Nancy Sylvester, MA, PRP, CPP-T Team/Leadership Specialist, Professor Emeritus of Speech, Rock Valley College Professional Registered & Certified Professional Parliamentarian APTA PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE PROCESSING A MOTION 1. A Member Makes a Motion 2. Another Member Seconds the Motion 3. The Chair States the Motion, Therefore Formally Placing It Before the Assembly 4. The Members Debate the Motion 5. The Chair Puts the Question to a Vote 6. The Chair Announces the Results of the Vote PRECEDENCE OF MOTIONS CONFORMING AMENDMENTS New in the 11th edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised is a concept called Conforming Amendments. Amendments are considered conforming when they are all needed in order to achieve one end. And because they all need to pass or fail together, they are not dividable 4826 River Bluff Court Office Phone & Fax 815$877$5290 Rockford, IL 61111 Mobile Phone 815$621$1151 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.nancysylvester.com SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENTS Strikes out an entire paragraph, section, article, motion, or resolution and inserts a different paragraph, section, article, motion, or resolution. Is usually a primary amendment, but if one offers a substitute for a substitute, it is a secondary amendment. Debate can go into the merits of the substitute and the original motion. When previous notice is required, only the words changed in the substitute are within scope of notice. The main motion is first opened to perfection via amendments, then the substitute After both have been perfected, the first vote taken is on whether or not to substitute the proposed substitute amendment for the original resolution. If the vote to substitute passes, then debate continues on the resolution, as amended. But, the resolution cannot be amended except by adding something that does not modify the resolution’s new content. If the vote to substitute fails, the original resolution, as amended (during the perfection time) is open for debate and further amendment. Whether the substitute amendment passed or failed, one vote is left. That is the final vote on the resolution (as amended). SCOPE OF NOTICE When previous notice is required, such as for bylaw amendments, a parliamentary concept called scope of notice is applied. The “scope” of the notice has on one end what is in the current bylaws and on the other end what is in the proposed bylaw amendment. Anything between those two ends is within scope. Anything outside of those two ends is out of scope and therefore invalidates the notice, and is not in order. DEFINITIONS Previous Question Point of Information Point of Order Postpone Indefinitely Postpone to a Certain Time or Postpone Definitely Rescind Quorum Lay on the Table MEANING OF VOTES Majority – More than half of the votes cast Two Thirds – Two times the number of yes votes as no votes Plurality – A method of voting in which the candidate or proposition receiving the largest number of votes is elected or selected. Abstain – To refrain from voting Presiding officer votes: If the presiding officer is a voting member of the body that is meeting, in all methods of voting, other than a ballot vote, the chair only votes when his or her vote affects the results. 2013 APTA ◊ Parliamentary Procedure© ◊ Nancy Sylvester, MA, PRP, CPP-T Page 2 Email: [email protected] ◊ 4826 River Bluff Court ◊ Loves Park, IL 61111 ◊ 815.877.5290 ◊ www.nancysylvester.com .