A Primer of Parliamentary Procedure

Purpose of Parliamentary Law and Procedure

Parliamentary procedure assists a deliberative and decision-making assembly in carrying out its purpose and aims in an orderly, fair, and expeditious manner.

It is not the purpose of parliamentary procedure to make the conduct of business in an assembly difficult, to entangle an assembly in technicalities, or to provide a channel for individuals to flaunt their parliamentary knowledge.

Parliamentary law protects six basic rights:

1. The right of the majority to make a decision;
2. The right of the minority to be heard in hopes that it may become the majority;
3. The right of absentees to be protected;
4. The right of the assembly to be comfortable and to understand the procedures;
5. The right of the individual member to be honored;
6. And the orderly consideration of one subject at a time.

Basic Steps of Parliamentary Procedure

The chairman and members of the assembly should be acquainted with and observe eight basic parliamentary steps to expedite convention business in an orderly and fair manner. They are:

MEMBERS:

• Address the Chair. “Rev. Chairman” (or Rev. President
• Await recognition by the Chair.
• Identify yourself by name, congregation, and location.
• Speak to the issue before the assembly, or offer a motion:
• “Rev. Chairman, I move that…”
• Second, the motion. (Unless not required)

CHAIR:

• Recognizes the motion. (Or rules it out of order)
• Calls for discussion. (Unless motion is not debatable)
• “Is there any discussion?” or “Are there any remarks?”
• Ample opportunity must always be given for expression of opinion and for discussion.
• Take the vote. (Or “Puts the question”)
• First calls for the affirmative vote, then the negative. “Those in favor of the motion say ‘aye’; those opposed say ‘no’.” A call for a division of the assembly (a rising count of the vote) is always in order, if the call of the chairman is in doubt.
• States the results.
• “The ‘ayes’ have it and the motion is carried.” Or, “The ‘noes’ have it and the motion is lost.” The vote does not go into effect until the results are announced.

Standing Rules for the Convention

Rule One:

A resolution offered by an individual member shall be in writing, signed by the maker – who shall be a voting member of the convention – and shall be sent directly to the desk of the recording secretary, and then referred by the convention chairman without debate to the responsible Floor Committee. Each member who offers a resolution shall be given an opportunity to explain it to the Floor Committee, if he or she so requests.

Rule Two:

The Floor Committee shall prepare suitable resolutions in response to recommendations referred to them by the convention chairman. The committees shall also submit the prepared resolutions and recommendations for appropriate action or disposition to the convention. Resolutions not acted upon by the convention prior to adjournment die, or, may be referred to the Board of Directors for action.

Rule Three:

Each member who addresses the chair shall identify his or her self, his or her status in the District, and the congregation which he or she represents.

Rule Four:

The chair will recognize speakers in the order of their arrival at floor microphones. The Secretary of the convention shall provide the convention chairman with a list of speakers. The chair reserves the right to call for alternate “pro” and “con” opinions, if there are a considerable number of speakers waiting.

Rule Five:

When speaking to a question before the assembly, the delegate shall attempt to speak for or against the question. No member shall speak in debate more than once, as long as there are others who have not spoken. The chair may at his discretion initiate a three-minute speaking rule, upon proper notification to the assembly. The secretary shall assist the chair in keeping time.

Rule Six:

Question of privilege (special matters of overriding importance which, without debate, should interrupt the consideration of pending business) will ordinarily be addressed in writing to the chair. Concerns of privilege, which are immediate, shall be addressed directly to the chair who will inquire about the nature of the privilege and determine if it shall be heard.

Rule Seven:

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the convention in all cases to which they are applicable and in cases to which they are not inconsistent with the bylaws of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod and these standing rules.

Rule Eight:

The chair may call for advisory delegates to inform the assembly of their view of the matter at hand through a nonbinding poll. This would normally occur just prior to a vote of the voting delegates of the convention.