Parliamentary Procedure

EFES PTSA Parliamentary Procedure

Overview

Parliamentary procedure is a set of rules for conducting orderly PTSA meetings to accomplish our goals fairly. Benefits include: maintenance of order, consideration of one item at a time, ability for each member to provide input and a majority rule.

Basic Principles

All members have equal rights and privileges.
Personal remarks during debate are out of order.
Full and free discussion of every main motion is a basic right.
A quorum must be present for business to be conducted.
A majority vote decides a question.
Silence gives consent. Those who do not vote allow the decision to be made by those who do vote.
The chair should always remain impartial.

Meeting Terms/Rules

Quorum

The minimum number of members who must be present in order for the EFES PTSA to conduct business. Board meetings require a majority of board members present. General Membership meetings require at least 10 members present.

Call to Order

President will formally signal the start of the meeting.

Approval of Minutes

The secretary asks for approval and corrections of the minutes. If there are no corrections and no objections to the minutes. The minutes will be approved. If corrections were made to the minutes, the minutes are then approved as corrected. (No motion is needed)

Approval of Standing Rules

The secretary will ask general membership to read over Standing Rules. After ample time is given, the secretary will then ask for questions. The approval of the Standing Rules requires proper motion voting procedure. A majority vote is needed to be approved.

Approval of Budget

The treasurer asks for approval of the Budget and asks for questions. The approval of the Budget requires proper motion voting procedure. A majority vote is needed to be approved.

Motion Script Example

President will state/ask:
There is a motion to approve ___________
Does anyone move to approve __________
Member makes the motion:
I move to __________
Another member seconds the motion:
I second the motion.
President states that the motion and puts the question to a vote:
The question is on the motion to approve the _________
All in favor say “aye”
All opposed say “no”
President announces the result of the vote and what action will be taken.
The “ayes” have it, and the motion has passed. We will _________
or
The “nos” have it, and the motion has not passed.

Rules of Discussion

All discussion must be relevant to the immediately pending question.
Debate must address issues not personalities - no one is permitted to make personal attacks or question the motives of other speakers.
When possible, the chair should let the floor alternate between those speaking in support and those speaking in opposition to the motion.
Members may not disrupt when a member is speaking unless they are in violation of a previous mentioned rule.

Presiding Chair

The individual who facilitates the meeting is usually the President. In the absence of the President, presiding chair will be the Vice President. If the Vice President is not in attendance, the Secretary will conduct the meeting.
The presiding chair will remain impartial during debate - the presiding chair must relinquish the chair in order to debate a motion. The presiding chair can vote only to break a tie.

New Business

Members may bring new matters of business before the PTSA for discussion or action.

Adjournment

The chair can adjourn the meeting without a vote at the close of business discussion.