey the principles of
rights
parliamentary procedure, follow an
Maintaining the will of the majority
agenda and order of business, and
Promote cooperation and harmony
make and handle motions.
Shannon Sun, PRP, CPP

7. Shannon Sun, PRP, CPP Rights of Members* Responsibilities of Members
Be properly notified of meetings
Rights of
Have the meeting start on time, not before
Members*
Attend meetings
Propose motions
*Rights may be taken away through
Participate in debate
disciplinary procedures
Vote
Serve on committees
Seek nomination
Share in organizations activities
Arrive on time and remain until adjournment;
Responsibilities
Attend and to be prepared to participate. of
Contribute ideas with properly phrased motions and
intelligent debate.
Members
Observe proper decorum during meetings and in debate.
Respect and adhere to the legitimate orders of the chair.
Vote and Accept the decision of the majority.
Shannon Sun, PRP, CPP

8. Shannon Sun, PRP, CPP Order of Business & Agendas Order of Business
(N.) an established sequence of items to be
considered at a meeting of an organization
Agenda
(N.) an established sequence similar to an order of
business that often contains more detailed topics
Using an agenda or order of
business will organize what is
being discussed ahead of time
and when it will be discussed.
Shannon Sun, PRP, CPP

9. Motions 101 Shannon Sun, PRP, CPP
Understanding the basic units of parliamentary
procedure
Shannon Sun, PRP, CPP

10. Shannon Sun, PRP, CPP Motion = Proposal to the Assembly
Main Motion = proposal that
"I move to donate for ABC organization to
stands by itself and introduces
donate $500 to XYZ."
business to the assembly
Subsidiary Motion = proposal
"I move to amend the main motion by striking
that modifies the main motion or
out $500 and inserting $100"
the procedures in processing
the main motion, such as
modifying debate limits
"I move to take a recess until 5 p.m."
Privileged Motion = proposal
that deals with the privileges of
the assembly or an individual
Incidental Motion = proposal
"Point of information...How much did we
that questions the procedures of
donate to XYZ last year?"
other motions (not necessarily
the main motion)
Shannon Sun, PRP, CPP

11. Shannon Sun, PRP, CPP The Easy Eight Steps in Handling a Motion
1. Member Seeks Recognition
2. Chair Addresses the Member
3. Another member Seconds the Motion
4. Chair States the Motion
5. Members Debate
6. Chair Puts the Motion
7. Members Vote
8. Chair Announces the Result
Shannon Sun, PRP, CPP

12. Shannon Sun, PRP, CPP Ranking Motions Analogy
Concept #1: Higher ranking motions can be
Make motions from low to high
moved at any time after lower ranking
motions are moved.
Concept #2: A lower ranking motion can
only be moved after the higher ranking
motion is disposed of -- through a vote
Dispose motions from high to low
(passed/lost) and/or adopted
postponement.
Tip: Keep track of motions by writing them
down. Check or cross them off when they
are voted on.
Analogy
Recall the Stacking Toy Game (a toy where you stack rings on top of one another.) A ring can only be on top
of another ring if it is smaller, meaning if one wants to stack a smaller ring, one would have to get rid of the
bigger ring(s) currently on top. Not every ring has to be stacked. Now imagine that a smaller ring is a higher-
ranked motion and a bigger ring is a lower-ranked one. Stacking a ring is equivalent to making the motion,
and taking the ring off is equivalent to disposing the motion.
Shannon Sun, PRP, CPP

13. Shannon Sun, PRP, CPP "Ifthestudenthasoncefixedinhismindthe
ideathatparliamentarylawisnotaseriesof
arbitraryrules--butaplain, consistent
system, foundedoncommonsense, and
sanctionedbytheexperienceofmankind--
hewillhavegonefartowardunderstanding
it."
Thomas B. Reed, U.S. Houseof
Representatives
Shannon Sun, PRP, CPP

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