Here is our Parliamentary Procedure Manual, if you are only looking for some basic guidelines check the list below it:
2020 YAG Parli Pro Manual
Basic Guidelines:
- No one but the assigned delegates are permitted to be on and speak on the floor of either chamber. All others must observe from the gallery.
- Delegates not appropriately dressed will not be permitted to speak.
- Senate Presidents and Assembly Speakers (hereinafter referred to as “Chair”) shall preside over their respective chambers.
- Bills are randomly and equally assigned to the Assembly and Senate. There is no guarantee that a bill will be heard first in the chamber of the main sponsor. It is for this reason that each bill should have a sponsor in both the Senate and Assembly and both should be well prepared to speak on the bill.
- When a member wishes to speak, he/she shall raise a hand and wait to be recognized by the Chair. The members should not call out, whistle, snap fingers, etc. to get attention.
- When recognized, the delegate shall rise and address the chair, state his/her name, and delegation and recognize the Chair as “Sir/Madam Chair”.
- Members may be ruled out of order and lose the right to speak if Parliamentary Procedure is not followed.
- No member shall interrupt another while speaking except by raising a Point of Order
- When a member obtains the floor, he/she may yield their time to a fellow delegate provided they spoke for at least half of their allotted time; the subsequent delegate may only speak OR make one motion.
- No member may use the speaking time of another unless the time has been yielded.
- A recognized speaker must confine his/her remarks to the subject under debate. There are to be no personal references.
- The Chair shall entertain no frivolous motions. The presenter shall be ruled out of order. This ruling may be appealed to the chamber advisor who will make a decision.
- Members are expected to vote on all matters. Abstentions should be used sparingly – they reflect a disinterest in the bill and disrespect for the work of the sponsors.