Parliamentary Procedures At A Glance

To Do This: (1) You Say This: May You Interrupt Must You Be Is the Motion Is the Motion What Vote Is Speaker? Seconded? Debatable? Amendable? Required?

Adjourn the meeting “I move that we May not interrupt Must be seconded Not debatable Not amendable Majority vote (before all business is “adjourn.” speaker complete)

Recess the meeting “I move that we recess May not interrupt Must be seconded Not debatable Amendable Majority vote “until...” speaker

Complain about noise, “Point of privilege.” May interrupt speaker No second needed Not debatable (2) Not amendable None (3) room temperature,etc.

Suspend further consid- “I move we table it.” May not interrupt Must be seconded Not debatable Not amendable Majority vote eration of something speaker

End debate “I move the previous May not interrupt Must be seconded Not debatable Not amendable Two-thirds vote “question.” speaker

Postpone consideration “I move we postpone May not interrupt Must be seconded Debatable Amendable Majority vote of something “this matter until...” speaker

Have something studied “I move we refer this May not interrupt Must be seconded Debatable Amendable Majority vote further “matter to a commitee.” speaker

Amend a motion “I move that this motion May not interrupt Must be seconded Debatable Amendable Majority vote “be amended by...” speaker

Introduce business (a “I move that...” May not interrupt Must be seconded Debatable Amendable Majority vote primary motion) speaker

Notes

1. These motions or points are listed in established order of precedence. When any 2. In this case, any resulting motion is debatable. one of them is pending, you may not introduce another that’s listed below it. But you may introduce another that’s listed above it 3. Chair decides. Parliamentary Procedures At A Glance (continued)

To Do This: (4) You Say This: May You Interrupt Must You Be Is the Motion Is the Motion What Vote Is Speaker? Seconded? Debatable? Amendable? Required?

Object to procedure or “Point of order.” May interrupt the No second needed Not debatable Not amendable None (3) to a personal affront speaker

Request information “Point of information.” If urgent, may interrupt No second needed Not debatable Not amendable None speaker

Ask for a vote by actual “I call for a division of May not interrupt No second needed Not debatable Not amendable None unless count to verify a voice “the house.” speaker (5) someone objects count (6)

Object to considering “I object to consider- May interrupt speaker No second needed Not debatable Not amendable Two-thirds vote some undiplomatic or “ation of this question.” required improper matter

Take up a matter “I move we take from May not interrupt Must be seconded Not debatable Not amendable Majority required previously tabled “the table...” speaker

Reconsider something “I move we now (or May interrupt speaker Must be seconded Debatable it Not amendable Majority required already disposed of “later) reconsider our original motion “action relative to...” is debatable

Consider something out “I move we suspend the May not interrupt Must be seconded Not debatable Not amendable Two-thirds vote of its scheduled order “rules and consider...” speaker required

Vote on a ruling by the “I appeal the chair’s May interrupt speaker Must be seconded Debatable Not amendable Majority in the chair “decision.” negative required to reverse chair’s decision

Notes

4. The motions, points and proposals have no established order of precedence. Any of 5. But division must be called for before another motion is started. them may be introduced at any time except when the meeting is considering one of the top three matters listed in the chart (motion to adjourn, motion to recess,point of privilege). 6. Then majority vote is required.