Legal Definitions - parliamentary authority

Parliamentary authority refers to a specific, recognized manual or guide that an organization formally adopts to govern the conduct of its meetings and decision-making processes. This chosen manual dictates the procedures for debates, motions, voting, and other aspects of group deliberation. Its rules are binding on the organization, provided they do not contradict any applicable laws or the organization's own foundational documents, such as its bylaws or constitution.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Imagine a local homeowners' association that holds monthly meetings to discuss neighborhood issues like landscaping, security, or community events. To ensure fairness and efficiency in their discussions and voting, the association's bylaws might state that "Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised" is their designated parliamentary authority. This means that when a member wants to make a motion, debate an issue, or call for a vote, they must follow the procedures outlined in that specific manual, unless the association's own bylaws provide a different rule.

• Consider a professional association for engineers, which has a large membership and holds an annual conference with business sessions. Their constitution might specify that "The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure" by Alice Sturgis is their official parliamentary authority. This ensures that all proposals, elections, and policy discussions during their business meetings are conducted in a consistent, orderly, and transparent manner, allowing all members an equal opportunity to participate and have their voices heard according to established rules.

• A non-profit organization dedicated to environmental conservation holds regular board meetings to set strategic goals and approve projects. While they have detailed bylaws, these bylaws might not cover every procedural nuance that could arise during a heated debate. Therefore, their bylaws might explicitly name a particular parliamentary manual as their parliamentary authority to resolve any procedural questions not addressed in their own governing documents, ensuring that decisions are made fairly and efficiently even on complex or contentious issues.