Recognition (parliamentary procedure)

In United States parliamentary procedure, recognition, or assignment of the floor, is the exclusive right to be heard at that time by a member of a deliberative assembly. With a few exceptions, a member must be recognized by the chairperson before engaging in debate or making a motion.^[1]

Rules

The general rule is that the first member to rise and address the chair after another member has yielded the floor (by sitting down) is entitled to the floor.^[2]

Exceptions to this general rule include the following:

The maker of a motion is entitled to speak first in debate on it.^[3]
If a motion is made to implement a recommendation in a committee report, the member who presented the report to the assembly is entitled to preference in recognition.^[3]
If a motion is taken from the table, the member who moved to take it from the table is entitled to preference in recognition.^[3]
If a motion is reconsidered, the member who made the motion to reconsider is entitled to preference in recognition.^[3]
If a member has already spoken on the pending motion, he may not speak again on it on the same day as long as any other member who has not spoken on the motion claims the floor.^[3]
If the chair knows that persons seeking the floor have opposite opinions on the pending motion, the chair is to let the floor alternate between the opposing sides. This is sometimes accomplished by designating different microphones for those favoring and opposing a measure or having members hold up cards indicating their position.^[3]
If the floor has been assigned but the member has not yet begun to speak, another member may interrupt to give previous notice of another motion.^[3]

If the chair made a mistake in assigning the floor, a point of order may be raised.^[4]

Once a member has the floor, that member should not be interrupted unless a rule is being broken or the urgency of the situation justifies the interruption (such as a member raising a point of order).^[5]

References

^ Robert, Henry M.; et al. (2011). Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (11th ed.). Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Da Capo Press. p. 29. ISBN 978-0-306-82020-5.
^ Robert 2011, p. 378
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Robert 2011, p. 379
^ Robert 2011, p. 382
^ Robert 2011, p. 384

[1] Robert, Henry M.; et al. (2011). Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (11th ed.). Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Da Capo Press. p. 29. ISBN 978-0-306-82020-5.

[2] Robert 2011, p. 378

[:0-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Robert 2011, p. 379

[4] Robert 2011, p. 382

[5] Robert 2011, p. 384

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v t e Parliamentary procedure
Major concepts	History of parliamentary procedure Principles of parliamentary procedure Deliberative assembly Committee Session Quorum Chair Floor Recognition Motion Second Debate Main motion Order of business Minutes Voting methods in deliberative assemblies Majority Unanimous consent
Subsidiary motions	Postpone indefinitely Amend Commit Postpone to a certain time Limit or extend limits of debate Previous question Cloture Lay on the table
Privileged motions	Call for the orders of the day Raise a question of privilege Recess Adjourn Fix the time to which to adjourn
Incidental motions	Point of order Appeal Suspend the rules Objection to the consideration of a question Division of a question Consideration by paragraph or seriatim Division of the assembly Motions relating to methods of voting and the polls Motions relating to nominations Prayer motion Request to be excused from a duty Requests and inquiries (Parliamentary inquiry, Request for information, Request for permission to withdraw or modify a motion, Request to read papers, Request for any other privilege)
Motions that bring a question again before the assembly	Take from the table Rescind, repeal, annul or amend something previously adopted Discharge a committee Reconsider
Legislative procedures	Call of the house Hoist Motion to pass on Recall of Parliament
Disciplinary procedures	Censure Declare the chair vacant Impeach Naming
Parliamentary authorities	Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR) The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure (TSC or Sturgis) Demeter's Manual of Parliamentary Law and Procedure Riddick's Rules of Procedure Mason's Manual of Legislative Procedure Erskine May: Parliamentary Practice Jefferson's Manual Lex Parliamentaria Odgers' Australian Senate Practice House of Representatives Practice Bourinot's Rules of Order Beauchesne's Parliamentary Rules and Forms Morin code ABC of Chairmanship
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See also

References