Robert's Rules of Order for AIMVT
(adapted from The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Robert’s Rules, 2004, Nancy Sylvester, PRP, CPP-T: Alpha Books)
I. Agenda (Order of Business)
A. Reading and Approval of Minutes
B. Reports of officers and standing committees
C. Reports of special (select or ad hoc) committees
D. Special orders
E. Unfinished business and general orders
F. New business
II. Steps to Make a Motion
A. After raising their hand and being recognized by the presiding chair (in most cases this will be the President or President-Elect), a member makes a motion
1. As stated in the AIMVT bylaws only Charter, Active, and Lifetime members of the Academy may hold the floor and vote
B. Another voting member seconds the motion
1. Motions not requiring a seconding:
a) Motions that raise a question of privilege – to bring an urgent request or a main motion relating to the rights of either the assembly or an individual up for immediate consideration.
b) Motions that call for orders of the day – this motion requires the assembly to follow the order of business, or to take up a special order that is scheduled to come up.
c) Motions that call for the point of order – a member can use this motion to ask the chair to follow the rules if he or she feels they are not being followed.
d) Motions that are objections to consideration – this motion prevents the assembly from considering a motion because a member deems it irrelevant, unprofitable, or contentious.
e) Motions that call for division of the assembly – the effect of this motion is to require a standing vote if a member feels the voice vote or hand vote is too close to declare.
f) Motions that call for parliamentary inquiry – this is a question directed to the chair concerning parliamentary law or the organization’s rules as they apply to the business at hand.
g) Motions that call for point of information – this is a nonparliamentary question about the business at hand.
C. The chair restates the motion, formally placing it before the assembly
1. Submitting a written copy of the motion to the chair may be helpful in ensuring that the motion is restated exactly as it is intended
D. The members debate the motion
1. Except for the motions listed in Article II, item B, number 1, motions a-g, an issue is not debatable until a motion has been made, seconded, and restated by the chair
2. The maker of the motion has the right to be the first speaker on the motion
3. The maker of the motion is prohibited from speaking against the motion
4. Only one member, who is called on by the chair, shall speak at a time
5. Only one main motion is allowed on the floor at a time but many secondary motions can be on the floor at the same time
6. The presiding chair has the right to debate a motion only after relinquishing the position to the next officer in line. He or she should not resume presiding until that particular motion is closed
7. Debate should be limited to the motion immediately pending as governed by the Precedence of Motions (see Article III)
E. The chair puts the motion to a vote
1. In order for business to be legally voted upon and transacted, a quorum must be present. To be considered a quorum, as defined in the AIMVT bylaws, a meeting must have the following in attendance:
a) Annual business meeting during the ACVIM Forum – decisions will be made by simple majority of the Charter, Active, and Lifetime members that are present
b) Executive Board meetings – a quorum of 51% of the board must be present to conduct business. Decisions will be made by a simple majority of the board members present
2. Methods of voting include:
a) General or unanimous consent
b) Voice vote
c) Show of hands
d) Rising vote
e) Ballot vote
f) Roll call vote
F. The chair makes a complete announcement of the results of the vote
1. A complete announcement includes:
a) Which side (affirmative or negative) has the vote
b) Whether the motion passed or failed
c) Effect of the vote
d) The next step (announce the next item of business)
III - Precedence of Motions (the Ladder of Motions) – a list of specific motions that indicates the priority of motions. When a motion on the list is pending, any motion above it on the list (or higher on the ladder) is in order (allowable) and any motion below it on the list is out of order and not considered.
A. Privileged Motions – These are the first five motions of the Precedence of Motions and are considered important enough to warrant interrupting all other motions. When privileged motions are a main motion, they must follow the rules for a main motion. However, when they are secondary motions, they are not debatable.
1. Fix the time to which to adjourn – This motion sets the time for another meeting to continue business of the session. This does not adjourn the current meeting or set the time for its adjournment.
2. Adjourn – A motion to close the current meeting.
3. Recess – A short interruption which does not close the meeting. After the recess, business resumes at exactly the point where it was interrupted.
4. Raise a question of privilege – To bring an urgent request or a main motion relating to the rights of either the assembly or an individual up for immediate consideration.
5. Call for the orders of the day – This motion requires the assembly to follow the order of business or agenda, or to take up a special order.
B. Subsidiary Motions – These are the 8 motions following the privileged motions. Subsidiary motions aid an assembly in treating or disposing of a main motion.
1. Lay on the table – This motion places in the care of the secretary the pending motion and everything adhering to it. It allows the group to set aside the pending motion in order to attend to more urgent business. It remains there until taken off or until the end of the next regular session.
2. Previous question – This motion is used to stop debate on a motion and any subsidiary motions except the higher-ranking motion to lay on the table. The motion must be seconded, no debate is allowed, and two-thirds vote is needed.
3. Limit or extend limits of debate – This motion can reduce or increase the number and length of speeches permitted or limit the length of debate on a specific motion.
4. Postpone to a certain time (postpone definitely) – This motion can be used if the assembly does not have enough information to make a decision or for other reasons are not ready to make a decision, or the right people are not present for a decision to be made.
5. Commit or refer – This motion sends the main motion to a smaller group or committee for further examination and refinement before the entire assembly votes on it. It is recommended that a report due date be included in the motion to refer.
6. Secondary amendment – This is an amendment that changes the primary amendment.
7. Primary amendment – This motion can modify the pending motion before it is voted upon. In amending a motion, a member can move to add or insert words or paragraphs, strike out words or paragraphs, or strike and insert thereby substituting a word, paragraph, or entire text within the new text.
8. Postpone indefinitely – This motion, in effect, kills the main motion for the duration of the session without having to take a vote on it. It helps a group reject an ill-advised motion without having to pass or fail it.
C. Main motion – This is the immediately pending motion that has been stated, seconded, restated by the chair and is being debated.
A. Reading and Approval of Minutes
B. Reports of officers and standing committees
C. Reports of special (select or ad hoc) committees
D. Special orders
E. Unfinished business and general orders
F. New business
II. Steps to Make a Motion
A. After raising their hand and being recognized by the presiding chair (in most cases this will be the President or President-Elect), a member makes a motion
1. As stated in the AIMVT bylaws only Charter, Active, and Lifetime members of the Academy may hold the floor and vote
B. Another voting member seconds the motion
1. Motions not requiring a seconding:
a) Motions that raise a question of privilege – to bring an urgent request or a main motion relating to the rights of either the assembly or an individual up for immediate consideration.
b) Motions that call for orders of the day – this motion requires the assembly to follow the order of business, or to take up a special order that is scheduled to come up.
c) Motions that call for the point of order – a member can use this motion to ask the chair to follow the rules if he or she feels they are not being followed.
d) Motions that are objections to consideration – this motion prevents the assembly from considering a motion because a member deems it irrelevant, unprofitable, or contentious.
e) Motions that call for division of the assembly – the effect of this motion is to require a standing vote if a member feels the voice vote or hand vote is too close to declare.
f) Motions that call for parliamentary inquiry – this is a question directed to the chair concerning parliamentary law or the organization’s rules as they apply to the business at hand.
g) Motions that call for point of information – this is a nonparliamentary question about the business at hand.
C. The chair restates the motion, formally placing it before the assembly
1. Submitting a written copy of the motion to the chair may be helpful in ensuring that the motion is restated exactly as it is intended
D. The members debate the motion
1. Except for the motions listed in Article II, item B, number 1, motions a-g, an issue is not debatable until a motion has been made, seconded, and restated by the chair
2. The maker of the motion has the right to be the first speaker on the motion
3. The maker of the motion is prohibited from speaking against the motion
4. Only one member, who is called on by the chair, shall speak at a time
5. Only one main motion is allowed on the floor at a time but many secondary motions can be on the floor at the same time
6. The presiding chair has the right to debate a motion only after relinquishing the position to the next officer in line. He or she should not resume presiding until that particular motion is closed
7. Debate should be limited to the motion immediately pending as governed by the Precedence of Motions (see Article III)
E. The chair puts the motion to a vote
1. In order for business to be legally voted upon and transacted, a quorum must be present. To be considered a quorum, as defined in the AIMVT bylaws, a meeting must have the following in attendance:
a) Annual business meeting during the ACVIM Forum – decisions will be made by simple majority of the Charter, Active, and Lifetime members that are present
b) Executive Board meetings – a quorum of 51% of the board must be present to conduct business. Decisions will be made by a simple majority of the board members present
2. Methods of voting include:
a) General or unanimous consent
b) Voice vote
c) Show of hands
d) Rising vote
e) Ballot vote
f) Roll call vote
F. The chair makes a complete announcement of the results of the vote
1. A complete announcement includes:
a) Which side (affirmative or negative) has the vote
b) Whether the motion passed or failed
c) Effect of the vote
d) The next step (announce the next item of business)
III - Precedence of Motions (the Ladder of Motions) – a list of specific motions that indicates the priority of motions. When a motion on the list is pending, any motion above it on the list (or higher on the ladder) is in order (allowable) and any motion below it on the list is out of order and not considered.
A. Privileged Motions – These are the first five motions of the Precedence of Motions and are considered important enough to warrant interrupting all other motions. When privileged motions are a main motion, they must follow the rules for a main motion. However, when they are secondary motions, they are not debatable.
1. Fix the time to which to adjourn – This motion sets the time for another meeting to continue business of the session. This does not adjourn the current meeting or set the time for its adjournment.
2. Adjourn – A motion to close the current meeting.
3. Recess – A short interruption which does not close the meeting. After the recess, business resumes at exactly the point where it was interrupted.
4. Raise a question of privilege – To bring an urgent request or a main motion relating to the rights of either the assembly or an individual up for immediate consideration.
5. Call for the orders of the day – This motion requires the assembly to follow the order of business or agenda, or to take up a special order.
B. Subsidiary Motions – These are the 8 motions following the privileged motions. Subsidiary motions aid an assembly in treating or disposing of a main motion.
1. Lay on the table – This motion places in the care of the secretary the pending motion and everything adhering to it. It allows the group to set aside the pending motion in order to attend to more urgent business. It remains there until taken off or until the end of the next regular session.
2. Previous question – This motion is used to stop debate on a motion and any subsidiary motions except the higher-ranking motion to lay on the table. The motion must be seconded, no debate is allowed, and two-thirds vote is needed.
3. Limit or extend limits of debate – This motion can reduce or increase the number and length of speeches permitted or limit the length of debate on a specific motion.
4. Postpone to a certain time (postpone definitely) – This motion can be used if the assembly does not have enough information to make a decision or for other reasons are not ready to make a decision, or the right people are not present for a decision to be made.
5. Commit or refer – This motion sends the main motion to a smaller group or committee for further examination and refinement before the entire assembly votes on it. It is recommended that a report due date be included in the motion to refer.
6. Secondary amendment – This is an amendment that changes the primary amendment.
7. Primary amendment – This motion can modify the pending motion before it is voted upon. In amending a motion, a member can move to add or insert words or paragraphs, strike out words or paragraphs, or strike and insert thereby substituting a word, paragraph, or entire text within the new text.
8. Postpone indefinitely – This motion, in effect, kills the main motion for the duration of the session without having to take a vote on it. It helps a group reject an ill-advised motion without having to pass or fail it.
C. Main motion – This is the immediately pending motion that has been stated, seconded, restated by the chair and is being debated.