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Parliamentary
Procedure...At
a Glance
Here are some motions
you might make, how to make them, and what to expect of the rules.
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To
Do This...
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You
Say This...
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May
You Interrupt the Speaker?
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Do
You Need a Second?
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Is
it Debatable?
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Can
it be Amended?
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What
Vote is Needed?
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Can
it be Reconsidered?
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ADJOURN MEETING
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"I
move that we adjourn."
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No
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Yes
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No
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No
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Majority
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No
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CALL AN INTERMISSION
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"I
move that we recess for..."
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No
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Yes
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No
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Yes
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Majority
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No
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COMPLAIN ABOUT NOISE,
HEAT, ETC.
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"I
rise to a question of privilege..."
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Yes
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No
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No
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No
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No vote
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No (usually)
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TEMPORARILY
SUSPEND CONSIDERATION OF AN ISSUE
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"I
move to table the motion."
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No
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Yes
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No
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No
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Majority
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No
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END
DEBATE AND AMENDMENTS
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"I move
the previous question."
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No
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Yes
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No
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No
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2/3
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No *1
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POSTPONE
DISCUSSION FOR A CERTAIN TIME
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"I
move to postpone the discussion until..."
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No
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Yes
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Yes
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Yes
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Majority
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Yes
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GIVE
CLOSER STUDY OF SOMETHING
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"I
move to refer the matter to committee."
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No
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Yes
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Yes
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Yes
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Majority
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Yes *2
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AMEND
A MOTION
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"I
move to amend the motion by..."
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No
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Yes
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Yes *3
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Yes
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Majority
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Yes
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INTRODUCE
BUSINESS
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"I
move that..."
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No
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Yes
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Yes
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Yes
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Majority
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Yes
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The
motions listed above are in order of precedence...In the table below,
there is no order..
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To
Do This...
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You
Say This...
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May
You Interrupt the Speaker?
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Do
You Need a Second?
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Is
it Debatable?
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Can
it be Amended?
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What
Vote is Needed?
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Can
it be Reconsidered?
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PROTEST
BREACH OF RULES OR CONDUCT
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"I
rise to a point of order."
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Yes
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No
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No
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No
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No
Vote *4
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No
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VOTE
ON A RULING OF THE CHAIR
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"I
appeal from the chair's decision."
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Yes
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Yes
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Yes
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No
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Majority
*5
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Yes
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SUSPEND
RULES TEMPORARILY
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"I
move to suspend the rules so that..."
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No
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Yes
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No
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No
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2/3
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No
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AVOID
CONSIDERING AN IMPROPER MATTER
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"I
object to consideration of this motion."
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Yes
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No
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No
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No
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2/3
*6
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- *7
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VERIFY
A VOICE VOTE BY HAVING MEMBERS STAND
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"I
call for a division" or "Division!"
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Yes
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No
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No
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No
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No Vote
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No
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REQUEST
INFORMATION
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"Point
of information."
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Yes
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No
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No
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No
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No Vote
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No
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TAKE
UP A MATTER PREVIOUSLY TABLED
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"I
move to take from the table..."
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No
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Yes
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No
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No
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Majority
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No
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RECONSIDER
A HASTY ACTION
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"I
move to reconsider the vote on..."
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Yes
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Yes
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- *8
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No
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Majority
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No
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Notes:
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*1
= Unless vote on question is not yet taken
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*5
= A majority vote in negative needed to revert ruling of chair
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*2
= Unless the committee has already taken up the subject
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*6
= A 2/3 vote in negative needed to prevent consideration of main
motion.
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*3
= Only if the motion to be amended is debatable
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*7
= Only if the main question or motion was not, in fact, considered
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*4
= Except in doubtful cases.
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*8
= Only if motion to be reconsidered is debatable.
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