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RECE t MEMORANDUM 7010 FlPR 30 , Ai 1 7 32 To: J Yoshimoto, Chair and Members of the Hawai`i County Council COIN 'r C''. EiK COUNTY t;:i= HAWAII I From: Levi Hookano, Legal Specialist Date: April 23, 2010 Re: Parliamentary Procedure Presentation Dear Chair Yoshimoto and Members of the Hawai`i County Council, For the council's consideration, this is a memo outlining the basics of parliamentary procedure and its application to the proceedings of the Hawaii County Council. This memo applies to both the council and its standing committees. This is a broad overview of parliamentary procedure and is not meant to be a comprehensive explanation. For a full understanding of the rules of procedure, please consult the Rules of Procedure and Organization of the Council of the County of Hawai`i and Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, 10 Edition. Attached is a handout from a parliamentary procedure training I attended in 2008 marked as "Exhibit 1." This handout provides a sample proceeding of a board which illustrates the use of rules of procedure. THE BASICS Why Adopt Rules of Procedure? The rules are based on the regard for the rights of "the majority, the minority, individual members, absentees, and all of these together." I Rules of procedure help in the orderly progression of the council's proceedings. Some Basics of Parliamentary Procedure The following are some of the basic tenants of parliamentary procedure: • The council can only act as a body by a majority; • Every member must have an equal opportunity to participate; and • The rules of procedure must be consistently applied. FORMALITY OF PROCEEDINGS "Customs of formality that are followed by the presiding officer and members under parliamentary procedure serve to maintain the chair's necessary position of Comm. No. d$, 1 RONR (10 ed.), p. XLVII. Ref. To Ref. Date MA - 5 --�_ 1