paulmcclintock

Thanks!

RONR p. 356, l. 5 ff says: "If an officer, in reporting, makes a recommendation, he should not himself move its implementation, but such a motion can be made by another member as soon as the officer has concluded his report."

1. Does it need a second, since there obviously is a second member (the officer) in favor of the motion made by another member?

2. If it does need a second, can the reporting officer second it?

3. Why is this "should not" rule in RONR?

Thanks for any feedback!  -- Paul McClintock

Thanks!  That's helpful.

RONR, page 356, lines 5-8 states:  "If an officer, in reporting, makes a recommendation, he should not himself move its implementation, but such a motion can be made by another member as soon as the officer has concluded his report."

After another member makes the motion, does it need a second?

I think not, since the recommendation from the officer already ensures that a second member wishes for the motion to be considered, assuming that the officer is a member.  But I wonder if there are other opinions and the reasoning for them.

"In order that there may be no interference with the assembly's having the benefit of its committees' matured judgment, motions to close or limit debate are not allowed in committees" (RONR 11th ed., p. 500, ll. 18-21).

Q1:  Can this rule be suspended? 

Q2a:  If not, by what cited rule / principle, on pp. 263-264, or elsewhere?

Q2b:  If it can be suspended, does the p. 261, l. 15 rule ("no rule protecting a minority of a particular size can be suspended in the face of a negative vote as large as the minority protected by the rule") cause Suspend to require at least one more vote than two-thirds?

I lean toward the notion that it cannot be suspended, because the group "protected" is the assembly, rather than some subset of the committee (whether present or absent). 

And even if there was no objection to "suspend the rules and close debate" (for instance), I'd think that it would not be in order, but that the chair could appropriately say something like, "Although the rules may not be suspended to close debate, the fact that there is no objection to doing so indicates that no one else is seeking to debate, thus we will proceed to putting the motion to a vote."

Or am I missing something?

This came up at my NAP unit meeting yesterday.  I couldn't think of an answer from RONR.  I'll generalize the situation.

A local unit of a national organization elects (let's say) 2 delegates to the national convention.  Under RONR, "the delegate has the duty...to be prepared on returning from the convention to present to his unit an information report of what transpired" (p. 605, l. 23ff).  The unit meets monthly and follows the RONR standard order of business ("MRS SUN"). Under what category of business do the delegates report?

The question expands to:

a. should the delegate be considered and officer, and report under Reports of Officers?

b. should the delegation be considered a special committee, and report under Special Committee Reports?

c. should the delegate report be considered a special order, reported under Special Orders?

d. should the delegate report simply come under New Business?

Furthermore, is it a duty of each delegate to report, or can they (should they?) file a joint report that they choose between them as to which will present it if oral, but both sign if written?

Just curious.  Not a matter of grave concern.

One more wrinkle:

Do any answers change in anyone's opinion for unseconded "main" motions regarding recording in minutes and renewability in these cases:

(1) The motion is made, the chair asks if there is a second, hearing none, the chair declares that the motion is not before the assembly.

(2) The motion is made, the chair states the question, a member makes a point of order about no second, the chair declares the point well taken, calls for a second, hears none, and declares the motion not before the assembly.