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Reconsidering An Adopted Motion


mcfarland

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I believe I understand the basics of reconsidering a motion:

 

Motion for reconsideration must be brought on the day or the next day the motion was adopted.

Must be made by someone who voted in the "affirmative".

Requires a majority to be reconsidered and then is back on the floor.

 

Otherwise, a motion to reconsider that is not brought back the day of or the day following the original motions being adopted, or by someone who did not vote in the "affirmative" would require a 2/3rds majority vote.

 

Do I have that correct?  If so, here's my question.  What, if anything, could be done if you do not want a motion reconsidered?

For example, could there be any subsequent motion made that would permanently take the adopted motion "off the table"?

 

Thanks.

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Almost right...

 

First paragraph: if you change "affirmative" to "prevailing" you'll have that part right.

 

Second:  Yeah.... sort of.  If time has run out, the motion to make is called Amend Something Previously Adopted - p. 305.  It has different rules than rescind.  The option to move to "reconsider" is utterly gone after the time limit (except in a Committee).

 

Third (double) paragraph:  No.

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I think you meant "reconsider" instead of "rescind".

 

 

Almost right...

 

First paragraph: if you change "affirmative" to "prevailing" you'll have that part right.

 

Second:  Yeah.... sort of.  If time has run out, the motion to make is called Amend Something Previously Adopted - p. 305.  It has different rules than rescind reconsider.  The option to move to "reconsider" is utterly gone after the time limit (except in a Committee).

 

Third (double) paragraph:  No.

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What, if anything, could be done if you do not want a motion reconsidered?

For example, could there be any subsequent motion made that would permanently take the adopted motion "off the table"?

Oddly enough, the best way to prevent reconsideration of a motion is to make a motion to Reconsider. If this motion is defeated, this will prevent another member from moving to Reconsider later. This strategy is used very frequently in legislative assemblies.

There are other ways for the assembly to change its mind, but they are more difficult.

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What, if anything, could be done if you do not want a motion reconsidered?

For example, could there be any subsequent motion made that would permanently take the adopted motion "off the table"?

 

Oddly enough, the best way to prevent reconsideration of a motion is to make a motion to Reconsider. If this motion is defeated, this will prevent another member from moving to Reconsider later. This strategy is used very frequently in legislative assemblies.

There are other ways for the assembly to change its mind, but they are more difficult.

 

But under the rules in RONR, the motion to Reconsider is normally debatable, and the number of speeches each member is entitled to is independent of the number of speeches made in the debate on the original motion. So the motion raises the original question rather than taking it "off the table." Those who were on the losing side (and realize what is happening) would probably be glad to take the opportunity for another shot at making their case.

 

Furthermore, under the rules in RONR, if a motion to Reconsider is laid on the table (as is often done in legislative assemblies), this keeps the original motion alive (at least for a while), rather than killing it.

 

(Edited to add the last paragraph. No, not this one; the last one. Well, actually, this one too.)

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But under the rules in RONR, the motion to Reconsider is normally debatable, and the number of speeches each member is entitled to is independent of the number of speeches made in the debate on the original motion. So the motion raises the original question rather than taking it "off the table." Those who were on the losing side (and realize what is happening) would probably be glad to take the opportunity for another shot at making their case.

Furthermore, under the rules in RONR, if a motion to Reconsider is laid on the table (as is often done in legislative assemblies), this keeps the original motion alive (at least for a while), rather than killing it.

(Edited to add the last paragraph. No, not this one; the last one. Well, actually, this one too.)

Yes, I certainly agree that the strategy doesn't work as well as it does in a legislative assembly, but it may still be advantageous to make the motion to Reconsider promptly (although this strategy is certainly risky). If this is not done, members may come and go and the members on the losing side may persuade members between meetings in a convention or during a recess, and they will surely make the motion at a time that is most advantageous to them.

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