Robert's Rules of Order Revised

PART II. Organization and Conduct

ORGANIZATION AND CONDUCT OF BUSINESS

A SIMPLE EXPLANATION OF THE METHODS OF ORGANIZING AND CONDUCTING THE BUSINESS OF SOCIETIES, CONVENTIONS, AND OTHER DELIBERATIVE ASSEMBLIES

GENERAL HENRY M. ROBERT U. S. ARMY

INCLUSIVE OF ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER SEVEN HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SECOND THOUSAND

SCOTT, FORESMAN AND COMPANY CHICAGO ATLANTA NEW YORK

COPYRIGHT, 1915 BY HENRY M. ROBERT All Rights Reserved

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

=Order of Precedence of Motions= 5

=Table of Rules Relating to Motions= 6

=Preface= 13

=Introduction.=

Parliamentary Law 15 Plan of the Work 20 Definitions 22

Part I.—Rules of Order.

Art. I.—How Business is Conducted in Deliberative Assemblies.

§ 1. Introduction of Business 25

2. What Precedes Debate 26

3. Obtaining the Floor 27

4. Motions and Resolutions 33

5. Seconding Motions 36

6. Stating the Question 38

7. Debate 38

8. Secondary Motions 40

9. Putting the Question and Announcing the Vote 40

10. Proper Motions to Use to Accomplish Certain Objects 43

Art. II.—General Classification of Motions.

§ 11. Main or Principal Motions 51

12. Subsidiary Motions 54

13. Incidental Motions 56

14. Privileged Motions 57

15. Some Main and Unclassified Motions 58

Art. III.—Privileged Motions.

§ 16. Fix the Time to which the Assembly shall Adjourn 59

17. Adjourn 60

18. Take a Recess 64

19. Questions of Privilege 66

20. General and Special Orders and a Call for the Orders of the Day 68

Art. IV.—Incidental Motions.

§ 21. Questions of Order and Appeal 78

22. Suspension of the Rules 83

23. Objection to the Consideration of a Question 87

24. Division of a Question, and Consideration by Paragraph or Seriatim 89

25. Division of the Assembly, and Motions relating to Methods of Voting, or to Closing or Reopening the Polls 95

26. Motions relating to Methods of Making, or to Closing or to Reopening Nominations 96

27. Requests growing out of Business Pending or that has just been pending, as, a Parliamentary Inquiry, a Request for Information, for Leave to Withdraw a. Motion, to Read Papers, to be Excused from a Duty, or for any other Privilege 97

Art. V.—Subsidiary Motions.

§ 28. Lay on the Table 104

29. The Previous Question 111

30. Limit or Extend Limits of Debate 118

31. Postpone Definitely, or to a Certain Time 121

32. Commit or Refer, or Recommit 125

33. Amend 134

34. Postpone Indefinitely 152

Art. VI.—Some Main and Unclassified Motions.

§ 35. Take from the Table 154

36. Reconsider 156

37. Rescind 169

38. Renewal of a Motion 171

39. Ratify 173

40. Dilatory, Absurd, or Frivolous Motions 174

41. Call of the House 175

Art. VII.—Debate.

§ 42. Debate 178

43. Decorum in Debate 180

44. Closing and Preventing Debate 182

45. Principles of Debate and Undebatable Motions 184

Art. VIII.—Vote.

§ 46. Voting 188

47. Votes that are Null and Void even if Unanimous 201

48. Motions requiring more than a Majority Vote 202

Art. IX.—Committees and Boards.

§ 49. Committees Classified 206

50. Boards of Managers, etc., and Executive Committees 207

51. Ex-Officio Members of Boards and Committees 210

52. Committees, Special and Standing 211

53. Reception of Reports 220

54. Adoption or Acceptance of Reports 223

55. Committee of the Whole 229

56. As if in Committee of the Whole 233

57. Informal Consideration 234

Art. X.—The Officers and the Minutes.

§ 58. Chairman or President 236

59. Secretary or Clerk 244

60. The Minutes 247

61. Executive Secretary 250

62. Treasurer 251

Art. XI.—Miscellaneous.

§ 63. Session 253

64. Quorum 257

65. Order of Business 261

66. Nominations and Elections 263

67. Constitutions, By-laws, Rules of Order, and Standing Rules 264

68. Amendments of Constitutions, By-laws, and Rules of Order 269

Part Ii.—Organization, Meetings, and Legal Rights of Assemblies.

Art. XII.—Organization and Meetings.

§ 69. An Occasional or Mass Meeting. (a) Organization 275 (b) Adoption of Resolutions 277 (c) Committee to draft Resolutions 280 (d) Semi-Permanent Mass Meeting 283

70. A Permanent Society. (a) First Meeting 284 (b) Second Meeting 286 (c) Regular Meeting 291

71. Meeting of a Convention. (a) An Organized Convention 292 (b) A Convention not yet Organized 296

Art. XIII.—Legal Rights of Assemblies and Trial of Their Members.

§ 72. Right of an Assembly to Punish its Members 299

73. Right of an Assembly to Eject any one from its Place of Meeting 299

74. Rights of Ecclesiastical Tribunals 300

75. Trial of Members of Societies 302

=Plan for Study of Parliamentary Law.=

Introduction 305 Lesson Outlines 308

=Index= 313

ORDER OF PRECEDENCE OF MOTIONS.

The ordinary motions rank as follows, the lowest in rank being at the bottom and the highest at the top of the list. When any one of them is immediately pending the motions above it in the list are in order, and those below are out of order. Those marked (⅔) require a ⅔ vote for their adoption: the others require only a majority.

{Fix the Time to which to Adjourn } { (when privileged).{1}{2} } {Adjourn (when privileged).{2} } {Take a Recess (when privileged).{1}{2} } Privileged{2} {Raise a Question of Privilege. } Undebatable {Call for the Orders of the Day. } { } {Lay on the Table. {Previous Question (⅔). } {Limit or Extend Limits of Debate (⅔).{1} } } {Postpone to a Certain Time.{1} } Subsidary {Commit or Refer.{1} } Debatable {Amend.{1} } {Postpone Indefinitely. } { {A Main Motion.{1}

{1} Can be amended: the others cannot be amended.

{2} The first three motions are not always privileged. To Fix the Time to which to Adjourn is privileged only when made while another question is pending, and in an assembly that has made no provision for another meeting on the same or the next day. To Adjourn loses its privileged character and is a main motion if in any way qualified, or if its effect, if adopted, is to dissolve the assembly without any provision for its meeting again. To Take a Recess is privileged only when made while other business is pending.

TABLE OF RULES RELATING TO MOTIONS

Answering 300 Questions in Parliamentary Practice

| Section in Rules of Order, Revised. | | =Explanation of the Table.=--The rules at | | the head of the 8 columns apply to all | | original main motions, and to all other | | cases except where a star (★) or a figure | | indicates that the motion is an exception | | to these rules. The star shows that the | | exact opposite of the rule at the head of | | the column applies to the motion, and a | | figure refers to a note which explains the | | extent of the exception. For example, “Lay | | on the Table”; the Table shows that §28 of | | the Manual treats of this motion; that it is | | “undebatable” and “cannot be amended”; that | | “no subsidiary motion can be applied” to it; | | and that it “cannot be reconsidered”;--the | | fact that the 4 other columns have no stars | | or figures shows that the: rules at the head | | of these columns apply to this motion, to | | Lay on the Table, the same as to original | | main motions. | | [=See pages 11 and 12 for a fuller explanation.=] | | | Debatable. | | | | Debate Confined to Pending | | | | Question. | | | | | Can be Amended. | | | | | | Subsidiary Motion can be | | | | | | Applied. | | | | | | | Can be Reconsidered. | | | | | | | | Requires only | | | | | | | | a Majority | | | | | | | | Vote. | | | | | | | | | Must be | | | | | | | | | Seconded. | | | | | | | | | | Out | | | | | | | | | | of | | | | | | | | | | Order | | | | | | | | | | when | | | | | | | | | | Another | | | | | | | | | | has | | | | | | | | | | Floor. | | | | | | | | | | +----+----------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+-------+ | 17 |Adjourn (when | | | | | | | | | | |privileged) 1 | ★ | -- | ★ | ★ | ★ | -- | -- | -- | | 54 |Adopt (Accept | | | | | | | | | | |or Agree to) a | | | | | | | | | | |Report | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | | 67 |Adopt | | | | | | | | | | |Constitutions, | | | | | | | | | | |By-laws, Rules | | | | | | | | | | |of Order | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | -- | -- | -- | | 67 |Adopt Standing | | | | | | | | | | |Rules | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | | | | | | | | | | | | | 33 |Amend 3 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | | 33 |Amend an | | | | | | | | | | |Amendment | 4 | -- | ★ | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | | 68 |Amend | | | | | | | | | | |Constitutions, | | | | | | | | | | |By-laws, Rules | | | | | | | | | | |of Order | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | 5 | -- | -- | | 67 |Amend Standing | | | | | | | | | | |Rules | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 6 | -- | -- | | | | | | | | | | | | | 21 |Appeal, | | | | | | | | | | |relating to | | | | | | | | | | |Indecorum, | | | | | | | | | | |etc. 7 | ★ | -- | ★ | -- | -- | -- | -- | ★ | | 21 |Appeal, all | | | | | | | | | | |other cases | -- | -- | ★ | -- | -- | -- | -- | ★ | | 33 |Blanks, Filling | -- | -- | ★ | -- | -- | -- | ★ | -- | | 32 |Commit or | | | | | | | | | | |Refer, or | | | | | | | | | | |Recommit | -- | -- | -- | -- | 8 | -- | -- | -- | | | | | | | | | | | | | 30 |Debate, to | | | | | | | | | | |Close, Limit, | | | | | | | | | | |or Extend 9 | ★ | -- | -- | -- | -- | ★ | -- | -- | | 25 |Division of | | | | | | | | | | |the Assembly | ★ | -- | ★ | ★ | ★ | -- | ★ | ★ | | 24 |Division of | | | | | | | | | | |the Question | ★ | -- | -- | -- | ★ | -- | 10 | 10 | | 16 |Fix the Time | | | | | | | | | | |to which to | | | | | | | | | | |Adjourn 1 | 11 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | | | | | | | | | | | | | 57 |Informal | | | | | | | | | | |Consideration | | | | | | | | | | |of a Question | -- | -- | ★ | -- | 2 | -- | -- | -- | | 28 |Lay on the | | | | | | | | | | |Table | ★ | -- | ★ | ★ | ★ | -- | -- | -- | | 21 |Leave to | | | | | | | | | | |Continue | | | | | | | | | | |Speaking after | | | | | | | | | | |Indecorum | ★ | -- | ★ | ★ | -- | -- | -- | -- | | 11 |Main Motion or | | | | | | | | | | |Question | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | | | | | | | | | | | | | 26 |Nominations, | | | | | | | | | | |to Make | -- | -- | ★ | -- | ★ | -- | ★ | -- | | 26 |Nominations, | | | | | | | | | | |to Close | ★ | -- | -- | -- | ★ | ★ | -- | -- | | 26 |Nominations, | | | | | | | | | | |to Reopen | ★ | -- | -- | -- | 2 | -- | -- | -- | | 23 |Objection to | | | | | | | | | | |Consideration | | | | | | | | | | |of a Question | ★ | -- | ★ | ★ | 2 | 12 | ★ | ★ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 21 |Order, | | | | | | | | | | |Questions of | ★ | -- | ★ | ★ | ★ | -- | ★ | ★ | | 20 |Order, to Make | | | | | | | | | | |a Special | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ★ | -- | -- | | 20 |Orders of the | | | | | | | | | | |Day, to Call | | | | | | | | | | |for | ★ | -- | ★ | ★ | ★ | -- | ★ | ★ | | 20 |Order of the | | | | | | | | | | |Day, when | | | | | | | | | | |pending | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | | | | | | | | | | | | | 27 |Parliamentary | | | | | | | | | | |Inquiry | ★ | -- | ★ | ★ | ★ | -- | ★ | ★ | | 31 |Postpone | | | | | | | | | | |Definitely, or | | | | | | | | | | |to a Certain | | | | | | | | | | |Time | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | | 34 |Postpone | | | | | | | | | | |Indefinitely | -- | ★ | ★ | -- | 13 | -- | -- | -- | | 29 |Previous | | | | | | | | | | |Question 14 | ★ | -- | ★ | ★ | 15 | ★ | -- | -- | | | | | | | | | | | | | 19 |Privilege, | | | | | | | | | | |to Raise | | | | | | | | | | |Questions of | ★ | -- | ★ | ★ | ★ | -- | ★ | ★ | | 19 |Privilege, | | | | | | | | | | |Questions of, | | | | | | | | | | |when pending | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | | 27 |Reading Paper | ★ | -- | ★ | ★ | -- | -- | -- | -- | | 18 |Recess, to | | | | | | | | | | |Take a (when | | | | | | | | | | |privileged) 1 | 11 | -- | -- | -- | ★ | -- | -- | -- | | | | | | | | | | | | | 36 |Reconsider 16 | 4 | 17 | ★ | -- | ★ | -- | -- | ★ | | 37 |Rescind or | | | | | | | | | | |Repeal | -- | ★ | -- | -- | 2 | 18 | -- | -- | | 33 |Substitute | | | | | | | | | | |(same as Amend) | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | | 22 |Suspend the | | | | | | | | | | |Rules | ★ | -- | ★ | ★ | ★ | ★ | -- | -- | | | | | | | | | | | | | 35 |Take from the | | | | | | | | | | |Table | ★ | -- | ★ | ★ | ★ | -- | -- | -- | | 22 |Take up a | | | | | | | | | | |Question out | | | | | | | | | | |of its Proper | | | | | | | | | | |Order | ★ | -- | ★ | ★ | ★ | ★ | -- | -- | | 25 |Voting, | | | | | | | | | | |Motions | | | | | | | | | | |relating to | ★ | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | | 27 |Withdraw a | | | | | | | | | | |Motion, Leave | | | | | | | | | | |to | ★ | -- | ★ | ★ | 2 | -- | ★ | -- | +----+----------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+-------+

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