Parliamentary authority
Encyclopedia
A parliamentary authority is a manual on parliamentary law
, containing rules of order for the transaction of business in deliberative assemblies
. The society generally adopts such a book to cover meeting procedure not covered in the society's adopted procedural rules.
(CPPs) in 1999 to ask what percent of clients used each parliamentary authorities. The results were published in 2000 in Parliamentary Journal, the official journal
of the American Institute of Parliamentarians
: 90 percent used Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised
(RONR), 8 percent used The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure
(TSC) (Sturgis), and 3 percent used some other authority, including Demeter's Manual of Parliamentary Law and Procedure
(Demeter), Riddick's Rules of Procedure
(Riddick/Butcher), Bourinot's Rules of Order
(Bourinot), and Rules of Order (Davis). Bourinot was used in Canada.
Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, first published in 1876 by Colonel Henry Martyn Robert
, is currently in its eleventh edition, published in 2011, is the most popular and well-known parliamentary authority.
The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure, first published in 1950 by Alice Sturgis
and referred to as
TSC or Sturgis, is currently in its fourth edition, published in 2001. It is used by many medical association
s of physician
s and dentist
s, including the American Medical Association
House of Delegates and American Association of Orthodontists
as well as by the Association of Flight Attendants
and American Library Association
.
Demeter's Manual of Parliamentary Law and Procedure, first published in 1948 by George Demeter
and called "the Blue Book," is the third-most popular parliamentary authority. It is often favored by labor unions
.
Rules in a parliamentary authority can be superseded by the group's constitution, bylaws or by adopted procedural rules (with a few exceptions).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”, or “common law of parliamentary procedure”. 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.”
Some societies write their own parliamentary authority for use specifically for their own assembly.
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, TSC (4th)
, Demeter's Manual (Blue book ed.)
and Riddick's Rules of Procedure
.
Compares seven Parliamentary Authorities; however, it uses RONR (9th ed.) and TSC (3rd ed.) in the comparison.
Parliamentary procedure
Parliamentary procedure is the body of rules, ethics, and customs governing meetings and other operations of clubs, organizations, legislative bodies, and other deliberative assemblies...
, containing rules of order for the transaction of business in deliberative assemblies
Deliberative assembly
A deliberative assembly is an organization comprising members who use parliamentary procedure to make decisions. In a speech to the electorate at Bristol in 1774, Edmund Burke described the English Parliament as a "deliberative assembly," and the expression became the basic term for a body of...
. The society generally adopts such a book to cover meeting procedure not covered in the society's adopted procedural rules.
Practices
A poll by Jim Slaughter surveyed Certified Professional ParliamentariansAmerican Institute of Parliamentarians
The American Institute of Parliamentarians is a not-for-profit educational organization founded in 1958 for the advancement of parliamentary procedure. From a first-year membership of only 48 members, AlP has grown into a progressive association with active chapters and regions...
(CPPs) in 1999 to ask what percent of clients used each parliamentary authorities. The results were published in 2000 in Parliamentary Journal, the official journal
Academic journal
An academic journal is a peer-reviewed periodical in which scholarship relating to a particular academic discipline is published. Academic journals serve as forums for the introduction and presentation for scrutiny of new research, and the critique of existing research...
of the American Institute of Parliamentarians
American Institute of Parliamentarians
The American Institute of Parliamentarians is a not-for-profit educational organization founded in 1958 for the advancement of parliamentary procedure. From a first-year membership of only 48 members, AlP has grown into a progressive association with active chapters and regions...
: 90 percent used Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised
Robert's Rules of Order
Robert's Rules of Order is the short title of a book containing rules of order intended to be adopted as a parliamentary authority for use by a deliberative assembly written by Brig. Gen...
(RONR), 8 percent used The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure
The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure
The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure is a book of rules of order. It is the second most popular parliamentary authority in the United States after Robert's Rules of Order. It was first published in 1950...
(TSC) (Sturgis), and 3 percent used some other authority, including Demeter's Manual of Parliamentary Law and Procedure
Demeter's Manual of Parliamentary Law and Procedure
thumb|right|125px| Demeter's ManualDemeter's Manual of Parliamentary Law and Procedure, by George Demeter, is a parliamentary authority manual. It is included in the bank of study materials used in preparing for the Certified Parliamentarian designation offered by the American Institute of...
(Demeter), Riddick's Rules of Procedure
Riddick's Rules of Procedure
Riddick's Rules of Procedure is a parliamentary authority - a book explaining the parliamentary procedure, including the rules, ethics, and customs governing meetings and other operations of the United States Senate. It was written by Floyd M. Riddick and co-authored by Miriam Butcher...
(Riddick/Butcher), Bourinot's Rules of Order
Bourinot's Rules of Order
Bourinot's Rules of Order is a Canadian parliamentary authority first published in 1884 by Sir John George Bourinot, Clerk of the Canadian House of Commons under the title A Canadian Manual on the Procedure at Meetings of Shareholders and Directors of Companies, Conventions, Societies, and Public...
(Bourinot), and Rules of Order (Davis). Bourinot was used in Canada.
Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, first published in 1876 by Colonel Henry Martyn Robert
Henry Martyn Robert
Henry Martyn Robert was the author of Robert's Rules of Order, which became the most widely used manual of parliamentary procedure and remains today the most common parliamentary authority in the United States....
, is currently in its eleventh edition, published in 2011, is the most popular and well-known parliamentary authority.
The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure, first published in 1950 by Alice Sturgis
Alice Sturgis
Alice Sturgis was an author and parliamentarian, best known for writing the Sturgis Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure. She was a practicing parliamentarian and consultant to national and international professional and business organizations...
and referred to as
TSC or Sturgis, is currently in its fourth edition, published in 2001. It is used by many medical association
Medical association
A health association is a professional organization for health professionals. They are often based on specialty and are usually national, often with subnational or regional affiliates. Health associations usually offer conferences and continuing education...
s of physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
s and dentist
Dentist
A dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
s, including the American Medical Association
American Medical Association
The American Medical Association , founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897, is the largest association of medical doctors and medical students in the United States.-Scope and operations:...
House of Delegates and American Association of Orthodontists
American Association of Orthodontists
The American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, is the American professional association for orthodontists. Most American orthodontists, about 95 percent, are members...
as well as by the Association of Flight Attendants
Association of Flight Attendants
The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA is a union representing Flight Attendants in the United States. In 2011, AFA represents nearly 60,000 Flight Attendants at 24 airlines, making it the world's largest Flight Attendant union. Focused 100% on Flight Attendant issues, AFA has been the leader in...
and American Library Association
American Library Association
The American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 62,000 members....
.
Demeter's Manual of Parliamentary Law and Procedure, first published in 1948 by George Demeter
George Demeter
George Demeter is the author of Demeter's Manual of Parliamentary Law and Procedure. The second Wednesday in April has been designated as George Demeter Day in Massachusetts.-Works:*Demeter's Manual of Parliamentary Law and Procedure, 2nd edition, 1949...
and called "the Blue Book," is the third-most popular parliamentary authority. It is often favored by labor unions
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
.
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
Special Rules of Order
A special rule of order is parliamentary procedure term for a rule adopted by the organization that relate to procedure or to the duties of officers within meetings.-Explanation and use:...
.
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”, or “common law of parliamentary procedure”. 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
Special Rules of Order
A special rule of order is parliamentary procedure term for a rule adopted by the organization that relate to procedure or to the duties of officers within meetings.-Explanation and use:...
. A mass meeting
Mass meeting
In parliamentary law, a mass meeting is a type of deliberative assembly, which in a publicized or selectively distributed notice known as the call of the meeting - has been announced:...
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.”
Some societies write their own parliamentary authority for use specifically for their own assembly.
Examples
- Bourinot's Rules of OrderBourinot's Rules of OrderBourinot's Rules of Order is a Canadian parliamentary authority first published in 1884 by Sir John George Bourinot, Clerk of the Canadian House of Commons under the title A Canadian Manual on the Procedure at Meetings of Shareholders and Directors of Companies, Conventions, Societies, and Public...
- Jefferson's ManualJefferson's ManualManual of Parliamentary Practice for the Use of the Senate of the United States, written by Thomas Jefferson in 1801, is the first American book on parliamentary procedure. As vice-president of the United States, Jefferson served as the Senate's presiding officer from 1797 to 1801...
- Mason's Manual of Legislative ProcedureMason's Manual of Legislative ProcedureMason's Manual of Legislative Procedure, commonly referred to as Mason's Manual. This 700+ page book serves as the official parliamentary manual of most state legislative bodies in the United States. "Adopted as the authority on questions of parliamentary law and procedure in California, it is to...
- Morin codeMorin codeThe Code Morin is phrase used to refer to the text Procédures des assemblées délibérantes, first published in 1938 by Victor Morin.The Code details procedures for organizational meetings, and was inspired by Robert's Rules of Order...
- Riddick's Rules of ProcedureRiddick's Rules of ProcedureRiddick's Rules of Procedure is a parliamentary authority - a book explaining the parliamentary procedure, including the rules, ethics, and customs governing meetings and other operations of the United States Senate. It was written by Floyd M. Riddick and co-authored by Miriam Butcher...
- Robert's Rules of OrderRobert's Rules of OrderRobert's Rules of Order is the short title of a book containing rules of order intended to be adopted as a parliamentary authority for use by a deliberative assembly written by Brig. Gen...
- The Standard Code of Parliamentary ProcedureThe Standard Code of Parliamentary ProcedureThe Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure is a book of rules of order. It is the second most popular parliamentary authority in the United States after Robert's Rules of Order. It was first published in 1950...
- Erskine May: Parliamentary Practice
Non-legislative authorities
- Canada
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- United States
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Legislative authorities
- Australia
- Canada
}**
- United Kingdom
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- United States
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Comparative
A self-study quiz book keyed to RONR (10th)Robert's Rules of Order
Robert's Rules of Order is the short title of a book containing rules of order intended to be adopted as a parliamentary authority for use by a deliberative assembly written by Brig. Gen...
, TSC (4th)
The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure
The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure is a book of rules of order. It is the second most popular parliamentary authority in the United States after Robert's Rules of Order. It was first published in 1950...
, Demeter's Manual (Blue book ed.)
Demeter's Manual of Parliamentary Law and Procedure
thumb|right|125px| Demeter's ManualDemeter's Manual of Parliamentary Law and Procedure, by George Demeter, is a parliamentary authority manual. It is included in the bank of study materials used in preparing for the Certified Parliamentarian designation offered by the American Institute of...
and Riddick's Rules of Procedure
Riddick's Rules of Procedure
Riddick's Rules of Procedure is a parliamentary authority - a book explaining the parliamentary procedure, including the rules, ethics, and customs governing meetings and other operations of the United States Senate. It was written by Floyd M. Riddick and co-authored by Miriam Butcher...
.
Compares seven Parliamentary Authorities; however, it uses RONR (9th ed.) and TSC (3rd ed.) in the comparison.