Rule 1. INTRODUCTION. The purpose of these rules is to provide for the smooth and orderly functioning of the business of the Charter Review Board of Hillsborough County, Florida (Board) and to provide a basis for resolving questions of procedure when they arise.

Rule 2. STANDING RULES OF ORDER. The Roberts Rules of Order--Newly Revised (copyright 1990), are adopted as parliamentary authority for the conduct of all meetings of the Board except when they are inconsistent with these rules of order or any other provisions of law which apply to this Board.

Rule 3. QUORUM. A quorum is the number of Board Members necessary to legally transact business. Eight (8) Members of the Board shall constitute a quorum.

Rule 4. PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chairman shall preside at all meetings of the Charter Review Board. In the absence of the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman shall preside.

In the absence of either the Chairman or Vice-Chairman, a presiding officer shall be selected by a majority vote of those Board Members present. The Chairman and the Vice-Chairman shall be selected at the Board's organizational meeting.
The presiding officer of the Board shall have the following functions:

(a) determining that a quorum is present.
(b) opening the meeting and calling the meeting to order.
(c) recognizing Members of the Board to speak.
(d) recognizing members of the general public or staff to speak.
(e) putting to vote all questions which come before the Board as motions.
(f) deciding all questions of order.
(g) refusing to recognize frivolous or dilatory motions.
(h) refusing to recognize motions out of order.
(i) adjourning meetings when there is a sudden emergency affecting the safety of the Board and others.

The decision of the presiding officer shall stand unless reversed by a majority vote of the members present after the proper motion has been made and seconded to reverse such a decision.

Rule 5. VOTING. Voting shall be done by voice vote unless there is a dissenting vote, in which case there shall be a show of hands. Votes on Charter amendments shall be by roll call. The Clerk of the Board will officially record the votes. Proposed amendments to the Home Rule Charter of Hillsborough County shall be approved by two-thirds (10) Members of the Board.

Rule 6. ABSTENTION. No Board Member may abstain from voting on any matter before the Board upon which official action is to be taken unless there is or appears to be a possible conflict of interest under the provisions of applicable laws. In such cases, said Board Members shall comply with the disclosure requirements of State Law.

Rule 7. MOTIONS. No matter may be officially acted upon by the Board unless a motion has been made by a Board Member to take such action and said motion has been seconded by another Board Member. When a motion has been made and seconded, the presiding officer shall conduct debate on the merits of the motion.
The presiding officer shall first recognize Board Members to speak on the question and then shall recognize members of the staff and general public to speak on the question. The presiding officer shall have the authority to close debate and call for a vote on the motion. The presiding officer cannot close the debate as long as any Board Member wishes to speak, unless a majority of the Board votes to call for the question and to vote on the motion. The presiding officer, as a matter of prerogative and duty of the chair, may once during each hour and thirty minutes of the meeting of the Board call a ten-minute recess.

Rule 8. SUBSIDIARY MOTIONS. These are applied to original motions in order to more appropriately dispose of the original motions. Subsidiary motions include:
(a) motion to amend.
(b) motion to postpone.

(c) motion to refer to committee or staff. When such motions are made and seconded, the subsidiary motion supplements the original motion and must be decided by a majority vote before the original motion can be acted upon.

Rule 9. PRIVILEGED MOTIONS. These motions are of such great importance that they take precedence over all other motions and questions and are not debatable. These motions include:
(a) fixing a time to adjourn.
(b) adjournment.
(c) taking a recess.

Rule 10. RECONSIDERATION. A motion to reconsider any vote or proceeding of the Board may only be made by a Board Member who had previously voted on the prevailing side. No item may be reconsidered unless a motion has been made and seconded and a majority of the Board votes to so reconsider.

Rule 11. SCHEDULING OF AGENDA ITEMS. The Chairman has the primary authority and responsibility for determining subject matter appropriateness relative to the scheduling of all agenda items before the Board. Accordingly, the Chairman will screen all agenda scheduling requests for appropriate disposition. Board Members may request that items be placed on the agenda by filing written requests with the Chairman one week preceding the next Board meeting.

Rule 12. AGENDA AND ORDER OF BUSINESS. An agenda of matters to be discussed by the Board shall be prepared by the Chairman and shall be made available to the public a reasonable time before the Board meeting. In cases of special circumstances or emergencies, items not on the agenda may be acted upon by the Board.

Rule 13. REGULAR MEETINGS. Regular meetings of the Board shall be held a minimum of twice monthly at a time to be set and a place to be selected by the Chairman.

Rule 14. SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings of the Board may be called at any time by the Chairman, or by the Vice-Chairman in the absence of the Chairman. Notice of special meetings shall be in writing or by telephone or by electronic communication as designated by the Member. The Chairman or his duly authorized representative shall serve each Board Member with a notice of a special meeting at least 48 hours before the meeting. Said notice shall state subject matter(s) to be discussed at the special meeting.

Rule 15. EMERGENCY MEETINGS. Emergency meetings of the Board may be called at any time by the Chairman, but at emergency meetings there can be no vote or no action on matters relating to the substance of any Charter Amendment. Notice shall be given in writing or by telephone or by electronic communication in whatever manner is best designed to give actual notice to the Member. Emergency meetings may be called although "due public notice" may be impracticable or impossible. Minutes of emergency meetings must be kept in the same manner as those for regular and special meetings.

Rule 16. MINUTES. Written minutes of all meetings of the Board shall be recorded by the Clerk/Secretary of the Board. These written minutes shall be open for public inspection. Minutes of previous meetings may be circulated for corrections and studying by Board Members as long as any changes, corrections or deletions are discussed during an official meeting and are duly approved by the Board at said meeting.

Rule 17. OPEN MEETINGS. All regular, special, and emergency meetings of the Board shall be open to the public in accordance with Chapter 286, Florida Statutes.

Rule 18. RESOLUTIONS. All resolutions shall be in writing and shall embrace only one subject.

Rule 19. AUDIENCE COMMENTS. This agenda item is designated to furnish a public forum for citizens to address the Board concerning matters of personal and general interest. Each person appearing under this section of the agenda will be limited to five (5) minutes. At the discretion of the Board, this time may be changed.

Rule 20. WAIVER OF RULES OF ORDER. Where not in conflict with law, any of the above rules of order may be temporarily suspended for the meeting in session by a majority vote plus one of those Board Members present at said meeting.

Rule 21. AMENDMENTS. These rules of order may be amended by action of a majority vote of the Board Members present at a regular or special meeting of the Board; provided, however, such amendments shall not become effective until the same have received a like vote at the next regularly scheduled meeting.

Rule 22. EFFECTIVE DATE. These rules shall become effective immediately upon adoption by the Board.