By Sheryl C. Womble, PRP
District 6 Director’s Assistant

For organizations that have adopted Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised 12th Edition as their parliamentary authority and have not adopted a special order of business, these customary subdivisions cover the business for their meeting preparation:

  • Reading and Approval of Minutes – The approval of the minutes usually happens in the beginning of the meeting. The secretary reads the minutes; or, if members received advanced copies, the chair announces that the action has been done. The minutes can be approved by unanimous consent if corrections are not offered.
  • Reports of Officers, Boards and Standing Committees – Officers, boards and standing committees work on behalf of the organization and are given priority over new business. The chair calls the officers as listed in the bylaws. Another member moves adoption of motions in officer reports. The reporting member makes the motions for the board. Standing committees are established in the bylaws and have a continuing existence. The standing committees are called upon in the order listed in the bylaws also; and the standing committee chairman or other reporting member makes the motions. In an annual meeting, reports are heard from all officers, boards and standing committees; but in regular meetings only those who have reports.
  • Reports of Special (Select or Ad Hoc) Committees – Special committees are created to perform a specific task. The chair announces committees in their appointed order and only those with prepared reports.
  • Special Orders – The chair announces special orders that were not disposed of in the previous meeting; and items of business that have been made special orders for the present meeting. Also, matters that the bylaws authorize to take place in a particular meeting are considered special orders.
  • Unfinished Business – The chair announces any items that were pending from the previous meeting; items that were not reached; and items made general orders for the present meeting. These business items are presented because the organization did not finish disposing of them.
  • New Business – The chair announces for members to offer up new business items.

Using the standard order of business in a meeting, places the six subdivisions in a  logical order of when business occurs in a meeting. The order of business aids the organization in conducting an efficient and effective meeting.

RONR (12th ed.) 41:5-27