Virtual Assembly Standing Rules

The Assembly will be held on the 18th of May from 2 pm to 7 pm UK time

1. Registration and Credentials Report
   1. Each representative will be registered via the link on the Region 9 website.
   2. Representatives will rename themselves for all sessions,, using the following protocol:
      1. Board Members B Name – Board Position
      2. Committee Chair CC Name – Committee
      3. Trusted Servants (Service Coordinators, World service Business Conference Delegates, Charitable Incorporated Organisation Representative, Trustee) TS Name – Role
      4. Service Body Representative R Name – Service Body
      5. Parliamentarian P Name – Parliamentarian
      6. Visitors V Name – Visitor Name
   3. At each business meeting, and when directed by the chair, a report on the number of voting representatives will be made.
   4. Representatives are expected to abstain from voting if they do not—at time of voting—have the six month abstinence requirement unless a representative has received permission for an exception by the Chair.
2. Rules for Meetings
   1. An email will be sent to all registrants, at least 8 hours before each meeting. The email will include
      1. the time and location of the meeting
      2. Login credentials including any access code needed to connect to the meeting.
      3. A copy of or a link to these rules.
   2. The electronic room will be scheduled to open at least 15 minutes before the start of each meeting.
   3. Members who arrive late shall at the first opportunity after joining the meeting send a private message to the secretary.
   4. Members who leave before adjournment of the meeting shall send a private message to the secretary.
   5. All votes shall be ballot. Business may also be conducted by unanimous consent.
   6. Each member is responsible for their own connection to the online meeting; no action shall be invalidated on the grounds that the loss of, or poor quality of, a member’s individual connection prevented participation in the meeting.
   7. The chair may request to disconnect or mute a member’s connection if it is causing undue interference with the Assembly. The chair’s decision to do so shall be announced during the meeting and recorded in the minutes.
   8. All members of the assembly are expected to have their camera on during all sessions of the assembly, unless given an exception by the chair prior to the meeting.
3. General and Communications
   1. Photographs and recording by audio or video are not allowed in all sessions, with the exception of the recording made for the creation of the minutes. Any exception must be approved by the assembly.
   2. There will be no smoking, eating, or chewing gum, with the camera on during any session of the assembly.
   3. The chair will designate a Parliamentarian who will advise and support the Chair and Representatives in Parliamentary procedure, creating motions or amendments and any need that lies within the scope of Parliamentarian.
4. Quorum – Representatives from at least five countries shall constitute a quorum at all business meetings of the Region 9 Assembly.
5. Consent Agenda – The Chair may present a Consent Agenda consisting of routine or noncontroversial matters. The chair will determine the matters that will be placed on the Consent Agenda. Any voting member may request that an item from the Consent Agenda be considered separately. The Consent Agenda shall require a two-thirds vote for adoption.
6. Reports
   1. Representatives may ask questions of any reports.
   2. Five minutes are allotted for questions of each officer report.
   3. Three minutes are allotted for questions for all other reports.
   4. Representatives may ask one question with a follow-up if the answer is not clear to the delegate.
   5. Representatives may ask another question if there is time remaining and all those wishing to ask a question have had an opportunity to do so.
7. Main Motions
   1. Debate will be limited to up to six speakers; no more than three pro (including the maker or their designee, who will speak first) and three con.
   2. Proposed amendments will be considered article by article.
8. Recognition and Debate
   1. A representative must be recognised by the chair before speaking and must then give their name, role, and service body as appropriate.
   2. All debate must be relevant to the question under consideration.
   3. All remarks must be addressed to the chair.
   4. The chair will call on the representatives to speak in order, first pro (beginning with the maker or designee), then con, alternating until all speakers have been heard.
   5. Each speaker will be limited to two minutes.
   6. If more than three delegates (two in the case of amendments) wish to speak either pro or con on a motion, they will select from among themselves those who will speak.
9. Amendments
   1. Proposed amendments will be submitted via email.
   2. Amendments will be considered proposed when advised as in order by the Parliamentarian.
   3. Amendments can be proposed until the chair declares voting on the motion.
   4. Debate will be limited to four speakers; no more than two pro (including the maker or designee, who will speak first and begin by reading the motion) and two con. Each speaker will be limited to two minutes.
10. Emergency New Business
    1. Emergency New Business will be submitted to the Parliamentarian by the deadline set by the Region Chair, unless otherwise directed by the Chair.
    2. Criteria for qualifying as Emergency New Business
       1. The motion refers to new business only and not to Bylaw Amendments.
       2. The matter is of an urgent nature and is important to OA or Region 9 as a whole, and not considering the motion immediately would likely be detrimental to the welfare of the OA or Region 9.
       3. Emergency New Business Motions must first receive a majority vote of the Bylaws Committee and the Board in order to be brought to the floor.
    3. A two-thirds vote by the Representatives is required to adopt Emergency New Business Motions.
11. Election Questions and Answers
    1. A representative will ask only one question of each nominee. Such questions must be related to information presented in that nominee’s application or directly related to the qualifications for the role.
    2. The total time allotted to each nominee’s question and answer period will be ten minutes following the completion of a presentation of no more than five minutes by the nominee.
12. Election
    1. Board Officers and Trustees will be elected by ballot of the representatives present and voting at the time of the election.
    2. A majority vote will elect.

Please Note: As required by proper parliamentary procedure, a vote will be taken at the first business meeting officially adopting these rules. A two-thirds vote is required for adoption, and amendments are in order.