RobertsRules

The following three points are always in order:
1. Point of Order: a question about process, or objection and suggestion of alternative process. May include a request for the facilitator to rule on process.
2. Point of Information: a request for information on a specific question, either about process or about the content of a motion. This is not a way to get the floor to say something you think people should know. People misusing points of information in this fashion will be defenestrated, or otherwise sanctioned forcefully.
3. Point of Personal Privilege: a comment addressing a personal need - a direct response to a comment defaming one’s character, a plea to open the windows, etc.

All motions must be seconded, and are adopted by a majority vote unless otherwise noted. All motions may be debated unless otherwise noted. Motions are in order of precedence: motions may be made only if no motion of equal or higher precedence is on the floor (i.e., don’t do a number 5 (move to end debate) when the body is discussing a number 4 (move to suspend rules).
1. Motion to Adjourn: not debatable; goes to immediate majority vote.
2. Motion to Recess: not debatable. May be for a specific time.
3. Motion to Appeal the Facilitator’s Decision: Not debatable; goes to immediate vote. Allows the body to overrule a decision made by the chair.
4. Motion to Suspend the Rules: suspends formal process for dealing with a specific question. Debatable; requires 2/3 vote.
5. Motion to End Debate and Vote or Call the Question: applies only to the motion on the floor.
Not debatable; requires 2/3 vote.
6. Motion to Extend Debate: can be general, or for a specific time or number of speakers. Not debatable.
7. Motion to Refer to Committee: applies only to the main motion. Refers question to a specific group with a specific time and charge.
8. Motion to Divide the Question: breaks the motion on the floor into two parts, in manner suggested by mover.
9. Motion to Amend: must be voted for by a majority to be considered and by a 2/3 to be passed.
If amendment is accepted as “friendly” by the proposer of the amendment then many bodies will allow it to be accepted without a formal vote; this is a way of including a consensus-building process into procedure without endless debate over amendments to amendments. Strictly speaking, however, once the main motion is made it is the property of the body to amend.
10. Main Motion: what it is you’re debating and amending.

1. When a topic is first introduced or a main motion is made, allow all questions for information purposes to be asked before opening to debate.
2. Discourage the repetition of arguments. Attempt to call on people who have not yet spoken before those who have already spoken. Discourage dialogues that start up between two individuals in debate.
3. If debate carries on too long, impose time limits on speakers.
4. Discourage people from talking in initials - spell them out.

•     Motions to limit or close debate usually require at least a two- thirds majority, and like all but a handful of secondary motions, an individual must be recognized by the chair before he or she may propose the motion. These motions are summarized in §§29 and 30.
•     The Moderator is not under an obligation to entertain a motion, even if it is in order. §40 of Robert’s Rules states that absurd, obstructive, offensive, or trivial motions may be ruled invalid by the chair, regardless of whether or not they have been seconded by the membership. This applies to all motions, including secondary motions whose obvious intent is to defeat the purpose of the main motion with a motion not designated by Robert’s Rules to do so. [40]
•     Do not object to the consideration of an unsuitable main motion unless it is clearly offensive to the Society or to a particular member or guest (in which case the acting Moderator should not have allowed it in the first place). Instead, move to postpone it indefinitely. The latter requires only a majority vote (while the former requires two-thirds), and the latter is debatable, providing you with the opportunity to quickly and forcefully argue against any further consideration of the main motion. (Objecting to consideration is not debatable, even though it is not always clear why an individual objects.)
•     Robert’s Rules call an amendment to an amendment a secondary amendment, or an amendment in the second degree. §33, pp. 135 and 147 forbid amendments in the third degree: that is, there can be no amendment to an amendment to an amendment, or anything worse.
•     The most effective way to commit a question is to amend one’s own motion to commit to specify that the question be referred to a standing committee. In this way, the motion is more likely to receive immediate consideration within an established setting.
•     The Society’s once-per-semester membership committee meeting, the Committee of the Whole, is a special case of a motion to commit, and receives extended treatment in §55. It should be noted that Robert’s Rules are applied differently in the Committee of the Whole than they are in a general meeting. In particular, business is conducted less formally, with more opportunity for members to offer debate. In the past, the Philomathean Society has deviated from Robert’s Rules §55 in the following ways: during Committee of the Whole, the Membership Committee is in executive session--that is, nonmembers are asked to leave the chamber, and no part of its proceedings may be discussed outside of the committee; debate may be limited, extended, or closed by a two-thirds vote; and the committee is permitted to recess or caucus by majority vote or general consent.
•     Robert’s Rules refer to Philospeak’s ‘calling the question’ as the previous question; this is another phrase for moving to dose debate immediately and calling a vote on the current motion.
•     A ‘friendly amendment’ is a special kind of amendment, not explicitly referenced in Robert’s Rules, whereby a motion is amended by general consent if the main motion’s sponsor agrees to the proposed amendment. This is covered by one of the standing rules in the By-Laws, as well as in §27, pp. 100-101.
•      Philospeak’s ‘point of personal privilege’ is a question of privilege in Robert’s Rules. §19, p. 68 invites, but does not require, a question of privilege to include a motion. Using a point of personal privilege to raise a procedural motion that does not have the right to interrupt the floor--e.g., to move to table or to move to close debate--is dilatory and should not be entertained by the chair, per §40.
•     There may be some confusion over the motion with the highest precedence, that of fixing the time to which to adjourn. The object of the motion to set a time--and sometimes the place--for the start of the next meeting to continue business. It is for this reason that it is given the highest precedence, so that it can be executed while a motion to adjourn is pending. See §16, p. 59 of Robert’s Rules.
•     A point of order applies only to a current violation of parliamentary procedure; it may not be applied to a past decision or action. Past violations must be appealed, rescinded, or censured. See §21, 37 and 72. Reconsiderations only apply to reconsiderable votes taken within the same meeting; see §36.
•     An objection to consideration of a motion is in order even after the motion has been seconded, as long as debate on it has not commenced. See §23, p. 87.
•     A point of information has come to be used as a way to quickly volunteer information (without being recognized by the Moderator) regarding a question of fact before the Society, which is not what Robert’s Rules §27 intended it for--it should be used only to ask a question.
•     The acting Moderator should take care when offering debate to limit his or her      comments to those of a factual nature and should avoid betraying his or her own opinions on the matter at hand. If the chair through its debate can be shown to be partial toward one side or the other on a particular issue, Robert’s Rules state that the chair must step down for the remainder of the debate.
•     Per Robert’s Rules §4, p. 32, the following motions are in order even when another individual has the floor: call for the orders of the day, division of the question, point of inquiry or information, point of order, point of personal privilege, motion to withdraw, objection to consideration, motion to appeal. All other motions (except some obscure ones) are in order only when their sponsor has obtained the floor by being recognized by the acting      Moderator. [41]
•     Per Robert’s Rules §45, p. 187, the following motions are not debatable: motion to adjourn or recess, call for the orders of the day, lay on the table, objection to consideration, point of order, call the question, point of personal privilege, motion to withdraw, suspend the rules, take from the table, extend or limit debate, reconsideration. All other motions (except for rare motions and special cases of common ones) are debatable by the Society. [42]

Per Robert’s Rules §33, pp. 146-147, the following motions are not amendable: motion to adjourn, call for the orders of the day, lay on the table, objection to consideration, call the question, motion to withdraw, suspend the rules, take from the table, appeal, postpone indefinitely, and all points of order, privilege, inquiry, and information. All other debatable motions (except for some uncommon exceptions) are amendable by the Society.

Assembly	An organized group conducting a business meeting is referred to as an ASSEMBLY, or more often, by its proper name.

Order of Business Agenda	Customarily, such groups adopt an ORDER OF BUSINESS, usually called an AGENDA. listing topics the meeting will cover in the order they will be addressed. Often, approval of the agenda is the first matter to come before an assembly. As each item on the agenda is disposed of, it is the duty of the CHAIR (presiding officer) to announce the succeeding items in their proper order, included on most agendas will be reading of the prior meeting's minutes, reports of boards and committees, unfinished business, and new business.

Chair

	An assembly handles its business in five steps. First, business is brought before the assembly, either by the presentation of a communication to the group (for instance, a letter), or by the motion of a member.


	(1) MOTION MADE

Motion	A proposal that the assembly take certain action or express itself as holding certain views is a MOTION. Verbally, a member introduces a motion by obtaining the floor (page 6) and stating, "I move that . . ." or s/he may MOVE for the adoption of a written RESOLUTION.

Move Resolution

	(2) MOTION SECONDED

Seconding the Motion	Next, another member who supports the proposal says, "I SECOND THE MOTION." Requiting a "second" prevents consuming time on a view held by only one member.

	(3) CHAIR STATES QUESTION

Out of Order	Once a motion is seconded, it will be ruled OUT OF ORDER by the chair if not proper for consideration at that time. When a motion is in order, the chair STATES THE QUESTION to the assembly, clarifying any vague points. Having been restated by the chair, the proposal is PENDING, that is, before the assembly for consideration and action. (Until a motion is pending, any member may suggest modification, or the mover may modify or withdraw the motion. If the mover should modify, the seconder may withdraw his second.) After stating the question, the chair asks, "Are you ready for he question?" This opens the floor for debate on the proposal.
Stating the Question
Pending

	(4) DEBATE

Immediately Pending Question Debate	That question most recently stated by the chair is the IMMEDIATELY PENDING QUESTION, discussion of a proposal, is limited to the immediately pending question, and usually each member is limited to two ten-minute speeches during any debate.

Obtaining the Floor	Prior to debating or making a motion, a member must OBTAIN THE FLOOR. After the previous speaker yields the floor (usually by sitting down), the member wishing to speak rises and addresses the chair. The would-be speaker is "recognized" (assigned the floor) by the chair or ruled "out of order" in favor or another speaker. In many cases the first one to rise is assigned the floor. A member attempting to "take the floor" for a second speech on the same question is out of order when any member who has not spoken on that question desires the floor.

	(5) VOTE

Putting the Question	Once debate seems to have ceased, the chair again asks, "Are you ready for the question?" If no one rises to be recognized, he proceeds to PUT THE QUESTION, that is, s/he restates and takes a vote on the question. Voting is usually by voice. If the result is not clear, the chair should ask for a show of hands or a standing vote. Other methods of voting are roll call, secret ballot, and DIVISION OF THE ASSEMBLY. After a vote by voice or show of hands, any member may call for a "division" (of the assembly), which requires having those voting affirmatively rise, followed by those casting negative votes. This is done so that all may see how each member voted.
Division of the Assembly


Quorum	A QUORUM is the number of assembly members that must be present to legally conduct business. Usually this is a majority of all members. Generally, to adopt a motion requires presence of a quorum and a MAJORITY VOTE (more than half the votes cast). A few measures requires a two-thirds vote. The chair may choose to vote only if doing so would change the result, as when his vote would make or break a tie. On a tie vote the motion is defeated. Once the result of a vote is clear, it is announced by the chair, and the meeting progresses to the next item of business.
Majority Vote

Motion is Made Motion is Seconded Chair States the Question	Thus, an assembly generally uses five steps to conduct its business: (1) a MOTION IS MADE, (2) the MOTION IS SECONDED, (3) the CHAIR STATES THE QUESTION, placing it before the assembly, (4) the assembly DEBATES the motion, and (5) VOTES upon it. In many smaller assemblies where members meet regularly and are known to one another, they often dispense with the formality of a motion, particularly where routine business is concerned. But, should any member object or discussion begin to lose direction, a regular motion becomes necessary.
Debates Votes

	MINUTES

Minutes	Most assemblies keep a written record of their proceedings known as the MINUTES of the meeting. The secretary does not record all of what is said by the members, but rather what is accomplished by the assembly. The minutes should include the name of the assembly; the date, time, and place of the meeting, names of officers present; and whether the minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved. All main motions (not withdrawn), points of order, appeals, and all other motions not lost or withdrawn should be recorded. The names of members who introduced main motions should be noted. The minutes should include records of votes taken, reports from committees and action taken regarding these, and any written resolutions adopted. Minutes are usually amended (corrected) informally, the chair directing the correction be made when suggested. The minutes must be either accepted or accepted as corrected, and may be corrected further at any time without reconsidering the vote approving them.

	MOTIONS

	As we have seen, the business of a meeting is carried forward by motions. These are categorized into original and incidental main motions, and three types of secondary motions: privileged, subsidiary, and incidental. Most of the important motions fall into one of these five categories, although a few are unclassified. Using the various motions as tools, members can control a meeting from the assembly floor and the chair merely directs. When only the officers are familiar with parliamentary motions, the meeting is too often controlled from the chair. Following is an explanation of the various motions and their uses.

	MAIN MOTIONS

Main or Principal Motion	The type of motion made to bring a particular subject before the assembly is a MAIN MOTION or PRINCIPAL MOTION. Main motions are subdivided into incidental and ORIGINAL, MAIN MOTIONS. The latter are those motions bringing a new subject before the assembly for action. Eight rules govern original main motions.
Original Main Motions
	1. They may be debated: 2. Debate must be confined to the immediately pending question: 3. They can be amended: 4. All subsidiary motions can be applied to them: 5. They can be reconsidered: 6. They require only a majority vote for adoption: 7. They must be seconded, and: 8. They are not in order when another has the floor.

Incidental Main Motions	INCIDENTAL MAIN MOTIONS relate to the business of the assembly and include motions to:
	A. Accept or Adopt a Report upon a subject previously referred to committee. Receiving a report is allowing it to be presented, however, accepting a report has the effect of endorsing the statement; B. Adjourn at a specified time; C. Appoint the Time and Place for the next meeting; D. Amend the Constitution, Bylaws, Standing Rules, or Resolutions, etc., already adopted; E. Ratify or Confirm action taken previously; F. Rescind or Repeal action taken previously. A vote taken by the assembly may be rescinded by a majority vote (with prior notice), by two-thirds vote (with no notice), or by a majority vote of all members.

	SECONDARY MOTIONS

Secondary Motions	All motions that may be made while the original motion is pending are referred to as SECONDARY MOTIONS. Secondary motions are divided into three categories: (1) privileged, (2) subsidiary, and (3) incidental motions.

	(1) PRIVILEGED MOTIONS

Privileged Motions	PRIVILEGED MOTIONS are not related to the ending question, but are to urgent or important that they take precedence over all other questions. Privileged motions are those to:
Questions of Privilege	A. Fix the Time and Place to which to Adjourn; B. Adjourn; C. Take a Recess - This motion is practically a combination of (A) and )B); D. Raise a Question of Privilege - QUESTIONS OF PRIVILEGE involve rights or privileges of the assembly of members and may interrupt a speech in cases of great urgency (for example, to let it be known a speaker cannot be heard in part of the hall). Once a question of privilege is disposed of, business resumes where it was interrupted; if a member was speaking, he is again assigned the floor. Do not confuse "questions of privilege" with "privilege questions" (privileged motions). E. Call for the Orders of the Day - A call for the orders of the day demands that the assembly conform to its agenda. To depart from the agenda requires a suspension of the rules. Privileged motions are generally undebatable and cannot be tabled, postponed, or committed. A, B, and C are privileged motions if made while other business is pending; otherwise, they are incidental main motions.

	(2) SUBSIDIARY MOTIONS

Subsidiary Motions	SUBSIDIARY MOTIONS are those applied to other motions to modify or most appropriately dispose of the original motion. When applied to a main motion, subsidiary motions must be decided before the main motion. Following are he subsidiary motions, with short explanations:
	F. Lay on the Table - More commonly called "tabling," this motion is used to lay aside (table) the pending question in favor of more urgent business. (A motion to a table business cannot be amended to debated.)
	G. The Previous Questions - Moving for the previous question does not refer, as its name might suggest, to the prior question, but instead is a motion to close debate and at once vote on the immediately pending question. (Requires two-thirds vote; not amendable.)
	H. Limit or Extended Limits of Debate - This motion may (1) close debate at a certain hour, (2) limit debate to a certain number of minutes, or (3) reduce or increase the number of speeches each member may make or the length of each speech. (Requires two-thirds vote.)
	I. Postpone Definitely, or to a Certain Time - A motion may be postponed to a specific hour or until a specific event occurs, or just to the next meeting. The time to which it is postponed must fall within the current or nest session.
Committee	J. Commit or Refer, or Recommit - This motion refers (commits) the question to a committee for its recommendations, before consideration by the assembly. One or more persons appointed or elected by the assembly to consider, investigate, or take action on specified matters constitutes a COMMITTEE. A motion to commit may or may not specify details. If not specified, the chair first asks, "To what committee shall the question be referred?" If different ones are suggested, these are voted upon until one receives a majority.
	K. Amend - Amendments change or modify the original motion without destroying the sense of it. They are used to strike out, insert, or substitute words or paragraphs, and must relate to the subject being amended. An amendment may itself be amended (amendment of the second degree). Third degree amendments are not in order. A few motions cannot be amended (for instance, a motion to table a proposal). An amendment may be debated when the motion to be amended is debatable.
	L. Postpone Indefinitely - Applied only to main questions, the object of this motion is really not to postpone, but to reject, the main question without risking a direct vote on it. Instead of voting on he main proposal, members vote on whether to continue discussing it. Since this is technically a new question, members who have exhausted their right to debate may speak again. (Not amendable.)
	Subsidiary motions by themselves cannot be tabled, postponed, or committed, but are carried along with the main proposal to which they apply if it is tabled. etc. The privileged and subsidiary motions (A) - (L) above are listed is order, with the highest ranking listed first. When any one of these motions is immediately pending, motions above it on the list are in order, and those below it are out of order.

	(3) INCIDENTAL MOTIONS

Incidental Motions	INCIDENTAL MOTIONS arise out o another question which is or has just been pending. they must be decided before any other business, cannot be amended, and cannot be debated. Do not confuse these with incidental main motions. Frequently used incidental motions include:
	M. Questions of Order and Appeal - Raising a POINT and ORDER suggests a break of the rules. The question must be raised at the time the breach occurs, may interrupt a speech, and is decided by the chair. Any decision of the chair may be APPEALED by two members, but only at the time of the ruling. The assembly votes to sustain or overrule the chair.
	N. Suspensions of the Rules - Used by two-thirds vote to temporarily suspend a specified rule of order, so that a particular piece of business may be expedited.
	O. Objecting to the Consideration of a Question - A two-thirds vote is required to prevent consideration of an original main motion.
	P. Division of a Question and Consideration by Paragraph - Allows consideration of individual parts of a motion that could each stand alone.
	Q. Division of the Assembly, and Motions relating to Voting
	R. Motions relating to Methods of Making, or to Closing or Reopening Nominations
	S. Parliamentary Inquiry
	T. Request for Information
	U. Request for Leave to Withdraw a Motion, Read Papers, be Wxcused form a Duty, or any other Privilege

	UNCLASSIFIED MOTIONS

	To Take from the Table - This motion is used to take up a matter previously tabled. Not amendable or debatable.
	Reconsider - This motion provides a means for correcting errors due to hasty action by proposing a vote be reconsidered. It can only be made the day of the vote or the day following. It must be made by a member who voted with the prevailing side. (Cannot be amended, postponed indefinitely, committed.) If passed, this motion places the original question before the assembly just as it was before being voted upon.

Renewal of Motions	Except for a motion to reconsider or a motion to rescind the vote, an original main motion that has been adopted, rejected, or postponed indefinitely (or practically the same motion) cannot be RENEWED, that is, brought before the assembly a second time, at the same session. It may be introduced at a future session.
	Original Main Motions bring business before the assembly, and Subsidiary Motions properly dispose of the main motions. Any question that arise in this process or routine mechanics of the meeting are handled with Incidental Motions. Privileged Motions deal with urgent matters that arise. Thus, the various motions are the tools with which the assemble shapes a business meeting.
	Under normal circumstances, only certain simple parliamentary rules need be followed as a matter of course. But on numerous procedural points, it is important that there be a commonly accepted rule to fall back on if needed. It is hoped this short guide will serve as an introduction to the most frequently used parliamentary procedures and as a handy reference to those needed only occasionally.
	In this way we hope to "assist an assembly to accomplish in the best possible manner the work for which it was designed." (General Henry M. Roberts, 1915)

Introduction to Robert's Rules of Order