Parliamentary authority

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A Parliamentary authority is a manual on parliamentary law, containing rules of order for the transaction of business in deliberative assemblies.^[1] The society generally adopts such a book to cover meeting procedure not covered in the society's adopted procedural rules.^[2] ^[3] ^[4]

The most commonly used parliamentary authority in the United States is Robert's Rules of Order (correct title: Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, tenth edition, and abbreviated as RONR) followed by The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure (abbreviated as TSC and "Sturgis," after the original author). A poll by Jim Slaughter surveyed CPPs in 1999, with the results published the results in the PJ in 2000; one question yielding what percent of clients used each PA: 90% RONR, 8% TSC, 3% other (Demeter, Riddick/Butcher, Bourinot, Davis). Bourinot's Rules of Order is used in Canada.^[5]

Rules in a parliamentary authority can be superseded by the group's constitution, bylaws or by adopted procedural rules (with a few exceptions). In RONR the adopted procedural rules are called special rules of order.

Assemblies that do not adopt a parliamentary authority may use an existing parliamentary authority by custom, or may consider themselves governed by the "common parliamentary law^[6]," or "common law of parliamentary procedure^[7]". RONR notes that a society that has adopted bylaws that do not designate a parliamentary authority may adopt one by the same vote required to adopt special rules of order. A mass meeting can adopt a parliamentary authority by a simple majority vote. RONR notes that "in matters on which an organization's adopted parliamentary authority is silent, provisions found in other works on parliamentary law may be persuasive – that is, they may carry weight in the absence of overriding reasons for following a different course – but they are not binding on the body." ^[8]

[edit] Comparing parliamentary authorities

Comparisons of Parliamentary Authority^[9], a self-study quiz book keyed to RONR (10th), TSC (4th), Demeter's Manual (Blue book ed.) and Riddick's Rules of Procedure.

Parliamentary Parallels compares seven Parliamentary Authorities^[10]; however, it uses RONR (9th ed.) and TSC (3rd ed.) in the comparison.

[edit] References

^ Gondin, William R. (1969). Dictionary of Parliamentary Procedure. Totowa, NJ: Littlefield, Adams, pp. 88,90.
^ Robert, Henry M. (2000). Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, 10th ed., p. 15, 561-2 (RONR)
^ Sturgis, Alice (2001). The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure, 4th ed., p. 5
^ National Conference of State Legislatures (2000). Mason's Manual of Legislative Procedure, p. 28-9
^ Chris Dickey, Parliamentarian, Parliamentary Procedure Consultant
^ RONR, p. 15
^ Mason, p. 30
^ RONR, p. 15-16
^ AIP (2003). Comparisons of Parliamentary Authority. Wilmington, DE: AIP Education Department.
^ NAP (1997). Parliamentary Parallels : a comparison of the similarities and differences of major parliamentary authorities. Independence, MO: National Association of Parliamentarians. ISBN 1-884048-23-4.