Debate

[Guest LauraR]

Can any member call for the end of debate or is it the chair's repsonisbility to decide when there has been enough debate on a question?

[David A Foulkes]

I can think of only one (and probably very rare) instance where the chair can unilaterally say "okay, no more debate, now we vote". Unless your rules give him that authority, he does not have it under RONR.

Otherwise, debate can be brought to a halt by adoption of a motion for the Previous Question, which requires a second and a 2/3 vote. See section 16 (RONR 11th Ed.) for all the gory details.

Can any member call for the end of debate? Well, sure.... after having gained the floor properly. (You can't just yell out "I call the question!" anymore, like in the good old days). But "calling" for the end of debate isn't enough. Without the 2/3 support, debate can continue.

[Dan Honemann]

I can think of only one (and probably very rare) instance where the chair can unilaterally say "okay, no more debate, now we vote". Unless your rules give him that authority, he does not have it under RONR.

Otherwise, debate can be brought to a halt by adoption of a motion for the Previous Question, which requires a second and a 2/3 vote. See section 16 (RONR 11th Ed.) for all the gory details.

Can any member call for the end of debate? Well, sure.... after having gained the floor properly. (You can't just yell out "I call the question!" anymore, like in the good old days). But "calling" for the end of debate isn't enough. Without the 2/3 support, debate can continue.

Okay, so now we all want to know what is the single, rare instance where the chair can unilaterally say "okay, no more debate, now we vote", and when were the good old days when it was in order for a member to just yell out "I call the question!", without obtaining the floor.

[Guest Edgar]

Can any member call for the end of debate or is it the chair's repsonisbility to decide when there has been enough debate on a question?

See also FAQ # 11.

[David A Foulkes]

Okay, so now we all want to know what is the single, rare instance where the chair can unilaterally say "okay, no more debate, now we vote", and when were the good old days when it was in order for a member to just yell out "I call the question!", without obtaining the floor.

Well, I admit I took a bit of literary license with that "good old days" business, and in fairness (and apology) to guess Guest_LauraR it should be noted that, for at least as long as I can recall (and almost surely longer), it was never in order to do so and it surely isn't now.

As for the other, if all members have spoken twice on the pending motion thus all exhausting their right to debate (and assuming that no one is interested in moving any subsidiary motions or otherwise pursuing any other parliamentary steps), I'd say the Chair would be correct in putting the question.

[tctheatc]

Maybe semantics, but that sounds more like the assembly telling the chair "WE are finished debating."

[Dan Honemann]

As for the other, if all members have spoken twice on the pending motion thus all exhausting their right to debate (and assuming that no one is interested in moving any subsidiary motions or otherwise pursuing any other parliamentary steps), I'd say the Chair would be correct in putting the question.

Okay, this one hadn't even occurred to me. And you're right, I suspect such situations rarely occur.

I thought you might have had in mind a situation such as the one described on page 194, line 28 to page 195, line 5, or on page 373, lines 17-27.