PARLIAMENTARY PRACTICE HINTS AND SUGGESTIONS
a. Always address the president as Mr. or Miss President.
b. All remarks should be addressed to the president.
c. There should be no talking between members.
d. The president should recognize the person who seeks the floor by saying: “Mr. or Miss ____.”
e. This indicates that the person thus recognized has the privilege of speaking (of the floor) and must not be interrupted.
f. The only interruptions allowable are (1) a call for a point of order, or (2) a question.
g. A point of order applies to a member who has made a motion which is out of order because of another motion before the meeting, or to a member whose remarks are not on the subject under consideration, or to a person who is exceeding the time limit for discussion, etc. A point of order is executed as follows:
Member rising while another is speaking: “Mr. President, I rise to a point of order.”
The president will then recognize the speaker as follows: “Mr. ____, please state your point of order.”
Member who has interrupted speaker: “Mr. President, the speaker, Mr. ____ (Interrupted member’s name) is out of order because his remarks are not on the subject under consideration (or is out of order because there is another motion before the meeting).”
President: “The chair decides that the point is (or is not) well taken.”
Whereupon the interrupted speaker takes his seat or makes an appeal from the decision of the chair as follows:
Interrupted speaker: “Mr. President, I appeal from the decision of the Chair.”
President: “Mr. ____ appeals from the decision of the chair. As many as are in favor of sustaining the decision of the chair will make manifest by saying ‘Aye;’ contrary-minded, ‘No.’”
The motion is (or is not) carried.
If the motion is carried, and the decision of the chair is thus sustained, the interrupted speaker has no further recourse and must take his seat. If, however, the motion is lost and the decision of the chair is not sustained, the speaker may continue to speak.
Question. The speaker may be interrupted by any member for the purpose of asking a question. This question may be one of personal privilege or may be for the purpose of gaining information about the subject under discussion. The execution of this motion may proceed as follows:
Member taking floor while another member is speaking: “Mr. President, I rise to a question of information.”
Presiding officer: “State your question.”
Member: “Do I understand the speaker to mean that ____ etc.?”
The speaker then proceeds to give the information desired, and the meeting proceeds.
In case of a question of personal privilege the process is as follows:
Member, rising and interrupting speaker: “Mr. President, I rise to a question of personal privilege.”
Presiding officer: “State your question.”
Member: “Mr. President, this room is too warm for comfort, and I therefore ask to have the windows opened.”
In either case the presiding officer may rule for or against the person asking the question.
h. Never offer a motion by saying, “I move you—,” but simply with “I move, etc.”
i. Never offer a motion while another motion is still before the meeting.
j. Before any matter is voted upon the presiding officer must state the motion fully and completely.
k. The ordinary form of voting upon regular motions is as follows: Presiding officer: “All in favor of this motion say ‘Aye’ (a short pause for the vote); contrary, ‘No.’” The presiding officer then announces the result by saying: “The motion is carried,” or “The motion is lost.”
l. Motions for question of privilege or point of order take precedence over all other motions.
m. Never attempt to place too many amendments to a motion. (Two are allowable; that is, an amendment to an amendment.) It is usually much better to offer a substitute motion.
n. A motion may not be put to a vote of the meeting until it has been seconded or supported by some member other than the one making the motion.
o. In case of tie votes the president or presiding officer decides the motion.
p. A motion to adjourn the meeting is in order at any time.
In addition to these simple rules which may serve for the beginning of the club’s activities, each club library should contain a modern work on parliamentary practice.