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Robert’s Rules of Order Dramatization: Mock Motion Exercise

Posted on January 24, 2022January 25, 2022 by The Webservant

NARRATOR

This presentation is designed to give C.A. Members a general understanding on how parliamentary procedure can be used at a Group, District, Area and World Conference level of services.

The World Service Conference uses Robert’s Rules of Order with some modifications.  You can find an abridged version of Robert’s Rules and their modifications in your World Service Manual (2022) on pages 85 through 92.

We have created a series of mock motions to illustrate parliamentary procedure.  This presentation won’t cover every aspect of parliamentary procedure that you may encounter, but should illustrate most of the more common ones.

Motions typically take place either in the “Old Business” or “New Business” section of the Agenda.  For the purposes of this play, we assume all the players can make motions.

MAKER of MOTION

I (Convention Hospitality Committee member) move that: “When Area’s business runs over into the lunch hour that it adopt an official pizza lunch, to be effective immediately.”

SECONDER

Second!

CHAIR

It has been moved and seconded that: “When Area’s business runs over into the lunch hour that it adopt an official pizza lunch, to be effective immediately.” Is there any discussion on this motion?

The participating members raise their hands to be recognized.

NARRATOR

In order for anything to be considered by the Service Committee it must first be entered in the form of a motion.  A Motion must be seconded before it can be debated and/or voted upon.  This particular Motion is called a Main Motion because there are no previous pending motions.  The Chairperson has called those members who have asked to be recognized by raising their hands.  Once recognized they may proceed to speak in the order in which they were recognized.

The motion that the maker presented is stated simply and directly without any of the arguments that they might use to support or argue for their motion.  The Chair will ask the maker of the Motion first if they wish to speak first.  If the maker does not speak then the first in line will start when given the go-ahead by the Chairperson.

CHAIR

Would the Committee like to speak to its motion?

Thank you, Mr. Chair.  I speak in favor of the motion.  The Committee has worked long and hard to create an environment that is business like but fun.  We have taken into consideration the opinions of many individuals that work in the various levels of C.A. Service and this is the result of that dialogue and the group conscience taken by the Hospitality Committee.  I urge you to vote in favor of this motion. 

A MEMBER INTERRUPTS:  Point of Order!

CHAIR

Please state your “point of order.”

POINT OF ORDER

Mr. Chair I believe this motion is out of order as we can’t make a decision that requires distribution of Area funds, without GSRs having time to bring this matter back to their Groups for discussion.

CHAIR

Thank you.  No, all of the requirements have been met by this motion. The Area Service Committee and attending GSR’s have been given responsibility to disburse monies on behalf of the groups that serve the Area as a whole. Furthermore, Concept Three, “the Right of Decision” also give GSRs the responsibility to make decisions as business arise at Area.

Thank you Mr. Chairman.

NARRATOR

When the motion’s maker spoke to this motion they stated their position in the very beginning in a clear and concise manner.  When the point of order was called out, the person making the “point of order” did not wait to be recognized, since points of order must be raised immediately prior to any other business.  That is exactly how a point of order must be raised.  Complex motions or those motions with substantial impact on C.A. ought be presented, seconded, and then tabled to be taken back to the Groups, Committees, etc. for thoughtful consideration.

CHAIR

Member is recognized and has the floor.

I have a Point of information.

CHAIR

Very well.  What is your question?

Yes Mr. Chairman, thank you.  Isn’t the Area Service Committee obligated to follow the selections of the Hospitality Committee when picking a vendor to purchase the pizza from?

CHAIR

Would the motion’s maker care to answer?

MOTION MAKER

Thank You, Mr. Chairman.  No, the Area Service Committee can select any contractor if it has a basis for making that decision and that this motion considers the Area Service Committee as part of the process in making those selections.

NARRATOR

You will notice that the Point of Information, is a question asked of or through the Chair by a member who has been recognized, not a new piece of information shouted out from the floor.  You must be recognized by the chair to ask your question.  If you shout “Point of Information” out from the floor, you will be taunted by the Chair.

Points of Information are taken in order as the individual is recognized during debate.  The Chair will either answer the question or call upon another to provide the answer.  Only one question may be asked.  However, since the point of information is not debate, asking a question does not stop the member for also being recognized for debate later on the same motion.  Persons wishing to debate twice on a motion must wait until no one else wishes to debate a first time.  Closing debate stops both debate and questions.

GSR WITH FRIENDLY AMENDMENT

I have a friendly amendment to offer:  I would like to make pepperoni the official topping of this Area.

NARRATOR

A friendly amendment is an amendment without a formal motion offered by a member when a small correction or change appears necessary. A friendly amendment must be accepted by unanimous consent of the voting members present, It does not matter if the maker of the motion accepts it or not. It must be accepted by the Area Service Committee as a whole. Once the chair has read a motion into the record, it belongs to the Area as a whole, not the original maker of the motion. NOTE: the member was clear about how they wanted the item to be changed and was prepared when he spoke.

CHAIR

“Are there any objections to the friendly amendment?” If none, it is accepted. If even one member raises a hand in objection, it fails.

UNITY CHAIR WITH FRIENDLY AMENDMENT:

Parliamentary Inquiry!!

CHAIR

Yes ?  What is your Parliamentary Inquiry?

Can I make a Motion to Amend at this time, since my friendly amendment was rejected?

CHAIR

Normally you could, but you’ve relinquished the floor, so you’ve had your turn.  But someone else in line could when it’s their turn.

ANOTHER FRIENDLY AMENDMENT

I move to amend the motion to insert “and pepperoni be the official topping”, after “The Area Committee adopt a monthly official pizza lunch.”

SECONDER

Second!

CHAIR

“Are there any objections to the friendly amendment?” If none, it is accepted. If even one member raises a hand in objection, it fails.

It has been moved and seconded to amend the motion on the floor to read as follows:  “When Area’s business runs over into the lunch hour that it adopt an official pizza lunch, and pepperoni be the official topping, to be effective immediately.” Is there any debate?

ANOTHER FRIENDLY AMENDMENT

I would like to offer a friendly amendment that “and pineapple” be added after pepperoni

CHAIR

Are there any objections from the floor to adding “and Pineapple” after pepperoni?

Seeing none the motion now reads “When Area’s business runs over into the lunch hour that it adopt an official pizza lunch and that pepperoni and pineapple be the official topping, to be effective immediately.”

MEMBER:

I speak in favor of this motion to amend.  I love pepperoni, it makes me happy to eat it, and it’s so good for you too! And we all know everyone loves pineapple, right? It is the best one.

CHAIR

Is there any further debate?

ADDITIONAL AMENDMENT

Mr. Chair, I would like to make a friendly amendment to also order hot wings as part of the pizza lunch.

CHAIR

Thank you, but I am going to rule that out of order as it would be an amendment to an amendment that has already been amended. As you may be aware, as per Robert’s Rules of Order, no motion may have more than two amendments to it. Any such motion regarding chicken wings would have to be a separate motion following the completion of the present motion on the floor.

CHAIR

Hearing no further debate please prepare yourselves to vote on the motion to amend the main motion to insert “and pepperoni and pineapple be the official topping”, after “The Area adopt a monthly official pizza.”

(EVERYONE THAT HAS A VOTE WILL VOTE TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT) 

CHAIR

All those in favor please raise your hands.  All opposed?  The ayes clearly have it. The motion on the floor now reads: “When Area’s business runs over into the lunch hour that it adopt an official pizza lunch, and pepperoni and pineapple be the official topping, to be effective immediately.”   Any further debate on the Main Motion, as amended?  

NARRATOR

If the debate continues whereby it seems there are no new points being made, a member who has the floor can “Call the Question” — a Motion to Close Debate and vote immediately on the Main Question requires a second, is not debatable and requires a 2/3rds majority to pass. The Motion to Limit Debate to, for example, 20 minutes, applies only to the Main Motion being considered and requires a 2/3rds majority. NOTE: With a call to question, there must be others in line to debate after the person making the call to question, or it is out of order.

There is no further debate.

CHAIR

Thank you .  Please prepare yourself to vote on the main motion: “When Area’s business runs over into the lunch hour that it adopt an official pizza lunch and pepperoni and pineapple be the official topping, to be effective immediately.” All those in favor please raise your hands.  (Everyone but Opposing members raises their hand)  All those opposed? (Opposing Members raise hands)  It appears that the ayes have a majority and the motion passes.

NARRATOR

Instead of relying upon a friendly amendment, the proposed changes to the main motion are in the form of a motion to amend.  This motion is debatable and is voted upon before considering the main motion.  The Chairperson must read the motion as amended if the amendment is passed.  In addition, the Chairperson must always read the motion, prior to taking a vote. 

Besides Points of Order, there are several other times where a member may call out from the Floor without being recognized.  One of these is a “Parliamentary Inquiry” where a member needs to know the proper procedure for an urgent matter.  Another is to “Appeal from a Decision of the Chair”; as such decisions must be appealed immediately.  Another is the “Motion to Reconsider”… 

CHAIR

Is there anything further that the Committee…

Member raises their hand is recognized by the chair.

OPPOSING GSR – I’d like to make 5th Concept Statement.

NARRATOR

A 5th Concept Statement must be made before the next item of business. NOTE: The chair may allow the 5th concept statement to be heard at any point during the same business meeting.

CHAIR

Asks the Member, Did you vote on the losing side? Member replies, “YES.”

Chair recognizes the member to make a 5th Concept Statement.

I speak against the motion as submitted.  While I believe that the Committee has worked very hard on this I am not sure that we have considered everything about this.

Member raises their hand is recognized by the chair.

MEMBER

I move to reconsider the previous motion.  I voted with the prevailing side.

SECONDER

Second!

CHAIR

A Motion to Reconsider has been made and seconded.  Is there debate on this motion? 

Members raise their hands and are recognized by the chair.

Member: I have had second thoughts about our voting on the motion without sufficient debate on whether to include it in the Manual or not.  I believe we are doing ourselves and the Fellowship a disservice if we do not consider all the possibilities from our action here today.

Member: I speak against the motion to Reconsider.  I believe that the issue was clear at the outset and the limited debate did not indicate lack of participation but a good understanding of the issue.  I don’t think that additional debate on the motion would resolve the minority’s problem with the motion or change the minds of any significant number of the majority. 

Member: I speak against the motion. My argument has already been made. Thank you. 

Narrator

Please notice how, having already heard the points he wanted to bring up, simply stated his position, and took a seat. This is a very effective way to make proper use of valuable conference floor time. Hearing repetitive debate is not the best way to get your point across.

CHAIR

There being no further debate, prepare yourselves to vote.  All in favor of the motion to reconsider the previous motion raise your hands.  All opposed?   (Everyone else with votes raise their hands).  The motion clearly fails.  Let’s move on to the balance of our Committee reports.

NARRATOR

To finish off our presentation,  used a procedure that can be confusing when first faced on the Conference floor. A motion to reconsider a previous motion may only be made by a member that voted with the prevailing side when the motion was first voted upon.  Both passed and failed motions may be reconsidered.  Any member may second, regardless of their previous vote.  Since the original motion was debatable the motion to Reconsider was also debatable.  Notice that both members debated the reasons for and against the motion to Reconsider, not the original motion.  A member arguing a motion not on the floor, such as the original motion here, would be ruled out of order.  If the motion to Reconsider had passed, the original motion would have returned to the floor, with debate and amendment again in order.  Anyone may discuss motions with the permission of the Chairperson but may only make motions if they have a vote during that session, except on behalf of their committee.

This concludes our dramatization.  We hope that you have a clearer understanding of how Robert’s Rules of Order will work at the Group, District, Area or World level of service.

Since October 15, 2019

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