Guest rentz Posted February 15, 2011 at 03:43 AM Report Share Posted February 15, 2011 at 03:43 AM A board wants to bring a motion to an organization and, when they bring it forward, they want to do so without debate. It's my understanding that, unless a group has adopted special rules of order, everyone is entitled to debate. Is the board able to do this? Why or why not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmtcastle Posted February 15, 2011 at 03:51 AM Report Share Posted February 15, 2011 at 03:51 AM A board wants to bring a motion to an organization and, when they bring it forward, they want to do so without debate. It's my understanding that, unless a group has adopted special rules of order, everyone is entitled to debate. Is the board able to do this? Why or why not?Good news! (as Fearless Leader might say)The board won't be present at a meeting of the organization. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim Goldsworthy Posted February 15, 2011 at 03:53 AM Report Share Posted February 15, 2011 at 03:53 AM A board wants to bring a motion to an organization and, when they bring it forward, they want to do so without debate. It's my understanding that, unless a group has adopted special rules of order, everyone is entitled to debate. Is the board able to do this? Why or why not?It is allowable to move to "suspend the rules and agree to [i.e., without debate] the resolution, ... (etc.) ...".See page 253 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rentz Posted February 15, 2011 at 04:10 AM Report Share Posted February 15, 2011 at 04:10 AM Good news! (as Fearless Leader might say)The board won't be present at a meeting of the organization.okay...but say the board will be there...as they will. and just for argument sake...say this motion was being made by whomever (not the board for your sake). Then what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted February 15, 2011 at 04:11 AM Report Share Posted February 15, 2011 at 04:11 AM A board wants to bring a motion to an organization and, when they bring it forward, they want to do so without debate. It's my understanding that, unless a group has adopted special rules of order, everyone is entitled to debate. Is the board able to do this? Why or why not?Your understanding is correct. In considering any main motion, the assembly has the right (some might say the duty) to debate it, and amend it if needed.The board would do well to remember that it is subordinate to the general assembly, and does not have the power to dictate how a motion will be considered, or to restrict the basic rights of membership. No matter what parliamentary "trick" the board might try, the assembly could simply reverse it, or for that matter, ignore it. A motion that restricts the rights of members to debate or amend a motion requires a 2/3 vote (in the assembly) for passage. The board is not even in session during assembly meetings, so it can't make such a motion, and even if it were, it would not comprise 2/3 of the assembly, unless it is a very large board, or a very small assembly.The closest they could come is to have the person making the motion claim the floor for debate first, and immediately move the Previous Question. But it's going to take a 2/3 vote to cut off debate, so if a minority larger than 1/3 wants to debate it, it's going to be open to debate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmtcastle Posted February 15, 2011 at 04:13 AM Report Share Posted February 15, 2011 at 04:13 AM okay...but say the board will be there...as they will. and just for argument sake...say this motion was being made by whomever (not the board for your sake). Then what?Then defeat the motion.The board can only function as a board at board meetings. At a meeting of the general membership, the board members will just be a handful of "ordinary" members so anything they propose can be easily defeated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted February 15, 2011 at 06:36 AM Report Share Posted February 15, 2011 at 06:36 AM okay...but say the board will be there...as they will. and just for argument sake...say this motion was being made by whomever (not the board for your sake). Then what?"The board" may not make a motion. The reporting member of the board may make a motion on behalf of the board, and it takes a 2/3 vote to end debate or do away with it altogether. This may be accomplished by use of the Previous Question or by combining the motion with a motion to Suspend the Rules. The lesson in semantics may seem pointless, but I think it helps to remember that at a meeting of the general membership, the board members are just individuals and they receive no special treatment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David A Foulkes Posted February 15, 2011 at 12:14 PM Report Share Posted February 15, 2011 at 12:14 PM The board would do well to remember that it is subordinate to the general assembly, and does have the power to dictate how a motion will be considered...Hey Gary - did you fall through the "not" hole? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted February 15, 2011 at 09:30 PM Report Share Posted February 15, 2011 at 09:30 PM Hey Gary - did you fall through the "not" hole?DRAT!Fixed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmtcastle Posted February 16, 2011 at 01:00 AM Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 at 01:00 AM Fixed it.Which is why changes to posts should be blocked once there has been a reply. Otherwise you're re-writing history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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