Principles of parliamentary procedure

Parliamentary procedure is the body of rules, ethics, and customs governing meetings and other operations of clubs, organizations, legislative bodies, and other deliberative assemblies. General principles of parliamentary procedure include rule of the majority with respect for the minority.

## Contents

* 1 Purpose
* 2 Principles
* 2.1 Majority rule
* 2.2 Minority rights
* 2.3 Member rights
* 2.4 One question at a time
* 2.5 One person, one vote
* 2.6 Only members present can vote
* 2.7 Changing action previously decided on
* 2.8 Following own specific rules
* 2.9 Absentee members rights
* 2.10 Nonmembers rights
* 3 References

## Purpose

The purpose of parliamentary procedure is for the assembly to conduct its businesses in the most efficient way possible while protecting the rights of its members.[1]

## Principles

### Majority rule

Main article: Majority rule

The basic principle of decision is majority vote.[2]

### Minority rights

See also: Supermajority

The minority have certain rights that only a supermajority, such as a two-thirds vote, can overrule.[2] Such rights include introducing new business and speaking in debate.[3]

### Member rights

Members have the right to attend meetings, speak in debate, make (and second) motions, and vote; when the vote is by ballot, there is an additional right of secrecy in how the member votes. Other rights include nominating (and being nominated) to office, running for or being elected to office, and receiving proper notice of all meetings.[4] A member cannot be individually deprived of any these rights except through disciplinary procedures.[4]

Members have the right to know what they are deciding on.[5] The assembly acts with fairness and good faith.[1][6] All members are treated equally.[7][8] Members are expected to be of honorable character.[9]

### One question at a time

Only one main motion can be pending at a time.[10] According to Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR), this rule is considered to be a fundamental principle of parliamentary law.[11]

### One person, one vote

Each member has a vote and each vote is weighted equally.[7][12] RONR also considers this principle to be a fundamental rule of parliamentary law.[11] Exceptions to this rule, such as cumulative voting, must be expressly provided for in the organization's fundamental rules.[13]

### Only members present can vote

As yet another fundamental principle, it's established that the decisions made by members present at a meeting are the official acts in the name of the organization.[2][6][11] Exceptions for absentee voting would have to be expressly provided for in the organization's rules.[14] Nonmembers are not allowed to vote.[11] Any member can abstain from voting at any time, unless the committee or organization strictly prohibits it, which may be the case especially for groups of nine or less individuals.

### Changing action previously decided on

Actions cannot be in conflict with a decision previously made unless that action is rescinded or amended.[15] The body can change the rules it wants to follow as long as it follows the rules for making such changes.[16]

Under RONR, the requirements for changing a previous action are greater than those for taking the new actions.[17] A motion to rescind, repeal or annul, or amend something already adopted, for instance, requires a two-thirds vote, a majority with previous notice, or a majority of the entire membership.[18] According to The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure, however, a repeal or amendment of something previously adopted requires only the same vote (usually a simple majority) and the same notice that was needed to adopt it in the first place.[19]

### Following own specific rules

The group must have the authority to take the actions it purports to take.[6][20] To be valid, any action or decision of a body must not violate any applicable law or constitutional provision.[6][15]

### Absentee members rights

Certain actions require previous notice, which protects the rights of absentees.[2] This includes notice of the meetings.[6][21] There also needs to be a quorum, that is the minimum number of members that should to be present lest the meeting be rendered invalid.[6][22]

### Nonmembers rights

Under RONR nonmembers have none of these rights and the assembly can exclude any or all of them from the proceedings.[23]

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Template:Parliamentary manuals
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Robert, Henry M. (2011). Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (11th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Da Capo Press. pp. 4. ISBN 978-0-306-82020-5.
3. ↑ Robert 2011, p. 403
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Robert 2011, p. 3
5. ↑ Robert 2011, p. 299
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 Template:Parliamentary manuals
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Robert 2011, p. 2
8. ↑ Template:Parliamentary manuals
9. ↑ Robert 2011, p. 643
10. ↑ Robert 2011, p. 59
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Robert 2011, p. 263
12. ↑ Robert 2011, p. 407
13. ↑ Robert 2011, p. 443
14. ↑ Robert 2011, p. 423
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Robert 2011, p. 251
16. ↑ Robert 2011, p. 10
17. ↑ Robert 2011, p. 75
18. ↑ Robert 2011, p. 306
19. ↑ Template:Parliamentary manuals
20. ↑ Robert 2011, p. 125
21. ↑ Robert 2011, p. 89
22. ↑ Robert 2011, p. 21
23. ↑ Robert 2011, p. 648

* v
* t
* e

Parliamentary procedure

Major concepts|

* History of parliamentary procedure
* Principles of parliamentary procedure
* Deliberative assembly
* Committee
* Session
* Quorum
* Chair
* Floor
* Recognition
* Motion
* Second
* Debate
* Main motion
* Order of business
* Minutes
* Voting methods in deliberative assemblies
* Majority
* Unanimous consent

Subsidiary motions|

* Postpone indefinitely
* Amend
* Commit
* Postpone to a certain time
* Limit or extend limits of debate
* Previous question
* Cloture
* Lay on the table

Privileged motions|

* Call for the orders of the day
* Raise a question of privilege
* Recess
* Adjourn
* Fix the time to which to adjourn

Incidental motions|

* Point of order
* Appeal
* Suspend the rules
* Objection to the consideration of a question
* Division of a question
* Consideration by paragraph or seriatim
* Division of the assembly
* Motions relating to methods of voting and the polls
* Motions relating to nominations
* Request to be excused from a duty
* Requests and inquiries (Parliamentary inquiry, Request for information, Request for permission to withdraw or modify a motion, Request to read papers, Request for any other privilege)

Motions that bring a question
again before the assembly|

* Take from the table
* Rescind, repeal, annul or amend something previously adopted
* Discharge a committee
* Reconsider

Legislative procedures|

* Call of the house
* Hoist
* Motion to pass on
* Recall of Parliament

Disciplinary procedures|

* Censure
* Declare the chair vacant
* Impeach
* Naming

Parliamentary authorities|

* Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR)
* The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure (TSC or Sturgis)
* Demeter's Manual of Parliamentary Law and Procedure
* Riddick's Rules of Procedure
* Mason's Manual of Legislative Procedure
* Erskine May
* Jefferson's Manual
* Bourinot's Rules of Order
* Beauchesne's Parliamentary Rules and Forms
* Morin code
* ABC of Chairmanship

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