Standing Rules & Special Rules of Order

In order to facilitate the conduct of business (and in keeping with the practice of small Boards, per Roberts Rules of Order) the ARIN Board of Trustees hereby adopts the following Standing Rules for its meetings to encourage open and active discussion:

1. Order of Business:

After the call to order and customary welcome, the first item of business for each regular meeting is the discussion of the Draft Agenda for the meeting, which upon adoption becomes the order of business for the meeting.

2. Member Decorum:

a. Members need not rise while speaking or making motions, and may obtain the floor (or a place in the queue for the floor) by signaling the Chair as appropriate
b. Members may refer to other members by name and may address their remarks to any member in addition to the Chair.
c. There is no limit to the number of times that a member can speak to a question, and motions to close or limit debate are generally not entertained;
d. Members may speak against one’s own motion; and,
e. Additional topics for discussion can be proposed whenever no motion is pending and will be added to the standing ‘any other business’ agenda item.

3. Chair Decorum:

a. The Chair need not rise while putting questions to vote;
b. The Chair can speak in discussion without rising or leaving the chair, and usually votes on all questions;
c. The Chair calls specifically for abstentions during each roll call vote; and,
d. The Chair calls for roll call votes on fiscal or Internet number resource policy matters. Any Member may request a roll call vote on any matter prior to vote and that request will be honored.

4. Board Meetings for the Year:

The ARIN Board of Trustees will adopt preliminary meeting dates for the coming year at their annual August Board Workshop.

5. Publication of Meeting Agendas:

The Draft Agenda of meetings of the Board of Trustees shall be posted on the ARIN website in advance of meetings to the extent feasible.

6. Meeting Minutes:

a. Minutes of the meetings of the Board will focus on outcomes;
b. Trustees will be identified by name in the minutes when moving or seconding motions, but otherwise are not required to be identified in the summary of the discussion, unless to be associated with specific statements per their request;
c. Any abstentions will be identified in the record of vote (along with any reason provided unless specifically requested by the member);
d. Draft Meeting Minutes shall be marked accordingly and posted to the ARIN website when affirmatively approved electronically by all Trustees who were present at the meeting, and shall be replaced with the final Minutes, once approved by the Board. Supporting materials will be published with the final Minutes, unless designated as confidential, or if directed by the Chair or ARIN Counsel.

As approved by the ARIN Board of Trustees on 13 January 2026.