Contact Us Site Map Calendar Board of Directors

Rules of Procedure For Conducting
NEOEA Representative Assembly Session

  1. DELEGATE REGISTRATION – The close of registration will be one hour after the printed Representative Assembly starting time.

  2. BASIC CONCEPT – Parliamentary procedure is designed to assist the assembly in accomplishing its work. All members have the right to be heard, but the individual, as in any community, may at times have to submit to the interests of the majority.

  3. DISCUSSION AND DEBATE – No member shall speak more than twice on the same motion or question. The floor will be assigned to those seeking recognition in the order in which the chair observes them taking places at the microphones. The time limit is five minutes for each speech.

  4. VOTING – Vote shall be oral (aye-no) except when the assembly indicates a desire for other methods.

  5. COMMITTEE ACTION – Any item referred to a committee must indicate the method of committee selection (appointed or elected), the number to be placed on the committee, and when the committee is to report.

  6. DECORUM IN DEBATE – The objective is to debate ideas, not personalities. It is best to refer to the previous speaker as “the previous speaker.”

  7. PREVIOUS QUESTION – Following a motion to close debate, the chairperson shall ask for an immediate second.

  8. RULES OF ORDER – Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall be the authority governing all matters not covered in these standing rules or any other rules of procedure adopted by the Representative Assembly.

  9. INTRODUCTION OF RESOLUTIONS AND NEW BUSINESS – Resolutions may be submitted to the Resolutions Committee up to one hour after the assembly is called to order. Introduction of new business will be completed before the luncheon recess. All new business items are to be written and placed in the hands of the Executive Director or designee at the time they are presented. (It is suggested that those persons desiring to introduce items of new business bring at least 300 copies of the proposal with them to be distributed to the delegates. If this is impossible, please mail a copy of the proposal to the NEOEA office.)

  10. RESOLUTION ASSISTANCE – The Resolutions Committee will meet prior to the Representative Assembly and for one hour after the call to order. Delegates may ask the committee for assistance in writing new resolutions or in amending existing ones. The committee shall recommend, subject to a final ruling of the Chair, whether submitted items are resolutions or new business items.

  11. ORDER OF RESOLUTIONS CONSIDERATION – Resolutions submitted by the Resolutions Committee are recommendations of a standing committee. At the appropriate time in the agenda, the reporting member will provide an opportunity for delegates to call out the letters and numbers of resolutions to be considered separately. By asking that a recommended resolution be held, a delegate will cause it to be considered separately. After delegates have had the opportunity to hold proposed resolutions, those not so held will be considered in one motion to approve them. Following the disposition of that motion, the assembly will consider the recommended resolutions which have been held. Following the disposition of those resolutions, delegates may submit additional resolutions from the floor, provided that a) they have been prepared in writing early enough to be duplicated or b) written copies have been provided in sufficient number for the needs of the assembly.

  12. ORDER OF DISCUSSION – Items of new business will be numbered in the order they are presented, and all discussion and action on these items will take place under “Action on New Business Items.” Action required on committee reports will take place immediately following each report.

  13. NEOEA CAUCUS – The meeting of the NEOEA Delegates to the OEA Representative Assembly, or any other meeting of those delegates, shall be considered an NEOEA Caucus and shall abide by the actions of the NEOEA Representative Assembly.