Amend a motion from a committee

[Guest Susan Gray]

I think my question might be easier if I use an example.

 

My example:  On behalf of the Academic Affairs Committee, Trustee Smith presented the following motion:

 

To require that the Board be notified should the teaching methodology ever change prior to the implementation of the proposed change.  (Side note:  Recommendations from committees do not require a second.)

 

Discussion followed, and Trustee Jones moved that the motion be amended to strike the words "prior to the implementation of the proposed change."  The amended motion was seconded by Trustee Green, and the motion carried.

 

My question:  Is there an easier way to record this in the meeting minutes?

[Edgar Guest]

The minutes should record the main motion in its final form and, parenthetically, the fact that it had been amended). And, of course, the fact that it was adopted.

 

There are sample minutes in RONR which should prove instructive.

 

I trust the (secondary) motion to amend was adopted (not just seconded) before the main (now amended) motion was adopted.

[Guest Susan Gray]

The amended motion was adopted.  Do I need to record the name of the trustee who moved to amend the motion?  And do I need to indicate that the motion from the committee was amended?

[Dan Honemann]

The minutes might say:

 

Trustee Smith, reporting on behalf of the Academic Affairs Committee, moved the adoption of a motion which, after debate and amendment, was adopted as follows: "To require that the Board be notified should the teaching methodology ever change."

 

The motion as moved and adopted was in rather bad form, but the minutes must report exactly what was adopted.

[Guest Susan Gray]

Perfect.  Thank you so very much.

[Edgar Guest]

The amended motion was adopted.

 

That's not the same thing as adopting the amendment.

[Guest Susan Gray]

Thank you, Edgar.  I will indicate that "following debate and amendment, the amended motion was adopted."  Will that work?

[Edgar Guest]

Thank you, Edgar.  I will indicate that "following debate and amendment, the amended motion was adopted."  Will that work?

 

I'm not questioning whether the amended motion was adopted, I'm asking whether the motion to amend the motion was voted on before the amended motion was adopted. You only indicated that the amendment was seconded, not that it was ever voted on.

 

This should have been the sequence:

 

Main motion is made (no second required since it arose from a committee report)

Debate

Amendment proposed and seconded

Debate on the proposed amendent

Vote on the amendment (presumably it passed)

Debate (on the amended main motion)

Vote (on the amended main motion)

[Susan L. Gray]

Okay.  Thank you very much.

[Richard Brown]

Thank you, Edgar.  I will indicate that "following debate and amendment, the amended motion was adopted."  Will that work?

There is no need to say that.  The language suggested by Mr. Honemann in post # 4 is perfect.  The language you suggested adding would be unnecessary and repetitive and perhaps even confusing.

 

Edited to add:  The point Mr. Guest was trying to make was, I believe, that you never told us that the motion to amend was adopted.  Your timeline omitted a step.  I don't believe Mr. Guest was suggesting that you use wording in the minutes different from what Mr. Honemann suggested.    He was, rather, just trying to make sure all steps were followed at the meeting.

[Gary Novosielski]

I'm not questioning whether the amended motion was adopted, I'm asking whether the motion to amend the motion was voted on before the amended motion was adopted. You only indicated that the amendment was seconded, not that it was ever voted on.

 

This should have been the sequence:

 

Main motion is made (no second required since it arose from a committee report)

Debate

Amendment proposed and seconded

Debate on the proposed amendent

Vote on the amendment (presumably it passed)

Debate (on the amended main motion)

Vote (on the amended main motion)

 

That's quite correct, but the question was how much of that need be included in the minutes, and Dan's answer best clarifies that.

[Susan L. Gray]

Thank you, everyone.  This has been most helpful.

Susan