MASON'S MANUAL OF LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURE Mason's Manual of Legislative Procedure for Legislative and Other Governmental Bodies by Paul Mason McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc. NEW YORK TORONTO LONDON 1953 FOREWORD This manual has been compiled to meet the particu- lar needs of legislative and administrative bodies. It began as a project of the American Legislators' As- sociation, but covers the procedural problems which OF MA30N'S MANUAL may arise in official public bodies of all kinds. PROCEDURE LEGISLATIVE This work has evolved from an exhaustive study of Mason. Copyright, 1935, 1937, 1943, 1953, by Pnul judicial decisions and legislative precedents guided by All rights Printed in the United States of America. the knowledge gained from many years may not be repro- experience reserved. This book, or parts thereof, with legislative without permission of the author. procedure and from specialization in duced in any form constitutional Iaw. Number: 53--8378 Library of Congress Catalog Card The rules here set forth are the rules applied by the courts and not the rules as some writer has supposed they should be. As will be demonstrated in this vol- ume, some popular conceptions of parliamentary ]aw are not accepted by the courts. The book has been arranged to facilitate the cita- tion of authority. In many instances the facts upon which court decisions are based, are given to aid in applying the common law rule. Judicial decisions are cited freely and authors are cited on questions where reference to their works will verify, explain, or throw further light on the ques- tions. A proper application of the rules of procedure stated in this book will eliminate confusion, contra versy and litigation and make public bodies more pleasant to take par!' in and more efficient in their work. A modern, authoritative reference book which covers in compact form the fundamentals of parlia- mentary procedure as they relate to private voluntary associations is the "Sturgis Standard Code of Parlia- mentary Procedure" by Alice Sturgis. This book makes a useful companion volume for the "Manual of Legislative Procedure." PAUL MA80N TABLE OF CONTENTS Pale FOREWORD ----------------------------------------- 5 CITATIONS ------------------------------------------ ~ ~ PART I PARLIAMENTARY LAW AND RULES CHAP7'EB 1—AULEB GOVF.RNINO PROCF.D'UEE Sec. 1. Neceaeitl' for Ruler+ of Procedure__________________ 29 ~ gec. 2, Right to Regulate Procedure--------------------- 30 Sec. 3. 3ourcee of Rules of Procedure____________________ 32 Cg~pT[~ Z-~OMBTITUTI01fAL RULER GOVCiR7ft0 PHOC~US6 ~ gec. 8, Legieletive Procedure Ia Controlled by Constitutional Provisions ---------------------------------- ~ Sec. 7. Constitutional Requirements Concerning Procedure Must Be Complied With_______________________ 35 ~ ()gApTEB S—STATUTOBT RULER dOVE8ftI2f6 PQOCIDUBE Sec. 10. Statutory Rules ------------------------------- 38 Sec. 11. Failure to Conform to Statutory Rules Invnlidntee Acte --------------------------------------- 38 ~ QgApTEB 4—CHAETEi PBOVIBIONB GOVrSNINO ~PBOCSDVEC ~ 9ec. 15. Charter Regairementa Muet Be Complied With____ 38 Caerrr~ 5—Anorreu Rvz.cs (3ovasri~a Psoczncn6 ,~.,t ~ Sec. 19. Right to Adopt Rules__________________________ 39 `•• i gec. 20. Joint Rules Sec. 21. Aulee Muet Conform to Constitutional, Statutory j and C6erter Provisions_______________________ 40 .• Sec. 22. Risht to Change Rules------------------------- 42 ., 3ec. 23. Rules Can Be Suspended----------------------- 43 Sec. 24. Failure of a house of the Lesislature to Conform • to Ib Rules Does Not Invalidate Ire Acb_______ 44 ~ Sec, 2.ri. Failure of a Local Body to Contorm to Ira Aulee f, Does Not Invalidate Ire Acta__________________ 46 Sec. 28. Fraud Will Invalidate Acte_____________________ 47 .~ C,HAPTF3 ~--ADOPTm PAIGIAYEIfTAi7 AUT802LT7 ~~I~ i~. 9tc. 30. Parliamentary Authority Is IIaatllT Adopted______ 48 ~;~, . Sec. 31. What P~eliamentar~ Authority Contains_________ 48 . , ry Sec. 32, EQect of Adoption of Parlinmentary Authority_____ 49 (7) MASON'S LEGISLATIVE 94ANUAL CONTENTS 9 Pate CHAP'I'SR Z-PARLIAMEfiTA&Y LAIV Pace Sec. 72• Legislative Policy Ie Not Nithin Control of the $ec. 35. Parliamentary Law Defined_____________________ 50 Courts ------------------------- - 73 38. Parliamentary Law Determined by Any Sec. ~Iot One ~ gec, i3. Powers of Courts Over I.egisletive Bodies Generally_ Ixgislative Eody ---------------------------- 74 gec, 74. Powers o! Courts Over Local Legislative Bodies____ i8 Sec. 37. Perliamentary Law Governs When Other Rules Are • otin Effect-------------------------------- 51 Sec. 38. Sources of Parliamentnry I.ew__________________ 53 Sec. 39. Precedents and Csegea_________________________ b3 PART II Sec. 40. Local Bodies Not Held Strictly to Technical Rules__ 56 DEBATE (~'IiAPTER S-~PBINCIPLEfi OT' PARLIA~SEYTARY LAW CserrEa 10-WasT Ie DcsexesLa Sec. 44. Parliamentary Law Is a Branch of the Common Sec. 80. Purpose of Debate----------------------------- 79 Law --------------------------------------- 57 Sec. 45. Parliamentary Law Is Based on Principles________ 57 gec. 81. WL~t Motioae Are Debatable____________________ 7g What Sec. 46. Differences Between Public Bodies and Private Or- gec, 82. Motions Are Not Debatable________________ gp &3. Motions Which genizations --------------------------------- 58 gec. Permit Limited Debate___________ gz Sec. 4T. Parliamentary Law Is Applied Differently to Public Sec. 84. Motions Which Open the Main Question to Debate__ 82 Bodies and to Privnte associations_____________ 59 9cc. 85. Questions or 9usgestioae Not Considered Debate___ 83 Sec. 48. Jurisdictional Requirements ____________________ 81 Sec. 49. Right to Act for s Bodp--(Zuorum________________ 81 cs~'~ it-RiaaT pro Tsm Roos Sec. 50. Majority Control ______________________________ 82 Sec. 90. Ri[bt to Debate Questions_____________________ 86 Sec. 51. Delegation of Powers___________________________ 82 Sec. 91. Recro`nition of Members________________________ gg Sec. 52. Equality of .liembers___________________________ 83 Sec. 92. Intereuptton of $pecker------------------------ g8 Sec. 53, There Should Be a Definite Rule_________________ 64 Sec. 93. Place of 9peskin~----------------- Sec, 64. Uae of Technical Rules_________________________ 84 9ec. 94. ~titht of Member to Hold the Floor______________ 90 See. 55. Most Direct and Simple Procedure Should Be Fol- Sec. 96. Yielding the Floor in Debate____________________ 91 lowed 84 ------------------------------------- Sec. 96. Right of Preeidin~ O~cer to the Floor___________ 92 See. 58. One Proposition at a Time______________________ 85 Sec. 57. The Immediately Pending Question_______________ 85 Caer~cas 12-D~~rc o~ Qvre~oa Sec. 58. Precedence of \lotions__________________________ 88 Sec. 100. Then Muet Be a Question Before the House to Sec. 59. Application of One Motion to Another____________ 88 Permit Debnte ----------------------------- g~{ Sec. 80. Right to Debate------------------------------- 87 Sec. 101. Debate I~ Limited to the Question Before the House Sec. 81. Interruption of Jiembers Speaking_______________ 87 ------------------------------------ ~ Sec. 82. Sernnda to Diotions----------------------------- 88 Sec. 10`!.. A Member Hae a Risht to Spank Only Once on a Question 3ec. 63, Debatability of Motions_________________________ 89 ---------------------------------- ~ Sec. 103. Member 9ponsorins a Question Sec. 84. Amendability of Jiotions _______________________ 89 Closing Debate___ 97 Actions---------------------------- 70 Sec. 85. Flnelity of Ca~rr~ 13-Co~nocr or DmsTn 3ec. 68, Changing Actions already Tnken________________ 71 Sec. 110, Addreaains Members or Preeidins O~cer________ Sec. 87. Renewal of Motions____________________________ 71 98 Sec. 111. Reference to Executive, to Other House, or Qaes- CHAPTER ~-POWEHB OF COURT6 WITH RT1~'E66RCE TO LEUI9LA- tion~ Before the Courts--------------------- 99 TIOE PYOCbDIIBS Sec. 112. Readins Papers ------------------------------ ~ Sec. 71. Conrta Ctnnot Interfere With Rulemaking Powers Sec. 113. Conaiaeraaon b~ Pnr.~raph------------------- 101 of I.e~Llatire Bodies------------------------- T2 Sec. 114. A~hin~ QnaHoa~ of Members------------------ ipg LEGISLATIVE MANUAL lU JIA80N'8 CONTENTS 11 Paie 14-Decosuac ~N DrBeTE Sec. 160. (3x,te~rrs Procedural Motions May Be Renewed---------- p131 Equality uE 1lembers in Debate_________________ IOu Sec. 161. Mnin gec. i2d. Motions May Not Be Renewed____________ 133 Breac4ee of the Order of the House_____________ 105 Sec. Y8~2. Demands Sec. 121. by Members------------------------- 134 Proee~lure Cnder Catl to Order_________________ lU7 Sec, 163. Sec. 1•l2 5ubmiaeion of Double Matione_________________ lgg sec. 123. Uae of Dieorderly+~Vords in Debate_____________ 14H Sec. 184. Coneideratioo of Motions at a Future Time_______ 138 Sec. 124. Personalities \ot Permitted in Debate__________ 110 $ec. 18d. 3Sottoge Not Always Aegnired for Routine Business 13? yec, 125, Pereonel Disputes Between Jdembers____________ 110 Osarr~ Sec. 128. Complaints A~ainat the Presiding Officer________ IlI 18-Craeeia~cceTcorr or Mo~czoxs Sec. 175. Claeai8cation Sec. 127. Relations With the Other House and Its Members 112 of Motions Genernlly_____________ 13g Sec. 176. Privile8~ Questions ----_------- -____ 138 1.5--CL08IN0 DlSATE 9ec, -------- (,'g~pT'IIt 177. Iacidental Questions _ _______________ __ lq~ Sec. 130. BrinBiug Question to ti'ote_____________________ 114 Sec. 178. Subetdiar~ Questions _______________ __ 142 Sec. 131. Cuttiaa Ot[ Debate___________________________