Council Rules

1. All requests from TLA Units or individuals for Council action must be in written form. These requests must be submitted to the Bylaws and Resolutions Committee for review and presentation to Council. These requests will be either motions or resolutions. Motions to amend the TLA Bylaws must be received by the Bylaws Committee at least three months prior to introduction to Council. All resolutions must be received by the Committee at least six hours prior to presentation to Council. For Units that meet on the same day as Council, a three hour time limit is in effect. Any motions/resolutions requiring action that are submitted under the required time notice will require a two-thirds (2/3) vote of Council for approval.
2. Motions or resolutions with fiscal implications shall be referred to the Budget Committee for their consideration and recommendations prior to presentation to Council. Motions or resolutions with legislative implications shall be referred to the Legislative Committee for their consideration and recommendations prior to presentation to Council.
3. For purposes of placing committee reports before Council for action, the Committee Chairman or representative shall be authorized to make a motion. Non-Council members of TLA, upon identification of themselves and the subject they wish to address, will be allowed to speak upon consent of Council.
4. Non-members of TLA shall be permitted to speak upon a two-thirds approval vote of Council.
5. All amendments to motions/resolutions on the floor must be submitted in writing on the forms that are provided. They must be signed by the mover and the seconder.
6. Council members will go to the microphone, identify themselves, and state whether they are speaking for or against the motion being discussed. Each member may speak twice on the same question on the same day for a maximum of five minutes each time.
7. Notify the Executive Director in writing if the Council alternate is serving as the Councilor. If neither the Councilor or the Alternate is able to attend the Council meetings, the Unit Chairman may attend as a nonvoting, non-speaking representative with prior written notice to the Executive Director.
8. In matters not specifically addressed in these rules or the BYLAWS AND STANDING RULES of the association, ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER, NEWLY REVISED, current edition shall be the parliamentary authority.