[1] The Manual covers motions, procedures, vote requirements, the rules of order, principles, precedents, and legal basis behind parliamentary law used by legislatures.

The author, Paul Mason (1898–1985), was a scholar who worked for the California State Senate.

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) was assigned copyright ownership by Mason prior to his death.

The NCSL assigned the American Society of Legislative Clerks and Secretaries (ASLCS) the task of editing and maintaining the manual for future printings.

[2] It is responsible for editing and revising the manual to keep pace with the modern challenges and developments in parliamentary procedures.