What is the purpose of a main motion?
To bring business before the assembly.
What is the difference between an original main motion and an incidental main motion?
An original main motion introduces a substantive question as a new subject. An incidental main motion is incidental to or relates to the business of the assembly, or its past or future actions.
Assume you are the chairman at a meeting and a main motion is made and seconded. immediately after the second, a member rises and informally offers an amendment. What action would you take?
the chair would ask the maker of the main motion if the amendment is acceptable. The amendment is not out of order because it was made before the chair stated the question to the assembly.
Assume a member debates a main motion and then tell the chair that the portion of her unexpired time is to be yielded to another member. What would be the chair's ruling?
The request would not be granted because a member cannot yield any unexpired debate time to another member.
Name the six steps in handling a main motion.
1. A member makes a motion.
2. Another member seconds the motion.
3. The chair states the question on the motion.
4. Members may debate the motion.
5. The chair puts the question.
6. The chair announces the result of the vote.
Assume you are the chairman at a meeting and a member briefly explains reasons for making a motion before moving it. Explain any action you would take.
No action would be taken. A main motion can be prefaced by a few words of explanation. However, it cannot become a speech.
Can the privileged motion to Adjourn be applied to any other motions?
No
Can any subsidiary motion be applied to the privileged motion to adjourn?
No
Name three debatable subsidiary motions that the privileged motion to adjourn takes precedence over.
1. Postpone to a certain time(or postpone definitely)
2. Commit or refer
3. Amend
4. Postpone indefinitely
If the entire agenda is completed at a meeting, can the chair adjourn the meeting without a motion and vote?
Yes. The chair asks, "Is there any further business?" If there is no response, the chair says, "Since there is no further business, the meeting is adjourned." The gavel is then tapped once.
Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised lists eight standard descriptive characteristics or rules for the privileged motion to adjourn. Name four of them.
1. Takes precedence over all motions except the privileged motion to fix the time to which to adjourn.
2. Cannot be applied to any motion and no motion can be applied to it.
3. Is out of order when another member has the floor.
4. Must be seconded
5. Not
Can the privileged motion to adjourn be made while business is pending?
Yes, it can be made provided that the time for the next meeting has been established or set by the assembly
What is the purpose of the subsidiary motion to lay on the table?
To interrupt the pending business so as to permit doing something else immediately or to lay aside a pending question temporarily when something else of immediate urgency has risen.
Must the subsidiary motion to lay on the table be seconded before it can be considered?
Yes
What vote is required to adopt the subsidiary motion to lay on the table?
Majority
If twenty-five members at a meeting cast a vote on the motion to lay on the table, what would be the minimum number that would have to vote in the affirmative to adopt it?
Thirteen
Name three subsidiary motions that the subsidiary motion to lay on the table takes precedence over.
1. Previous question
2. limit or extend limits of debate
3. postpone to a certain time ( or postpone definitely)
4. Commit (or refer)
5. amend
6. Postpone indefinitely
If you were the chairman at a meeting with a main motion pending, and a member said, "I move that the second motion be laid on the table until the next meeting," what ruling would you make?
Rule the motion to lay on the table out of order because the motion to lay on the table cannot be qualified in any way
Name three processes of amendment.
1. insert
2. to add
3. strike out
4. strike out and insert
5. to substitute
Robert's rules of order newly revised lists eight standard descriptive characteristics or rules for every motion. Explain the rules for the subsidiary motion to amend that relate to:
1. seconding
2. debating
3. the vote required for adoption
1. must be seconded
2. debatable whenever the motion to which it is applied is debatable
3. requires a majority vote to adopt
Assume you are the chairman at a meeting and a member moves to amend a secondary amendment. What ruling would you make?
Rule the amendment to the secondary amendment out of order. A secondary amendment cannot be amended, because an amendment of the third degree is not permitted.
What is the difference between a secondary amendment and a secondary motion?
A secondary amendment to an amendment. Secondary motions are all the subsidiary, privileged, and incidental motions.
Robert's rules of order newly revised notes that main motions and motions that have a variable factor can be amended. Name three privileged motions that have a variable factor and can be amended.
1. recess
2. postpone to a certain time ( or postpone definitely)
3. fix the time to which adjourn
4. limit or extend limits of debate
5. commit or refer
What is a friendly amendment? How is it handled when applied to a main motion?
An amendment that is made to improve a main motion and the chances of its adoption to the satisfaction of its maker. It is handled under the same rules as a regular amendment. It must be seconded, opened for debate and voted on formally (unless decided by
What vote is required to adopt an appeal?
A majority or tie vote sustains the decision of the chair.
Is an Appeal amendable?
No
assume you are the chairman at a meeting and a member appeals a ruling you made. Explain four rules relating to your rights in debating.
1. May speak twice
2. is entitled to preference in debate in speaking first
3. may speak a second time at the close of debate
4. Can give reasons without leaving the chair.
What is the purpose of an appeal?
To ask the assembly to decide on a ruling by the chairman.
Explain how two assembly members can appeal a chair's ruling.
one member makes an appeal and another member seconds it
When must an appeal be made?
At the time of the ruling by the chair.
Must a point of order be seconded before it can be considered?
No
Is a point of order debatable?
No (but the chair may allow a member to explain his/her point.)
Name three actions that a point of order can be raised on any time during the continuance of the breach.
1. Any action that has been taken in violation of applicable procedural rules prescribed by federal, state, or local law.
2. Any action that has been taken in violation of a fundamental principal of parliamentary procedure
3.Any action that has been taken
Name three examples when a point of order may be raised on the chair.
1. If the chair overlooks that the rules of the assembly are being violated.
2. If the chair assigns the floor to the wrong person
3. If the chair fails to rule out of order a main motion that is outside the society's objects as defined in the b laws or c
Who normally makes the ruling on a Point of Order? When must it be made?
The chairman makes the ruling promptly at the time the breach of order occurs
Can a point of order be reconsidered?
No
What is the purpose of the subsidiary motion to commit or refer?
To send a pending motion to a committee so that it may be investigated and put in better condition for the assembly to consider at a later time
What is the difference between a standing committee and a special committee? Where are standing committees listed?
Standing committees perform a continuing function and are permanent. A special committee is a temporary committee and becomes nonexistent as soon as the committee's task is completed. The standing committees are listed in the bylaws.
If a committee chairman makes a report to an assembly and concludes with a motion, does the motion require a second? Explain the one exception.
No, if the committee is composed of only one person, a second is required from the assembly for the motion to be considered.
What are three methods of appointing committees?
1. Election by ballot
2. Nominations from the floor with via-voice election
3. Nominations bu the chair with confirmation by voice vote.
4. Appointment by the chair
5. Appointment by adoption of a motion naming members of a committee.
What record is kept for the proceedings of a committee meeting?
the secretary keeps a brief memorandum of what is done
If the chairman of a small committee does not want to call a meeting, how can one be held?
The committee can meet if any two members call for a meeting
Is a second required for the motion to suspend rules?
Yes
Name the rules that cannot be suspended.
1. Rules in the bylaws
2. Procedural rules prescribed by federal, state, or local laws
3. Rules which embody fundamental principals of parliamentary law
4. Rules protecting the basic rights of an individual member
Assume you are the chairman at a meeting and a member moves to suspend the rule relating to the number of members that must be present in order to conduct a meeting. Explain what action you would take.
Rule the motion out of order. Rules protecting absentees, that is, requiring the presence of a quorum cannot be suspended.
Assume a motion is pending at a meeting to suspend a standing rule related to the hour of beginning the meetings.
1. What vote is required to adopt?
2. Why?
3. If there are fifty members at a meeting and thirty cast votes, what is the minimum number that
1. Majority
2. Because it is a standing rule
3. Sixteen
Is the motion to suspend the rules amendable?
No
The motion to reconsider can only be made by a member who voted with the prevailing side. Explain the meaning of this.
The motion to reconsider can be made only by the member who voted aye if the motion involved was adopted, or no if the motion was lost.
Explain the time limits that pertain to the motion to reconsider.
The motion to reconsider can only be made on the same day and same meeting the vote to be reconsidered was taken.
Can the motion to reconsider be reconsidered?
No
What vote is required to adopt the motion to reconsider?
majority
Is the motion to reconsider amendable?
No
Assume you are the chairman at a meeting and the motion to reconsider was made by a member who voted on the prevailing side. Another member who did not vote on the prevailing side seconded it. Explain if you would accept the second.
The second should be accepted, because the seconding can be done by any member regardless of how he/she voted
What is the purpose of the motion to take from the table? What class does it belong to?
To make pending again a motion or series of adhering motions that had previously been laid on the table. Motions that bring a question again before the assembly
What vote is required to adopt the motion to take from the table?
majority
Is the motion to take from the table amendable?
no
When is the motion to Take from the table in order?
It is not in order until some business or interrupting matter has been transacted or dealt with since the question was laid on the table
If a motion is not taken from the table within the required time limits, what happens to it?
The question dies, but it can be reintroduced as a new motion.
Name three subsidiary motions that cannot be applied to the motion to take from the table.
1. Previous question
2. Limit or extend limits of debate
3. postpone to a certain time (or postpone definitely)
4. commit (or refer)
5. amend
6. postpone indefinitely
7. lay on the table
Can the privileged device to raise a question of privilege be applied to any other motion?
no
Can a subsidiary motion be applied to the privileged device to raise to a questing of privilege?
no
Name two types of questions of privilege.
1. those that relate to the privileges of the assembly as a whole
2. questions of personal privilege
What vote is required to adopt the privileged device to raise a question of privilege?
No vote taken. It is ruled on by the chair
What is the purpose of the privileged device to raise to a question of privilege?
Permits a request or main motion relating to the rights and privileges of the assembly or any of its members to be brought up immediately
Can the privileged device to Raise a Question of Privilege be made when another member has the floor?
Yes. However, a member who is speaking should not be interrupted, unless it is unavoidable