Scheduled Recess

[Guest Tyler]

If a recess is noticed on the meeting agenda, does the committee automatically recess at that point?

[jstackpo]

Only if the agenda is formally adopted at the start of the meeting.

[Rob Elsman]

If a recess is noticed on the meeting agenda, does the committee automatically recess at that point?

Committees do not ordinarily adopt an agenda at the beginning of their meetings.

[Burke Balch]

Not ordinarily, that is true. But perhaps-- as indicated by the poster-- this committee does. As RONR (11th ed.), p. 490, ll. 20-22 notes, "Some standing committees . . . -- particularly in large state or national organizations--function virtually in the manner of boards, although not designated as such." And, of course, boards can -- and with some frequency do -- adopt agendas.

If, indeed, the committee does adopt the agenda -- which, as Dr. Stackpole appropriately observes, is the prerequisite for an "automatic" recess -- the exact procedure when the time for the recess arrives is spelled out on page 374, lines 4-29.