Parliamentary Law Month

Categories:: Special Interest
Tags:: American Historical Military
Where:: United States
Date change rule:: Every April
Holiday emoji:: gavel

Parliamentary Law Month is observed every April, shining a light on the crucial role of parliamentary procedure in ensuring fair and effective democratic participation. Take this month to explore the history of formal debate, understand the rules that govern meetings, and engage with organizations dedicated to upholding these principles.

Deals
Platforms
Social
Hero
History
Timeline
FAQs
Importance
Observe

Expected Parliamentary Law Month Deals

Throughout Parliamentary Law Month, professional organizations and publishers often offer special programs and discounts on resources. Look for reduced rates on memberships to groups like the National Association of Parliamentarians (NAP) or the American Institute of Parliamentarians (AIP). Publishers such as Da Capo Press (for Robert’s Rules of Order) and legal textbook providers may feature sales on parliamentary procedure guides. Additionally, online learning platforms like Coursera or edX might highlight courses on governance and meeting management. We will update this page with confirmed live deals as April approaches.

Platform Guide for Parliamentary Law Month

Tag National Today (linkedin.com/company/nationaltoday) and use #ParliamentaryLawMonth. Share insights on effective meeting management or the history of democratic procedure.

X/Twitter

Mention @NatlToday and use #ParliamentaryLawMonth. Post quick facts about parliamentary procedure or famous historical debates.

Facebook

Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #ParliamentaryLawMonth. Share educational resources or host a Q&A session on meeting rules.

Parliamentary Law Month Hero

Henry M. Robert

Henry Martyn Robert (1837–1923) was an American army engineer who, frustrated by a poorly run church meeting in 1876, wrote 'Robert's Rules of Order.' This manual became the foundational text for parliamentary procedure in the United States, providing a standardized system for conducting orderly and fair meetings. His work has profoundly shaped how countless organizations, from local clubs to legislative bodies, manage their discussions and decision-making processes.

History of Parliamentary Law Month

In the middle of the nineteenth century, Henry M. Robert was a leading military official. As a young army engineer in New Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1863, he was asked to lead a meeting of residents. Even though he had never been trained in parliamentary procedure, he was in charge of the meeting. After finding that the existing guides to parliamentary procedure didn’t have enough information, he decided to write his own. Robert wrote “Pocket Manual of Rules of Order for Deliberative Assemblies” in 1876.

Over the years, Robert kept changing and adding to his manual. Robert retired from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a Brigadier-General in 1901 and spent the rest of his life writing and revising his rules. After three editions of the pocket manual came out and more than half a million copies were sold, Robert rewrote about 75 percent of the book and put out four editions of it before he died in 1923. The last edition, which came out in May 1915 and was called “Robert’s Rules of Order Revised,” was completely rewritten and expanded. In 2005, a shorter reference book called “Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised In Brief” (abbreviated RONRIB) was published by the same authors and publisher as the tenth edition of “Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised” and was made to match that edition.

Robert’s books on parliamentary procedure have influenced leaders in many different areas of the U.S., such as church groups, non-governmental organizations, school boards, trade unions, and corporate societies. Parliamentary Law Month is a great time for parliamentarians and organizations, in general, to think about how they use parliamentary procedures to increase organizational productivity.

Parliamentary Law Month timeline

1876

The First Edition

Robert publishes the first standard book of parliamentary procedures.

1901

The General Retires

Robert retires from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a Brigadier-General.

1915

The Revised Edition

Robert rewrites more than half of his book on parliamentary procedure for the first time.

1970

The Anniversary Edition

The seventh edition of Robert’s book is published posthumously on the 94th anniversary of his book on parliamentary procedures.

2005

The Reference Guide

A shorter version, intended as an introductory book, is published.

Parliamentary Law Month FAQs

When is Parliamentary Law Month?

In 2027, Parliamentary Law Month is again celebrated throughout April, highlighting the enduring relevance of parliamentary procedure for effective civic engagement and professional conduct.

Who created Robert's Rules of Order?

The widely used guide, Robert’s Rules of Order, was authored by Henry M. Robert, who developed the system after presiding over a chaotic church meeting and realizing the need for clear procedural guidelines.

How many organizations use parliamentary procedure?

While an exact count is difficult, parliamentary procedure, particularly ‘Robert’s Rules of Order,’ is estimated to be used by hundreds of thousands of organizations across the United States alone, from school boards to corporate boards.

What is the purpose of parliamentary law?

Parliamentary law provides a structured framework for conducting meetings, ensuring that business is handled systematically, that every member has a voice, and that decisions are made democratically and transparently.

How to Observe Parliamentary Law Month

Learn about Parliamentary Law
Learn about parliamentary law and how it works in government. This can be done through reading articles, watching videos, or attending lectures on the topic.
Participate in community politics
Volunteer with a local political campaign or lobbying group to get involved in your neighborhood. You can also practice parliamentary procedures in projects or teams in which you are involved.
Engage in discussions about parliamentary procedures
Inform your friends and family about the significance of parliamentary law and how it affects their daily life. If you want to understand how to effectively anchor meetings, you can purchase a copy of Robert's book on parliamentary procedure and master the essentials.

5 Facts About Parliamentary Procedure

The majority carry the day
Any decisions made on the floor of the house will be dependent on the majority vote.
The members have rights
They have the right to speak, attend meetings, and have access to all the information about what they are voting for.
Questions are tackled one at a time
The question presented on the floor of the house has to be addressed to its logical conclusion before any other motion is presented.
There’s one vote per person
Every member has a vote and everyone’s vote is treated as equal — no vote is considered weightier than the other.
Members have to be present to vote
Too bad if you wanted to vote on a certain motion but were not in the House on that day; you cannot ask a friend to vote on your behalf.

Why Parliamentary Law Month is Important

Celebration of our democratic system
Parliamentary Law Month honors the norms and precedents that have guided the smooth operation of legislation. It may have been difficult to preserve democracy at such an advanced level in the U.S. without these principles of order.
It offers knowledge of our country's structure
The month assists legal scholars in understanding the procedures and methods that have shaped the government. This makes it easy to make significant and good adjustments to these rules of order regularly.
It boosts citizen participation in the political system
Individuals are far more motivated to participate when they are confident in their grasp of a functional set of rules governing a certain entity. A consistent set of order rules makes it simple to incorporate a broader union and move forward seamlessly together.