Motion to Reconsider or Renewal

[kirstin]

At a recent committee meeting, a motion failed with 3 in favor and 3 against. The committee consists of 9 members, 3 were excused. The committee will be meeting again on Monday. Because it is a standing committee, a motion to reconsider may be appropriate. However, can a member that voted in favor (and lost) just renew the motion (RONR 10th ed., pages 325-326) since it will be a new meeting? Can a member who lost move to reconsider since there was no majority on the winning side?

Thanks,

Kirstin

[Josh Martin]

However, can a member that voted in favor (and lost) just renew the motion (RONR 10th ed., pages 325-326) since it will be a new meeting?

Yes. Any member can renew the motion.

Can a member who lost move to reconsider since there was no majority on the winning side?

No. The negative was still the prevailing side. Since this is a committee, one of the members who voted in the negative or one of the members who was absent would be eligible to move to Reconsider. It is worth noting, however, that in this circumstance the motion to Reconsider will require a 2/3 vote for adoption unless all the members who voted in the negative are present or are notified of the intent to make the motion, so it may be simpler to just renew the motion.

See RONR, 11th ed., pgs. 329-330 for more information about using the motion to Reconsider in committees.

EDIT: Edited after rereading question. Original response suggested that the member who lost could Reconsider because he was on the prevailing side. Edit note added for the sake of clarity for the following posts.

[kirstin]

Thanks, but this member voted in favor and the motion failed. Wouldn't the members who voted against the motion be on the prevailing side? Can he still move to reconsider since there was no majority on the prevailing side?

Also, if this member can just renew it, why would anyone in committee ever move to reconsider? A renewal seems so much easier to do.

Thanks again!

[Josh Martin]

Thanks, but this member voted in favor and the motion failed. Wouldn't the members who voted against the motion be on the prevailing side? Can he still move to reconsider since there was no majority on the prevailing side?

Sorry about that, I misread your question at first, and it looks like I didn't make my edits fast enough. Yes, the members who voted against the motion would be on the prevailing side. No, he cannot make the motion to Reconsider - the fact that there was not a majority on the prevailing side has nothing to do with it. A member who was absent, however, could make the motion to Reconsider, since this is a committee.

Also, if this member can just renew it, why would anyone in committee ever move to reconsider? A renewal seems so much easier to do.

Renewal would not be an option if the motion is adopted, if the committee changed its mind during the same meeting, or if this was a special committee (since all the meetings of a special committee constitute a single session). I concur, however, that renewal is easier than reconsideration and it is generally best to use it when it is an option (as in this case).

[kirstin]

That makes sense. Thank you Mr. Martin!

[Shmuel Gerber]

Also, if this member can just renew it, why would anyone in committee ever move to reconsider? A renewal seems so much easier to do.

Thanks again!

Very frequently, several meetings of a committee will be part of the same session. (As Mr. Martin has noted, this is always true for a special committee.) In such cases, a rejected motion cannot be renewed at any of those meetings.

But, if the motion can be renewed at a later session of the committee, then the vote on it cannot be reconsidered, because the motion to Reconsider "Can be applied to the vote on any motion except:

a) a motion which can be renewed . . ." (RONR, 11th ed., p. 318, lines 17-18)

This part of the rule was the same in the 10th edition, although not in earlier editions.

[Guest Guest]

Very frequently, several meetings of a committee will be part of the same session. (As Mr. Martin has noted, this is always true for a special committee.) In such cases, a rejected motion cannot be renewed at any of those meetings.

But, if the motion can be renewed at a later session of the committee, then the vote on it cannot be reconsidered, because the motion to Reconsider "Can be applied to the vote on any motion except:

a) a motion which can be renewed . . ." (RONR, 11th ed., p. 318, lines 17-18)

This part of the rule was the same in the 10th edition, although not in earlier editions.

Mr. Gerber -

How would a standing committee know if their meetings are a part of the same session or not? What is the criteria?

[Shmuel Gerber]

Mr. Gerber -

How would a standing committee know if their meetings are a part of the same session or not? What is the criteria?

"A session of an assembly, unless otherwise defined by the bylaws or governing rules of the particular organization or body, is a meeting or series of connected meetings devoted to a single order of business, program, agenda, or announced purpose, in which—when there is more than one meeting—each succeeding meeting is scheduled with a view to continuing business at the point where it was left off at the previous meeting" (RONR, 11th ed., p. 82)

It seems to me that the same definition works with committees as well.

[Guest Guest]

Makes perfect sense, Mr. Gerber. Thank you!