Felt’s Parliamentary Procedure/Meeting and Session

by Orson B. Felt

Layout 2

MEETING AND SESSION.

29. A meeting is the coming together or assembling of the members of a society, or body, and covers only the time between the calling to order and an adjournment. If the adjournment is to a fixed time before the next regular session, the second meeting will be another meeting of the same session: since any meeting which is not an adjournment of another meeting begins a new session.

30. A session is the time, period, or term during which an assembly meets for the transaction of its business, and includes all the time between the first calling to order and the final adjournment.

This is illustrated either by a session of Parliament, which is opened by a speech from the throne and, after many meetings, is closed by prorogation, or by a session of Congress, which includes many meetings.

In the case of a permanent society holding regular meetings at stated times, as weekly, semi-monthly, or monthly, each meeting should be regarded as a separate session unless the adjournment be to a fixed time before the next regular session.

31. Special meetings are those called by the officers or members of a society,—through proper notice to each member in some regular way as set forth in the by-laws or by rule of the organization,—for the transaction of some special business. The rules for calling special meetings should be strictly enforced. The object of the meeting should be specified in the call convening the meeting and should be so guarded that no business can be legally transacted at said special meeting except such as is germane to the business specified in the call. If, however, all the members of the society are present at a special meeting, other business than that specified in the call may be legally transacted, if there is no objection.