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Amending a Motion to Commit


Matt Schafer

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In RONR, 10th ed., p. 163, l. 11-13, it is stated that a motion to Commit can be amended to one of the other forms (there are five forms total). And l. 15-16 state that a motion to consider informally -- one of the five forms -- is not amendable.

If, during debate on a main motion, a motion is made "that the pending question be considered informally," is it then in order for another member to amend by striking "informally" and inserting "in committee of the whole"? It seems that the stated rules on amendment are contradictory.

I'm going to guess that the amendment is in order, and that the prohibition in l. 15-16 relates to the fact that there is nothing in a motion to consider informally -- such as the details of which committee to refer to, the composition of the committee, or the committee's instructions -- and therefore there is nothing to amend. But I'm still learning, so my guess is probably wrong.

I'm curious to see what others think.

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In RONR, 10th ed., p. 163, l. 11-13, it is stated that a motion to Commit can be amended to one of the other forms (there are five forms total). And l. 15-16 state that a motion to consider informally -- one of the five forms -- is not amendable.

If, during debate on a main motion, a motion is made "that the pending question be considered informally," is it then in order for another member to amend by striking "informally" and inserting "in committee of the whole"? It seems that the stated rules on amendment are contradictory.

I'm going to guess that the amendment is in order, and that the prohibition in l. 15-16 relates to the fact that there is nothing in a motion to consider informally -- such as the details of which committee to refer to, the composition of the committee, or the committee's instructions -- and therefore there is nothing to amend. But I'm still learning, so my guess is probably wrong.

I'm curious to see what others think.

No.

You cannot use the amendment process to CHANGE ONE MOTION INTO ANOTHER MOTION.

Just as you cannot strike out "postpone indefinitely" and insert "postpone to a definite time", you cannot use the amendment process to do what must be done via the MAKING OF THE ALTERNATE MOTION.

RONR has a fixed process for the alternate forms you cited.

Because there is a fixed process, you cannot circumvent the process by striking out the enacting verb or noun and insert a different verb/noun so as to change the motion into a new independent motion.

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In RONR, 10th ed., p. 163, l. 11-13, it is stated that a motion to Commit can be amended to one of the other forms (there are five forms total). And l. 15-16 state that a motion to consider informally -- one of the five forms -- is not amendable.

If, during debate on a main motion, a motion is made "that the pending question be considered informally," is it then in order for another member to amend by striking "informally" and inserting "in committee of the whole"? It seems that the stated rules on amendment are contradictory.

I'm going to guess that the amendment is in order, and that the prohibition in l. 15-16 relates to the fact that there is nothing in a motion to consider informally -- such as the details of which committee to refer to, the composition of the committee, or the committee's instructions -- and therefore there is nothing to amend. But I'm still learning, so my guess is probably wrong.

I'm curious to see what others think.

I think you're right. Just proceed upon the assumption that the sentence on page 163, lines 15-16, is gone. :)

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