Robert’s Rules of Order

Robert’s Rule of Order provides common rules and procedures for deliberation and debate in order to place the whole membership on the same footing and speaking the same language. Form of Popular Motions

When you You say… What does it mean? want to make a motion to… Point of Order Point of Order, To interjection during a meeting by a member, who does not have Speaker, (question) the floor, to call the attention of the chair to an alleged violation or breach of the assembly's or meeting's rules of order. Amend the I move to amend To formally change a bill by either inserting or striking out clauses; bill the motion by… once passed, it is now considered an official part to the whole bill. Table I move to table… To set aside a motion temporarily for further consideration. If an amendment is proposed, it will have to be tabled in order for legislation that do not need amendments to be passed more quickly. Un-table I move to un-table… To bring a tabled motion back to the floor, a member moves to take such motion from the table, and thus, allow for a move to make an amendment to the bill. Yield the floor I yield the floor to... A member who has the floor may yield the floor to another member; in so doing the former surrenders his right to continue speaking at that time. This will happen every time a majority leader allows a member from his/her party to speak.

Common Terms Used in Formal Meetings:

Call to order: a formal declaration of either the beginning of the meeting or a reminder to follow parliamentary procedure.

Carry the Motion: to pass, approve or adopt a motion.

Convene: To call the meeting to order.

Has the Floor: When a member has been recognized by the chair, he has the floor. He should only in rare instances be interrupted; he may yield the floor (see below) to another if he so desires.

Main Motion: Brings new business (the next item on the agenda) before the assembly

Out of Order: Discussions, motions or interjections which are contrary to parliamentary procedure, fact, recognition, administrative procedure, or good taste. Either the Speaker can directly call a member out of order, or a member can ask a point of order for the Speaker to decide if someone is out of order.

Adapted from: http://www.robertsrules.org and http://www.fnnc.org/robertsrules.html