Parliamentary Procedure
A Very Short Course
Stolen from http://www.fairnet.org/vcd/pproc/default.html
©1996 James D. DeWitt
All Rights Reserved
This is a very brief reference for parliamentary procedure. It is based on Robert's Rules of Procedure, the
American codification of meeting rules, but it is not a substitute for the real thing:
Robert's Rules of Order. A few suggested references are set out at the end of these
materials for further reading.

These materials are mostly the course manual for the Parliamentary Procedure workshop
conducted approximately semi-annually for the Volunteer Action Center of the United Way of
the Tanana Valley. For information about the calendar of event for the Volunteer Action
Center check out the FairNet web page or the Volunteer Action Center itself.

Table of Contents
- Quick Reference Chart
- Overview
- History
- Purpose
- Key Terms
- Presiding and the Order of Business
- Agenda
- Minutes
- Judgment of the Chair
- Kinds of Motions
- Main Motion
- Subsidiary Motion
- Appendage Motion
- Incidental Motion
- Eight Things to Know About a Motion
- May the Motion Apply to Other Motions
- May the speaker of this motion interrupt another
member who is speaking
- Must the member be recognized before he can make
this motion
- Must this motion be seconded before it is
officially before the assembly
- Is this motion debatable
- What is the vote required for adoption
- May this motion be renewed after it has been voted
down
- What other motions may apply to this motion
- Common Kinds of Motions in Detail
- Fix the Time of the Next Meeting
- Adjourn (Recess)
- Question of Privilege
- Call for the Orders of the Day
- Rise to a Point of Order
- Appeal the Ruling of the Chair
- Suspend the Rules
- Create Special Orders
- Withdraw (or Renew) a Motion
- Division of the House
- Object to Consideration
- Lay on the Table (or Take from the Table)
- Close or Limit Debate
- Postpone to a Time Certain
- Refer to a Committee (or Recommit)
- Amend
- Postpone Indefinitely
- Main Question
- Reconsider
- Rescind
- Additional Resources
- Credits

Please submit your volunteer needs to the
volunteer corner.
To Contact the Volunteer Action Center, email us at:uwvac@polarnet.com,
or mail your inquiry to The United Way Volunteer Action Center at P.O. Box 74396,
Fairbanks, Alaska 99707.

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Last Modified: Friday, September 12, 1997
fnft@aurora.alaska.edu