Standing Rules – TSTA NEA RA 2024

TEXAS CAUCUS RULES OF PROCEDURE

1. In order to present motions and vote at the Texas Caucus meetings, delegates must register with the Texas Caucus at the caucus meeting site.
2. In order to present motions and vote at the NEA Representative Assembly, delegates must register with NEA at the convention center.
3. Only delegates may be seated in the area designated for delegates.
4. The Texas Caucus Chair must pre-approve all material distributed at the Texas Caucus meeting.
5. In order to gain the floor, a member wishing to speak must rise, address the Chair, state his/her name and the name of his/her local association before being assigned the floor. He/she shall indicate whether he/she speaks for a group or as an individual.
6. A speaker shall be limited to three (3) minutes of debate.
7. Debate shall alternate between those speaking for and against a motion. Debate shall cease when there are no longer any speakers. No member may address the caucus a second time on the same question until all members who desire to speak on that topic have spoken.
8. The motion for the previous question shall require a majority vote.
9. A question to reconsider the action of the caucus shall require a two-thirds vote.
10. All motions shall be in writing, signed by the maker and seconder, and sent immediately to the Chair.
11. The delegation, by a two-thirds vote, may suspend any rule herein provided.
12. Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern the proceedings of this caucus in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these rules.
13. Procedure to secure recognition to speak:
      a. Hold up the GREEN paddle to speak in favor of an item or to make a motion.
      b. Hold up the RED paddle to speak against a motion or to make a motion.
      c. Hold up the BLUE paddle for a point of order.
      d. Hold up the YELLOW paddle for a point of personal privilege.
      e. Hold up the White paddle for a request for information.
14. Caucus New Business Items may be submitted during any caucus business session.
15. No selling or trading is allowed in the Texas Caucus room during an official business session of the Texas Caucus except for those activities that pertain to the business of the NEA Representative Assembly.
16. Texas delegates to the NEA-RA are asked to wear the attire presented by the NEA RA Uniform Committee. Delegates may wear patriotic attire instead on July 4 or on days designated by NEA for alternate attire.
17. To initiate discussion on an NEA resolution, the delegate must submit to the Texas Caucus Chair a motion form requesting that a specific NEA resolution be brought before the Texas Caucus. The motion seeking to place an NEA resolution for consideration during caucus New Business may be presented at any Texas Caucus meeting.
18. As the Texas Caucus is discussing New Business Items, a delegate may request that the body consider a specific New Business Item out of numerical sequence. A majority vote is required.
19. Texas NEA Resolutions Committee Election Guidelines
      a. All delegates registered with the Texas Caucus and who have an official NEA delegate badge are entitled to vote.
      b. Candidates shall be nominated at-large.
      c. Each candidate or designee may address the caucus for no more than three (3) minutes.
      d. Elections shall be conducted by printed secret ballot.
      e. The candidates shall be ranked in order of the number of votes received.
20. Guidelines for Endorsement of Candidates for NEA Office
      a. Committee – The TSTA President shall appoint an Endorsement Committee composed of at least five (5) members to interview candidates for NEA offices to be filled at the NEA Representative Assembly.
      b. Interview Procedures – Endorsement Committee Interviews for the NEA Officers and Executive Committee members shall be conducted at the NEA-RA.
      c. Committee Recommendation(s) – The Endorsement Committee shall make its recommendation(s) to the Texas Caucus at the second Texas Caucus meeting at the NEA Representative Assembly.
      d. Caucus Procedure – All of the committee’s recommendations shall be announced before each recommendation is voted on separately. It shall take a majority vote to accept the recommendations of the committee. If the caucus does not accept the committee’s recommendations and wishes to substitute another recommendation, the vote required to endorse shall be two-thirds.
      e. Run-off Election(s) – In the event a run-off occurs and the Texas endorsed candidate does not make the run-off, the Texas Caucus may consider non-endorsed candidates for endorsement at whichever caucus meeting is appropriate for the run-off election. To receive an endorsement a candidate must receive a majority of the ballots cast by the Texas Caucus delegates present and voting.