Voting to Stop a Motion

[Rev Ed]

I was thinking about an issue. Let's say Member A wants a motion to be passed. Let's say the motion was defeated. Now according to RONR, at the next meeting Member A can move the motion again. It gets defeated again. At the third meeting, Member A makes the motiion again.

Let's assume the membership is the same throughout all these meetings (let's also say we are talking about the Board, which meets monthly), and that the relaxed rules of RONR are being followed so no seconds are required.

My question is this: Once Member A makes the motion, now for the third time at a third consecutive meeting, can the Board simply pass a motion stating that they will no longer consider the issue for at least a year? Assuming that nothing in the By-laws, nor applicable statute state otherwise, can the Board pass this motion? Would it be a main motion? Or could it be moved while the orginal motion is before the Board?

I would assume that the Board would first have to defeat the motion again, and then pass the new motion, as the Board has the right to handle how it operates.

[Burke Balch]

It is difficult to imagine a realistically enforceable way of doing so. Suppose the organization were to adopt a special rule of order precluding consideration of the particular motion, or of any motion defeated at three consecutive sessions. The persistent maker of the motion could still present a somewhat different version of the motion at the next session.

If the member is completely alone in supporting the motion, perhaps a special rule of order could be adopted requiring seconds for main motions during Board meetings.

[Trina]

You might also want to read through some of the discussion in this thread (different flavor of motion, but the same theme of a member trying to bring the same business before the assembly over and over and over again):

[Guest Edgar]

My question is this: Once Member A makes the motion, now for the third time at a third consecutive meeting, can the Board simply pass a motion stating that they will no longer consider the issue for at least a year?

Doesn't it take about five ten seconds to dispose of this in an entirely conventional manner?

[J. J.]

Objection to the Consideration of a Question (OTC) could be used in most circumstances.

If the motion happened to be an incidental main motion (IMM), a special rule could be adopted to permit OTC to be raised against IMM's.

[Rev Ed]

Thanks everyone for your responses.

I guess I asked the question because while most people won't try to bring up the same motion time and time again, but as it is a right to do so a small minority (sometimes as low as one member especially when the relaxed rules of RONR are being applied) to keep bringing up the same issues in an attempt to try and act as some sort of "opposition". But that could also lead to another topic.