Parliament Practice Lesson 2

• Agenda


  A Latin word that means "things to be done"
• Business Meeting


  • Provides members with the opportunity to propose ideas and to participate in forming the plans and actions of the organization
• Quorum


  The required minimum numbers of members needed to have a meeting
• Quorum


  A Latin word meaning "of them"
• Quorum is needed before an organization can legally transact any business at a meeting
• If the bylaws do not contain a quorum number, according to the parliamentary law, the quorum is a majority of the entire membership
• If there is no quorum present, the presiding officer may

  1. Announce that there is no quorum and adjourn the meeting

  2. Entertain a recess to try obtaining a quorum

  3. Establish time to adjourn

  4. Take measures to obtain a quorum
• How to Create a Specific Agenda

  1. Review the Minutes and Agenda of the Previous Meeting

  2. Consult the bylaws

  3. Check with the officers, committee chairs, and members if they want to add to the agenda
• Minutes of the Previous Meeting


  By approving this, the members agree that this is what happened at the meeting
• Lay on the Table


  A motion which allows members to temporarily set aside a motion to take up more urgent business, is recorded in the minutes but not put on the agenda
• The reports of officers, boards, and standing committees are read and discussed
• Special committees are created for particular purpose but are not listed in the bylaws
• Special Committees are not permanent. Once their jobs are done, they are dissolved
• Special Orders


  A motion postponed to the meeting and by a two-thirds vote made it so that they come up before unfinished business (or urgent business)
• Unfinished Business


  A motion that was under discussed at the time that the previous meeting adjourned or a motion that was pending when the meeting adjourned
• General Order


  A motion that was postponed to the current meeting but is not made a special order
• New Business


  An issue that is new to this meeting. It may be something not discussed before or something that was defeated at a past meeting
• Pending


  The motion wasn't voted on but was being discussed when the meeting was adjourned
• Opening Ceremonies


  A pledge to the flag, a prayer or invocation, or any ritual that is unique to the organization and has nothing to do with business
• For the good of the order


  This segment allows Members to give suggestions for the improvement or to give compliments concerning the work of the organization
• An organization can adopt an agenda only if its governing documents don't include rules of order dictating the order of a business
• Majority Votes


  Needed to adopt an Agenda
• Twothird Votes


  Needed to change the agenda after adopting it
• Mailing an Agenda to the members


  The purpose is to provide members with information so that they can prepare for the meeting
• The agenda is not binding on anyone
• Agenda can be changed before the meeting
• Consent Agenda


  Allows members to vote on a group of items en bloc without discussion
• Consent Agenda


  Useful for streamlining action on a group of items
• How to extract an item from a consent agenda

  A member need only to rise and request an item to be removed from the consent agenda so they could discuss and vote on the issue separately. It does not need second and is not discuss and no vote is needed
• Priority Agenda


  A list of tasks to be accomplished, discussed, and voted on in the order of importance
• The most important topics are placed at the top of the agenda to ensure they're done before the meeting ends
• Call to Order/ Calling the Meeting to Order


  The meeting begins when the president or chairman calls for this
• A member can make a motion to dispense with the readings of minutes so that the minutes can be read at a later time

  This motion is not debatable and takes majority vote to adopt
• When there are no business pending, anyone can make a motion to have the minutes be read

  This motion needs a second, is not debatable, and takes majority to adopt
• Optional Agenda

  • Opening Ceremonies
  • Roll Call
  • Programs
  • Announcements
  • For the good of the order
• Order of Unfinished Business and General Orders


  1. Any motion that is pending

  2. Any item that was on the agenda of the previous meeting under unfinished business that the members did not have time to take up

  3. Motions that were postponed to the previous meeting, but the members did not have time to discuss

  4. General orders which are motions that were postponed to the present meeting
• How to adjourn the meeting


  Members can make a motion to adjourn to end the meeting. A member must rise and wait for the acknowledgement of the president. This motion needs a second, is not debatable and takes vote immediately
• Order of Meeting


  • Call to Order
  • Reading and Approving the Minutes
  • Reports of Officers
  • Reports of Committee
  • Special Orders (If there are any)
  • Unfinished Business
  • General Order
  • New Business
  • Adjournment
• Orders of Business


  • Special Orders
  • Unfinished Business
  • General Orders
  • New Business