Guide to Meeting Procedures

•  Before each meeting, the FIEH national president who is also the Chair should create a detailed agenda. This should include:
  i. The regular procedures for the institute meet such as call to order, any opening ceremonies.
  ii. Reading of minutes
  iii. Treasurer’s and committee reports
  iv. Announcements
  v. Items of old business
  vi. Items of new business
  vii. Executive sessions
  viii. Breaks
  ix. Next meeting date and location, and
  x. Any other major items that should come up during the meeting.
• In assisting the National President, executives should ask the following questions before the agenda:
  i. Does the General Secretary have the minutes ready for approval?
  ii. Does the National Treasurer have a financial report ready to present?
  iii. Do any executives or subcommittee chairs have actions to propose or reports to make?
  iv. Are any special committee reports due? Will any actions be proposed? What are they?
  v. Were any agenda items not reached at the time the last meeting adjourned?
  vi. Was anything postponed to this meeting?
  vii. Does the annual planning calendar require that action be taken at this meeting? What items will support the strategic direction? How does this meeting promote the FIEH’s progress?
  viii. Have you kept your ear to the ground so there are no surprises?

i. There should be no discussion or business completed without a motion raised in accordance with the FIEH Constitution unless allowed by the chair, provided there is enough interest for discussion of the issue to proceed.
ii. The Chair should see that most issues proceed quickly to a motion. If a motion is not forthcoming, the item should be referred to another place and time outside the institute meeting. The term “business meeting” means just that – a place where business is conducted, not unending discussion of related or unrelated issues.
iii. A second is required for all motions to show that more than one person is interested.
iv. If there is no second then the motion lost for lack of second, and the Chair announces it as such.
v. Until a motion is seconded the maker can withdraw it.
vi. Once it is seconded, it becomes the property of the group and is on the floor for discussion or final determination.
vii. Voting members can raise four types of motions:
1. Main – to introduce business
2. Subsidiary – to change or take action on the main motion
3. Incidental – deals with rules and meeting procedure
4. Privileged – handles personal matters

 Procedures for Handling a Main Motion

•  A member rises or raises their hand for recognition and addresses the Chair, “Mr/Madam/Ms President/Chair Person.”
• The Chair must recognize the member before the member continues by using their name or some other format and asking them to continue.
•  The member presents the motion by saying, “I move…”. A motion is NOT to be offered by saying, “I make a motion…” or “I motion…”.
•  The Chair asks for a second. The General Secretary is not required to recognize or record who made the second. Consequently, a second only requires a member to call out that they second the motion.
• If a second is required and not made, the Chair will declare that the motion is lost for want of a second.
•  If seconded, the Chair repeats the motion and asks for discussion. Only during discussion can other motions be made to change the main motion or do something with it.
• Each member who wants to discuss must be recognized by the Chair. The maker of the motion should have the first right to provide arguments in favor of their motion.
• The Chair has the responsibility to recognize persons on both sides of the issue, preferably in alternating order if their position is known.
• The Chair should not discuss or introduce business. The Chair should only discuss business if he or she gives up the chair to another provided that this can only be used if the Chair feels they have vital discussion concerning the issue before the group.
• The Chair may provide information previously unknown to the members without giving up the chairmanship if it is given in a factual and neutral matter and allowing the members to discuss its implications and decide how the information should affect its decisions.
• If the Chair gives up the chairmanship to discuss a motion, he or she should not take the chairmanship back until the matter is decided, and then must wait for the invitation of the person who assumed the chairmanship in their place.

Bringing the Discussion to an End:

• The Chair can ask for a vote if (s)he has asked for more discussion and there is none.
• A member can call out “Question,” which means they are ready and asking for avote. The call for the question carries no legal weight – it is a only a suggestion. If more discussion is offered, the call for the question is ignored.
• The Chair states, “The question has been called. Is there any further discussion?” If
  there is none then…”Seeing none, we will proceed to vote.”
•  A member can move “The Previous Question.” In this case the member is moving to
  end discussion and move to a vote. This motion requires a second and, since it
  curtails the right for further discussion, requires a two-thirds vote to pass.
•  After discussion, the motion must be voted on unless another motion has donesomething else with it; e.g. – lay on the table, postpone indefinitely, postpone to a certain time, refer to a committee. The Chair states, “We shall now proceed to vote on the motion to…” and restates the motion (as amended, if amended) so all understand what they are voting on. If a counted vote is not required, the Chair calls for a voice vote: “All in favor of the motion say ‘aye.’ All opposed ‘nay’.”
•  After the vote, the Chair must announce the outcome: “The motion is carried/lost.” Ifa gavel is used, one tap of the gavel follows the Chair announcement