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Limiting who can second a motion


Guest JMP

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At a convention of delegates...

Chapters of the organization submit requests for distribution of monies for local charities to be voted on at the annual meeting.

A committee reviews the requests and makes recommendations on which charities should receive distributions of those submitted.

At the annual convention, the committee moves that the distributions they recommend be adopted by the assembly. At that time, any chapter may move to amend the amounts recommended by the committee.

Each chapter has 2 delegates, but the organization wants to require that any amendment made by one chapter cannot be seconded by another member of the same chapter, but instead must be seconded by another chapter.

Is this taking away the rights of some members to second a motion?

If so, should this be in a written rule, say the convention meeting rule that require a 2/3 vote?

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Is this taking away the rights of some members to second a motion?

Yes.

Of course. -- A delegate could do X before the new changeover. After the changeover a delegate can't do X.

What else could it be?

If so, should this be in a written rule, say the convention meeting rule that require a 2/3 vote?

Yes.

How else? What did you have in mind for Plan B? A chair's whim?

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At a convention of delegates...

Chapters of the organization submit requests for distribution of monies for local charities to be voted on at the annual meeting.

A committee reviews the requests and makes recommendations on which charities should receive distributions of those submitted.

At the annual convention, the committee moves that the distributions they recommend be adopted by the assembly. At that time, any chapter may move to amend the amounts recommended by the committee.

Each chapter has 2 delegates, but the organization wants to require that any amendment made by one chapter cannot be seconded by another member of the same chapter, but instead must be seconded by another chapter.

Is this taking away the rights of some members to second a motion?

If so, should this be in a written rule, say the convention meeting rule that require a 2/3 vote?

Motions do not require a second if they are moved by a committee of two or more people.

And since seconding does not indicate approval in any way, a rule like this is in danger of being ruled frivolous.

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The main motion was made by a committee which doesn't require a second...

Each chapter has 2 voting delegates.

But the officers are saying in order for an amendment to this particular main motion (usually to change the amounts recommended by the committee that their charity should receive) to be considered, the second for the amendment must be someone from a chapter other than the chapter that submitted the amendment.

Some of us think in order for this to be true, it should be stated in the bylaws or convention meeting rules...but it is not.

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The main motion was made by a committee which doesn't require a second...

Each chapter has 2 voting delegates.

But the officers are saying in order for an amendment to this particular main motion (usually to change the amounts recommended by the committee that their charity should receive) to be considered, the second for the amendment must be someone from a chapter other than the chapter that submitted the amendment.

Some of us think in order for this to be true, it should be stated in the bylaws or convention meeting rules...but it is not.

My only question is: Why don't ALL of you think that!?

Unless they can show you the rule, there is no rule. If your question is, can officers make up rules out of thin air and enforce them, the answer is No.

If they attempt to rule based on their own whim, any two members (mover/seconder) can move to Appeal From the Decision of the Chair, which places the question before the assembly. A majority vote disagreeing with the decision is enough to overrule it.

If they so much as call for a second, or rule that the committee recommendation dies for lack of a second, immediately raise a Point of Order that seconds are not required for motions from committee. And if they give you some mumbo-jumbo, Appeal it.

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