# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_2019_S63
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

SPECIAL STANDING RULES
Adopted as amended (see Rule 16) in Session 1
Minutes
1. Minutes shall be distributed every next morning for consideration and adoption. The first item of business of the
afternoon session shall be the formal approval of these minutes, with the exception of the final day’s minutes, which
shall be approved by the Board of Directors at its first meeting following the convention. Only substantive corrections to
the minutes (impacting the meaning or effect of convention actions) shall be offered from the floor for consideration.
Editorial corrections or non-substantive changes to the minutes (misspellings, numbering errors, faulty references,
incorrect titles, punctuation, grammar, etc.) should be provided in writing to the Secretary for incorporation into the
final version of the minutes published in the 2019 Convention Proceedings.
Resolutions
2. Resolutions shall be prioritized by floor committees and normally shall be presented to the convention in numerical
sequence. However, resolutions that impact nominations or elections may be given earlier consideration at the
discretion of the chair, in consultation with the floor committee chairman and the chairman of the floor committees
on nominations and elections.
3. The preface, preamble, rationale, and whereas sections shall be regarded as integral parts of resolutions and therefore
subject to the same consideration and adoption.
4. It shall be the discretion of the chairman or presenting member of the floor committee to read the preface, preamble,
rationale, and whereas sections of resolutions from floor committees that are printed in Today’s Business. In addition,
the chair of the convention is not required to read each resolution as he states the questions and then as he calls for
the vote.
5. The convention chairman, in consultation with floor committee chairmen, may identify resolutions to which up to 1
½ hours of continuous consideration should be allotted, as follows:
15 minutes (if needed) Floor committee presentation
30 minutes (if needed) Debate on the main motion
45 minutes (if needed) Presentation of and debate on amendments, substitute motions, main motion, or main
motion as amended.
6. Whenever possible, substitute resolutions and amendments to proposed resolutions shall be submitted to Today’s
Business for publication prior to convention consideration of the resolutions to which they pertain. When this is not
possible, as in the course of discussion, one written copy of the proposed amendment shall be provided to the Secretary
after it is offered from the floor.
7. Only substantive amendments to a resolution shall be offered from the floor (those impacting its purpose or effect).
Any editorial corrections or non-substantive changes to introduced resolutions should instead be shared in writing with
the Secretary. Until a resolution is presented to the delegates, any such changes should be suggested directly to the
floor committee chair.
8. The delegates will consider omnibus resolutions as part of regular scheduled business. Omnibus A includes overtures
referred to a board, commission or other group of Synod to consider and take action deemed appropriate. Omnibus B
includes overtures that affirm an action previously taken in past conventions. Omnibus C acknowledges overtures of
thanks or recognition. Omnibus D dispenses formally with overtures declined by the floor committee. A majority vote
is required to remove an overture from an omnibus resolution and have it referred to the appropriate floor committee
for action.
9. If any resolution is not acted upon by the convention before adjournment, it dies and the subject matter may be
reintroduced for possible consideration by an overture to the next convention.
Process
10. Unless covered by these Special Standing Rules, parliamentary procedure shall be governed by the most recent edition
of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised
11. The chair shall see that the agenda is followed as closely as possible. The chair may deviate from the printed program
when necessary or expedient.
12. All non-voting advisory delegates and representatives may participate in debate, but may not nominate candidates,
make motions, or vote.
13. Registered delegates and advisory representatives wishing to address the convention, once recognized by the chair,
shall state their name, the name of the district (or other entity of the Synod that they represent), and whether they are
Special Standing Rules

PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2019 (67TH) LCMS CONVENTION | 63