The state parliamentarian will be reporting each month in the Clarion, to give helpful instructions about parliamentary procedure, to answer frequently asked questions, and to promote the study of parliamentary law.  If you have a question, please contact this officer.  

How to handle reports of officers, executive board and standing committees. Officers generally do not report in regular meetings; however the bylaws may require them to report at the annual business meeting. Reports of officers should be read and filed. No further action is required unless the reports contain recommendations to come before the chapter. “May we have the report of the treasurer? Are there questions concerning the report? The treasurer’s report will be filed.”

If an officer concludes her report with a recommendation, she does not move adoption herself. Another member moves adoption of the recommendation(s) as soon as the report is concluded. A motion arising out of a report of an officer, board or committee is taken up immediately, since the object of having an order of business is to give priority to the items of business coming from official persons early in the meeting.

Recommendations from the executive board are requested by the regent, “The recording secretary will read the recommendations from the executive board.” They do not require a second. They may be considered one at a time or in gross. The recording secretary says, “By direction of the executive board I move the adoption of the following recommendations….”

The chair now calls for reports of standing committees. “The next business in order is the reports of standing committees. The chair recognizes Mrs. Donn, chairman of the Membership Committee, for a report.” The reporting member would state after reading recommendation at the close of the report, “By direction of the Membership Committee, I move to admit to membership the following list of candidates….” The regent would then ask the secretary to read from the Bylaws Article III. Members, Section 2. Admission, and proceed to the distributions of ballots.

Standing committees are called upon in the order in which they are listed in the bylaws. 

NSDAR Bylaw Amendments passed at Continental Congress that affect chapters and state societies.

Article XIII – Chapters, Section 1

(a) For the purpose of promoting the objects of the National Society members may be organized into chapters.

(b) Such chapters, whether presently existing, in formation, or to be organized under this Article XIII, shall be independent legal entities from the National Society, and solely responsible in all instances, for their debts, legal obligations, liabilities, expenditures, claims made against them and any actions taken by them.

 Article XV – States, Section 1

(a)  The chapters of each state and of the District of Columbia, and every country geographically outside of the United States having more than one chapter, may form a state organization which shall hold an annual state conference. The requirement of having more than one chapter in order to form a state organization shall not affect any state organization before the Continental Congress of 1955.

(b) Such state organizations, whether presently existing, in formation, or to be organized under this Article XV, shall be independent legal entities from the National Society, solely responsible in all instances, for their debts, legal obligations, liabilities, expenditures, claims made against them and any actions taken by them.

Mary Lynn Dalrymple Brown
State Parliamentarian
parliamentarian@californiadar.org