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Reading a Printed & Distributed (long) Main Motion


jstackpo

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New to RONR 11th (p. 33, line 31ff.) is the rule that "if the text of ... a motion has been distributed to the members in advance ... it need not be read when moved."

 

Couple of questions:

 

Who decides the "need not" option?  The mover?  The chair?  (The good old passive voice bites us again.)

 

More to the point:  How sweeping is that "need not" rule?  In particular, if a member wants the motion to be read, does he make a motion to that effect, with a majority decision, like a "Request", p. 298?

 

or

 

Can a single member insist as a right that the motion be read - p. 299, line 5?

 

Does the convenience of the assembly, as implied by the "need not" option, outrank the right of just a single member to have, say, a multi-page resolution (all distributed well ahead of time) read out in full?

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New to RONR 11th (p. 33, line 31ff.) is the rule that "if the text of ... a motion has been distributed to the members in advance ... it need not be read when moved."

 

Couple of questions:

 

Who decides the "need not" option?  The mover?  The chair?  (The good old passive voice bites us again.)

 

Initially, the member offering the motion decides whether or not to read it himself.  If he decides not to read it, the chair decides whether or not to simply state the question on it without having it read, as described in the last bullet beginning at the bottom of page 38.

 

More to the point:  How sweeping is that "need not" rule?  In particular, if a member wants the motion to be read, does he make a motion to that effect, with a majority decision, like a "Request", p. 298?

 

or

 

Can a single member insist as a right that the motion be read - p. 299, line 5?

 

Does the convenience of the assembly, as implied by the "need not" option, outrank the right of just a single member to have, say, a multi-page resolution (all distributed well ahead of time) read out in full?

 

Any member may insist that the motion be read (p. 39, ll. 4-6).

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Any member may insist that the motion be read (p. 39, ll. 4-6).

 

But on pages 35-36, RONR says:

'If no member seconds the motion, the chair must be sure that all have heard it before proceeding to other business. In such a case the chair normally asks, "Is there a second to the motion?" . . . . f the text of the resolution has been distributed to the members in advance and was moved without being read, the chair may say, for example, "Miss A has moved the adoption of the resolution relating to ... , as printed. Is there a second to the resolution?" If there still is no second, the chair says, "The motion [or "resolution"] is not seconded" . . .

 

So, regarding the rule Dr. Stackpole mentioned about not having to read the text of the resolution at the time the motion is made, I take the quoted passage to mean that before the question is stated by the chair, a member does not have the right to ask that the full text that was submitted in advance be read simply so that the member can decide whether or not he wishes to second the motion. If the motion is seconded and stated by the chair, then clearly the rule on p. 39, ll. 4-6 applies and any member can insist that the full text of the pending resolution be read.

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But on pages 35-36, RONR says:

'If no member seconds the motion, the chair must be sure that all have heard it before proceeding to other business. In such a case the chair normally asks, "Is there a second to the motion?" . . . . f the text of the resolution has been distributed to the members in advance and was moved without being read, the chair may say, for example, "Miss A has moved the adoption of the resolution relating to ... , as printed. Is there a second to the resolution?" If there still is no second, the chair says, "The motion [or "resolution"] is not seconded" . . .

 

So, regarding the rule Dr. Stackpole mentioned about not having to read the text of the resolution at the time the motion is made, I take the quoted passage to mean that before the question is stated by the chair, a member does not have the right to ask that the full text that was submitted in advance be read simply so that the member can decide whether or not he wishes to second the motion. If the motion is seconded and stated by the chair, then clearly the rule on p. 39, ll. 4-6 applies and any member can insist that the full text of the pending resolution be read.

 

You're absolutely right. The second part of my response was a bit too hasty.

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