Obtain the floor

[Guest Mike]

What is the best way to obtain the floor without interruption? If I obtain the floor can someone interrupt me?

[Josh Martin]

What is the best way to obtain the floor without interruption?

 

When no one else has the floor, rise and say, "Mr. President."

 

If I obtain the floor can someone interrupt me?

 

Generally speaking, no, but there are some instances in which it is appropriate to interrupt a member who has the floor, if necessary.

 

What is the specific situation you have in mind?

[Transpower]

A member may interrupt the one who has the floor:  1) at time of appealed ruling, 2) for division of the assembly, 3) to count vote on division, 4) to be excused from duty, 5) to call for separate vote of a series on different subjects, 6) to extend time for considering pending question when orders of the day are called, 7) to object to consideration of a question, 8) to raise a point of order, 9) to pose a parliamentary inquiry, 10) to raise a question of privilege if urgent. 

[Dan Honemann]

A member may interrupt the one who has the floor:  1) at time of appealed ruling, 2) for division of the assembly, 3) to count vote on division, 4) to be excused from duty, 5) to call for separate vote of a series on different subjects, 6) to extend time for considering pending question when orders of the day are called, 7) to object to consideration of a question, 8) to raise a point of order, 9) to pose a parliamentary inquiry, 10) to raise a question of privilege if urgent. 

 

This is a very poor list for a number of reasons, not the least of which being that it makes no distinction between motions which can interrupt a person speaking in debate if urgency requires it and those which are in order when another has been assigned the floor but has not begun to speak.

 

A correct listing will be found on tinted pages 40-41 of RONR (11th ed.).

[Guest Mike]

My intent is to ensure current board members are made aware of very poor closed door deals that have been made by previous board members and some current. Due to some of the members being current, I am trying to ensure I can not be interupted by any means. Thank you.

[Josh Martin]

My intent is to ensure current board members are made aware of very poor closed door deals that have been made by previous board members and some current. Due to some of the members being current, I am trying to ensure I can not be interupted by any means.

You cannot ensure that you cannot be interrupted by any means, but what you seem to be getting at is that some members would want to interrupt just to argue with you or to try to prevent you from speaking, and those sorts of interruptions would certainly not be appropriate.

I would note that if even if you are properly interrupted, those interruptions are not charged to your time (unless you yield for a question, which you don't have to do), and you can continue speaking afterwards as if the interruption had not occurred.

Since this is relating to "closed door deals," I think it would be highly advisable to enter executive session for this discussion, if the board does not already meet in executive session as a matter of rule or custom.

[George Mervosh]

My intent is to ensure current board members are made aware of very poor closed door deals that have been made by previous board members and some current. Due to some of the members being current, I am trying to ensure I can not be interupted by any means. Thank you.

 

If your board is not following the rules for small boards, you have no right to get up and give such a speech unless it's germane to a pending motion.  

[Gary Novosielski]

My intent is to ensure current board members are made aware of very poor closed door deals that have been made by previous board members and some current. Due to some of the members being current, I am trying to ensure I can not be interupted by any means. Thank you.

 

When you obtain the floor, are you going to make a motion?  You can't just get the floor and start complaining about other members.