In the United States, a parliamentarian is an expert on parliamentary procedure who advises organizations and deliberative assemblies. This sense of the term "parliamentarian" is distinct from the usage in parliamentary republics and monarchies as a synonym for member of parliament (a clerk may advise the chair or members on parliamentary procedure in these jurisdictions).

Types

Some parliamentarians are officers or employees of the deliberative assembly that they serve, as in the case of the Parliamentarian of the United States Senate. In most state legislative bodies, the secretary or chief clerk of the body serves as parliamentarian.[1][2]

In some organizations, a member of the organization may be appointed as the parliamentarian. Other parliamentarians have a contractual relationship, much like outside attorneys or accountants.

Duties

Parliamentarians are expected to be experts in meeting procedures and such books as Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised as well as the rules of the body they are working for.[3][4][5][6]

A parliamentarian may be called in to assist in drafting bylaws.[7] Other responsibilities may include teaching classes or holding office hours during conventions.[8]

Generally, the parliamentarian's role is purely advisory.[9] At meetings, the parliamentarian should unobtrusively call the attention of the presiding officer to serious errors in procedure.[1][8] However, the advice of a parliamentarian is generally not binding on the presiding officer of an assembly.[10][11]

If the parliamentarian is a member of the assembly, that person has the same rights as other members, but should strive to maintain impartiality, similar to the impartiality that is required of the chairman.[12] In other words, the parliamentarian should ordinarily not be making motions, speaking in debate, or voting.[12]

Certification

The highest certifications of parliamentarians are the Professional Registered Parliamentarian, or PRP (issued by the National Association of Parliamentarians) and the Certified Professional Parliamentarian, or CPP, or the Certified Professional Parliamentarian Teacher, or CPP-T (both issued by the American Institute of Parliamentarians).[13][14]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b National Conference of State Legislatures (2000). Mason's Manual of Legislative Procedure, 2000 ed., p. 430
  2. ^ "California State Legislature – Leadership and Caucuses". www.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2016-01-12. Chief Clerk – A nonpartisan, nonmember officer of the Assembly elected by the majority of the membership at the start of each two-year session as its legislative officer and parliamentarian.
  3. ^ "General Assembly". www.pacapitol.com. Retrieved 2016-01-12.
  4. ^ "Rules of Order > Chapter 3: Officers". senate.la.gov. Retrieved 2016-01-12.
  5. ^ Palmer, Brian (2010-03-18). "So, You Want To Be a Parliamentarian?". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved 2016-01-12.
  6. ^ "National Association of Parliamentarians » FAQ". www.parliamentarians.org. Retrieved 2016-01-12.
  7. ^ Robert, Henry M.; et al. (2011). Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (11th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Da Capo Press. pp. 556, 566–67. ISBN 978-0-306-82020-5.
  8. ^ a b Robert 2011, p. 466
  9. ^ Robert 2011, p. 465
  10. ^ Robert III, Henry M.; et al. (2011). Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised In Brief (2nd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Da Capo Press. p. 95. ISBN 978-0-306-82019-9.
  11. ^ Koh, Elizabeth (27 June 2013). "Texplainer: What Does the Parliamentarian Do?". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved 2016-01-12.
  12. ^ a b Robert 2011, p. 467
  13. ^ "National Association of Parliamentarians » Types of NAP Membership". www.parliamentarians.org. Retrieved 2016-01-12.
  14. ^ "Certification - American Institute of Parliamentarians". American Institute of Parliamentarians. Archived from the original on 2015-09-27. Retrieved 2016-01-12.

Further reading

Categories