Legislation and Advocacy Webinar

GCORR's Legislation and Advocacy webinar--lead by GCORR's The Rev. Amy Stapleton, director of Program Coordination and Management, and The Rev. Giovanni Arroyo, team leader for Monitoring and Advocacy--focuses on the process of writing and submitting legislation at annual conference.

The Rules

• Point of Privilege: Pertains to noise, personal comfort, etc.
• Parliamentary Inquiry: Inquire as to the correct motion to accomplish a desired result, or raise a point of order.
• Point of Information: Generally applies to information desired from the speaker: "I should like to ask the (speaker) a question."
• Orders of the Day (Agenda): A call to adhere to the agenda. A deviation from the agenda requires Suspending the Rules.
• Point of Order: Infraction of the rules, or improper decorum in speaking. "Point of Order" must be raised immediately after the error is made.
• Main Motion: Brings new business (the next item on the agenda) before the assembly .
• Divide the Question: Divides a motion into two or more separate motions. The separate motions must be able to stand on their own.
• Consider by Paragraph: Adoption of paper is held until all paragraphs are debated and amended and the entire paper is satisfactory; after all paragraphs are considered, the entire paper is then open to amendment, and paragraphs may be further amended. Any Preamble cannot be considered until debate on the body of the paper has ceased.
• Amend: Inserting or striking out words or paragraphs, or substituting whole paragraphs or resolutions.
• Withdraw/Modify Motion: Applies only after a question is stated. A mover can accept an amendment without obtaining the floor.
• Commit /Refer/Recommit to Committee: State the committee to receive the question or resolution; if no committee exists include size of committee desired and method of selecting the members (election or appointment).
• Extend Debate: Applies only to the immediately pending question and extends until a certain time or for a certain period of time.
• Limit Debate: Closing debate at a certain time, or limiting to a certain period of time.
• Postpone to a Certain Time: State the time the motion or agenda item will be resumed.
• Object to Consideration: Objection must be stated before discussion or another motion is stated.
• Lay on the Table: Temporarily suspends further consideration/action on pending question. "Lay on the Table" may be made after motion to close debate has carried or is pending.
• Take from the Table: Resumes consideration of items previously "laid on the table." One must state the motion to take from the table.
• Reconsider: Can be made only by one on the prevailing side who has changed position or view.
• Postpone Indefinitely: Kills the question/resolution for this session. The only exception: the motion to reconsider can be made this session.
• Previous Question: Closes a debate if successful. may be moved to "Close Debate" if preferred.
• Informal Consideration: Move that the assembly go into "Committee of the Whole," which is an informal debate as if in committee; this committee may limit number or length of speeches or close debate by other means by a 2/3 vote. All votes, however, are formal.
• Appeal Decision of the Chair: An appeal for the assembly to decide must be made before other business is resumed; An appeal is not debatable if relates to decorum, violation of rules or order of business.
• Suspend the Rules: Allows a violation of the assembly's own rules (except Constitution).Tthe object of the suspension must be specified.

Additional Robert's Rules of Order Resources
An online guide to Robert's Rules of Order: http://www.jimslaughter.com/robertsrules.htm
Robert's Rules of Order printable PDF