"AROO" ASFAR Rules of Order - Workshop

At the last meeting we talked about how it might be advantageous for us to deviate from Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised and create our own parlimentary procedure tailored too our needs as an organization.  If we work on something here, perhaps we will have something ready for submission by the next meeting.

SEC 1.  SHORT TITLE
1. This act shall be known as the “AROO” or “ASFAR Rules of Order”
SEC 2. OBJECTIVES
1. The objectives of this act are as follows:
a. Maintain Order in Electronic Meetings
b. Clarity: When dealing with official matters and making legal decisions the AROO shall lend structure and clarity to the discussions of the convening body.
SEC 3. INCORPERATION
1. Article * of the ASFAR Bylaws shall be amended to read as follows:
"All formal meetings conducted by ASFAR by means of an online chat or messenging service shall be conducted in accordance with the rules set forth in the document entitled 'ASFAR Rules of Order'"
SEC 4. SYNTAX
1. Roll Call Vote
a. Proper syntax for a roll call vote is as follows: I call for a roll call vote.
b. A roll call vote may be called by any member of the assembly with voting rights.  Roll call votes may not be called by visitors or non-voting members.
c. A roll call vote shall be a nonbinding poll of voting members for the purpose of gauging support for a proposed action.
d. A roll call vote shall be seconded by a voting member of the assembly.  The member who calls for the vote cannot second it.
e. A proposal for a roll call vote that has been seconded shall be considered by the assembly.  If approved by a majority, a roll call vote shall occur.
2. Vote Results
a. Proper syntax for announcing the results of a vote is as follows: The vote is now closed.  The results are A-B-C. with A being those in support, B being dissenters, and C being anyone who voted “abstain” or “present”
b. Only a chairperson may announce the results of a vote.
3. Free Discussion
a. Proper syntax for initiating free discussion shall be as follows: I move for free discussion on the current question.
b. Free discussion shall be defined as debate and/or discussion free of the constraints of parliamentary procedure.  Participants may speak without being recognized by the chair and are not require to use the AROO syntax.

Thats what I have so far.  I am probably going to edit the syntax section to make it more clear.  RONR has a lot of commands that are useless to us, and I think it would advantageous for us to strip out anything we are not going to use in order to close any loopholes we may have.  Also, users have expressed freustration at having to adhere strictly to parlimentary proceedure during causual business.

The basic structure I think would work for an enumerated list of commands:

Convention.
- Proper Syntax.
- Who can use it.
- Does it need to be seconded.
- Purpose
- Additional Details

Examples

Point of Order.
- "Point of Order [explains problem]" "Point of Order, asfarmember68 is off topic, there is currently an ammendment on the table."
- All Voting Members may use this convention.
- No second requiered.
- This convention is used to draw attention to a violation of the rules or a breach of decorum.

Vote Results.
- Voting is now closed on [type of vote straw poll/ final vote/ motion to table/ etc.][#of AYE]-[#of NAY]-[# of abstain, present, etc.][pass/fail] "Voting is now closed on the motion to table the amendment.  5-3-1 The motion passes.
- Only the chairperson at a meeting may announce official poll results.
- inapplicable
- The results of a vote shall be announced in a standardized syntax for purposes of maintaining clarity.
- In the case of a time based vote, results shall not be announced until the vote has expired unless all eligible parties have voted.