Hybrid Assembly Standing Rules

The Assembly will be start at 8am on Wednesday 30th of September, in order to feel refreshed we enourage members to arrive Tuesday 29th of September in the late afternoon or early evening. The assembly will finish around 4pm on Friday 2nd October 2026. Convention will then start on Friday 2nd October 2026 in the early evening and finish no later than 2pm on Sunday 4th October 2026.

Names, acronyms, and short forms have been removed or edited for consistency with OA Policy

1. Registration and Credentials Report
   1. Each participant will be registered via the link on the Region 9 website.
   2. Participants will, if attending in person, have an identification badge and if attending virtually shall rename themselves.
   3. All members will use the same protocol for the badges and zoom labeling, as follows:
      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) = TS – Name – Role
      4. Service Body Representative = R – Name – Service Body
      5. Trustee = TR – Name
      6. Parliamentarian = P – Name – Parliamentarian
      7. Visitors = V – Name – Visitor
   4. When directed by the chair, a report on the number of voting representatives will be made.
      Representatives 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.
      4. The name (or contact identifier) of the member designated by the Chair to receive private messages during the meeting
      5. Members who arrive late (virtually or physically) shall, promptly upon joining the meeting, send a private message to the member designated by the Chair to receive such messages.
         Members who leave before adjournment (virtually or physically) of the meeting shall send a private message to the member designated by the Chair to receive such messages.
   2. The physical room and electronic room will be scheduled to open at least 15 minutes before the start of each meeting.
   3. The online meeting room will be scheduled, using equipment provided by the Assembly.
   4. The Chair of the meeting must be present in the physical meeting room.
   5. Votes may be taken by show of hands, or 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 attending virtually are expected to have their camera on during the business meetings, committee meetings and workshops, 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 any sessions, with the exception of the recording made for the creation of the minutes. Any exception must be approved by the assembly.
   2. The Vice Chair or another board member approved by the Chair will be permitted to take photos of the screen for the sole purpose of posting motions or other items of business in the Assembly Whatsapp Group.
   3. There will be no smoking, eating, or chewing gum during any session of the assembly.
   4. Attendees in the physical room are requested not to use scented toiletries.
   5. 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 third 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 six speakers; no more than three pros (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, service body as appropriate.
   2. A representative must also inform the assembly the language they will speak.
   3. All debate must be relevant to the question under consideration.
   4. All remarks must be addressed to the chair.
   5. The chair will call on the delegates to speak in order, first pro (beginning with the maker or designee), then con, alternating until all speakers have been heard.
   6. Each speaker will be limited to two minutes.
   7. 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 once the Chair has ruled them in order, after consulting 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 pros (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 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. Elections 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. Elections
    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.
13. Specific Duties of the Chair
    • The Region chair has the specific authority and responsibility to:
      1. Protect the assembly from frivolous and dilatory motions by not recognizing them.
      2. Enforce all rules relating to debate, decorum, and order.
      3. Expedite business in every way compatible with the rights of members.
      4. Decide all questions of order.
      5. Respond to all Questions of Privilege, Points of Order, and Requests for Information.

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.