wesleyjr Posted August 19, 2017 at 05:14 PM Report Share Posted August 19, 2017 at 05:14 PM Hello, Need some assistance with tabling motions. Once a motion is made and seconded, can another member of the assembly make a motion to table the initial motion? When can the presiding officer table such a motion? I thank you in advance for your insights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Katz Posted August 19, 2017 at 05:26 PM Report Share Posted August 19, 2017 at 05:26 PM A member can make a motion to lay the pending motion on the table. It is out of order to do so, though, with the intent of killing the motion without debate. It is appropriate in only a few circumstances, such as an urgent matter arising needing attention, or a desire to lay a series of motions on the table in order to reach an item of business on the agenda, if it is desired that the later item be taken up before the early items. The presiding officer cannot lay items on the table. Once a motion is made, it belongs to the assembly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Goodwiller, PRP Posted August 19, 2017 at 05:44 PM Report Share Posted August 19, 2017 at 05:44 PM There is another motion, called "postpone definitely" that is preferred over the motion to "table" in most cases (as described by my colleague above). One of its advantages is that it simply postpones the motion - in whatever state it currently exists (amended or not, etc.) - until some specific time later in the meeting (or in some cases, at a future meeting), or until something has happened (for example, until after a paper has been distributed and members have had time to read it). No new motion is required once that point in the meeting has arrived. The chair simply announces that it is now the pending motion. The motion to postpone definitely is a low ranking motion (#5 out of 13). It requires a second, is debatable and amendable, and requires a majority vote. An even lower ranking motion (#2) is the motion to "postpone indefinitely." It is the motion that, if adopted, actually "kills" an item's consideration for the remainder of the session (subject to reconsideration). It has the same other characteristics as the previous motion. You should consider purchasing a copy of Robert's Rules of Order. If you are new to all this, Robert's Rules of Order in Brief is a good place to start - it is a brief volume that provides a good introduction to parliamentary procedure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Brown Posted August 19, 2017 at 06:20 PM Report Share Posted August 19, 2017 at 06:20 PM I imagine that wesleyjr is actually talking about the motion to postpone to a definite time rather than the motion to "Lay on the table". Unfortunately, laymen often erroneously refer to it as "tabling". In RONR there is no such thing as a motion to "table". As Mr. Katz and Mr. Goodwiller pointed out, there is a motion to"lay on the table" and a motion to "postpone to a definite time" (and also a motion to postpone indefinitely). They all have a different purpose and are subject to different rules. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hieu H. Huynh Posted August 19, 2017 at 09:25 PM Report Share Posted August 19, 2017 at 09:25 PM Also see FAQ #12 and #13. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Brown Posted August 19, 2017 at 10:21 PM Report Share Posted August 19, 2017 at 10:21 PM 55 minutes ago, Hieu H. Huynh said: Also see FAQ #12 and #13. Doggone it, Hieu, if you had said that a bit earlier, you would have saved several of us a bunch of typing!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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