Rules & Credentials

The Rules & Credentials Committee shall review the delegate lists to determine eligibility of representatives.

The local unit president shall clear with the Rules & Credentials Committee immediately upon arrival the substitution of alternates for delegates unable to attend.

Rules of Procedure

The Rules of Procedure shall be read and adopted at the beginning of the meeting.

Order of Business: Meetings of the convention shall open and close at the time stipulated on the official program. The order of business shall be followed as shown in the printed agenda and the rules of procedure shall be adhered to strictly. Should it appear advisable to change the order of business, this should be announced at the beginning of the session. A delegate may secure a change in the order of business by requesting it and receiving approval of a simple majority of the Assembly at the beginning of the session.  The President has the authority to alter the agenda due to circumstances.

Seating Delegates: Delegates shall be seated in a designated area. Alternates, members, and guests shall be seated in other designated areas.

Procedure for Virtual Delegates: All virtual delegates must rename themselves to indicate their registered names and locals.

Recording Minutes: The recording secretary, unless especially directed otherwise, shall not record motions ruled out of order or points of order on which no appeal is taken.

Speakers (Who and When): No person, except those to whom set speeches and discussions have been assigned, will be allowed to speak more than twice on a subject and not more than three minutes each time on any subject without consent of the Representative Assembly.

2023 NCRSP Convention Rules

How to Secure Recognition: Any delegate who is attending in person and is desiring recognition by the chair shall go to microphone one or two, and upon being recognized by the president, give his or her name in full and state his or her local unit.

Virtual Delegate Recognition:  Any virtual delegate who is desiring recognition shall make the request in the chat, indicating the item to be discussed and the position on that item.

Making Motions: Main motions submitted for consideration by the Representative Assembly shall be in writing on the forms provided and signed by the maker and seconder, both of whom shall be official delegates.

Virtual Delegates Making Motions: Virtual delegates shall submit main motions in the chat.

Who May Vote: All persons recognized as delegates by the Rules & Credentials Committee shall be entitled to make and second motions, and to vote on all questions and matters properly presented.

Certain Motions Not Debatable: Chief among these are motions of adjournment, taking recess, suspension of rules, postponing or tabling, referring to committee, and calling upon main motions.

Motions to Amend Main Motions: Motions to amend motions are debatable. These must be disposed of before action is taken upon the main motion. Not more than one amendment may be before the convention at the same time.

Reports: Persons making reports shall present a copy of the report to the secretary. Time limits set by the president shall be adhered to unless appealed and given consent by the Representative Assembly. A timekeeper shall be appointed by the president to serve at each session.

Floor tellers: Floor tellers shall be appointed by the president to count, tabulate, and report standing or show of hand votes. During a vote count, only floor tellers will be permitted to move about the floor.

Virtual tellers: Virtual tellers shall be appointed by the president to count, tabulate, and report votes.

New Business: All business that has not been considered by the Executive Board must be presented in writing to the Recording Secretary prior to being considered by the voting body.

Guidelines for Introduction of New Business Items

a. A New Business Item must be an item over which NCRSP has jurisdiction.

b. New Business Items relating to substantive policies or programs shall be specific in nature and able to be accomplished in one year.

c. New Business Items directly or indirectly involving an expenditure of funds or potentially reducing revenues shall be accompanied by a cost estimate. Staff may also add an estimated financial impact statement.

d. New Business Items may be submitted to the Chair of the New Business Item Committee at any time but must be submitted no later than 5:00 p.m. on the first day of the state convention or by the end of the first session.  New business items submitted prior to the start of the state convention shall be distributed at the convention.

e. The form for submission of New Business Items shall be emailed to all delegates prior to the convention. The form shall also be available on the NCRSP website.

f. New business items must be submitted in writing on the form provided and all sections must be completed. The maker of the motion (contact person) shall be the first speaker and should have a seconder ready.

g. The New Business Item Committee may edit the text of the item, provided no substantive changes are made and the final text is approved by the mover.

h. Following review and editing, the Committee shall present the items to the  Representative Assembly for action or referral.

i. New Business Items may be amended on the floor. Substantive amendments must be written and presented to the Chair prior to floor action. The vote on a motion to refer shall be in order only after the maker of the original motion has been given the opportunity to speak to the referral.

Rules and Credentials Chair: Hazel Jackie Lee

2023 NCRSP Convention Rules