Motion

[Guest Ron Vero]

May the maker of a motion request to speak last on the motion?

And if so, what happens if someone calls the question?

[Chris Harrison]

May the maker of a motion request to speak last on the motion? And if so, what happens if someone calls the question?

The motion maker has the right to speak first on the question in preference of other members (RONR p. 379 ll. 10-13). So in theory if the motion maker seeks recognition right after the Chair has placed the question before the assembly for consideration there would be no way for the assembly to order the Previous Question before he had a chance to debate it. However, if the motion maker chooses to wait until a later time to speak and doesn't seek recognition he is taking his chances that someone will move the Previous Question and if the assembly orders it then he has lost his chance and the YSYL rule would apply.

[Shmuel Gerber]

May the maker of a motion request to speak last on the motion?

And if so, what happens if someone calls the question?

The maker of the motion can request whatever he wants, but under the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order,* he has a right to preference in recognition only if he hasn't yet spoken on the question; the maker of the motion has no special right to speak last.

The only time anyone has a special right to speak last on a question is when there is an Appeal from the decision of the chair on a question of order (or when the chair puts such a question to the assembly instead of ruling on it). In such cases, the chair has the right to rebut arguments made in debate, and also to state (or restate) his own reasoning before putting the question of order to a vote. Since the chair can do that (state his reasoning again) even when the question is undebatable, I would say that he may do it after the Previous Question is ordered, as well.

*If you were using a really, really, really old edition of Robert's Rules, then the maker of the motion would be entitled to speak last in debate; and if the member was reporting the motion from a committee, he would be able to speak last even after the previous question had been ordered.

Also, regarding "calling the question," see http://www.robertsrules.com/faq.html#11

(Edited to add last line.)

[Guest Edgar]

*If you were using a really, really, really old edition of Robert's Rules, then the maker of the motion would be entitled to speak last in debate

Interesting. It seems like a reasonable rule. I wonder what downsides caused it to be eliminated.

[Chris Harrison]

If you were using a really, really, really old edition of Robert's Rules, then the maker of the motion would be entitled to speak last in debate;

That is interesting. Which edition was the last to have that rule?

Interesting. It seems like a reasonable rule. I wonder what downsides caused it to be eliminated.

I would imagine that such a rule would too often thwart the will of the assembly when they wanted to get to a vote right then or limit debate and they would have to suffer through another speech before they could get to the vote. Also, I could see many times when no one wants to speak and then after the motion maker makes his speech lo and behold there are a bunch of members who want to dispute the maker's speech or speak in support of it and the Chair is then forced to shut them down. I also wonder if they would had to monkey around with the "are you ready for the question" and hearing nothing putting the question script to include an announcement after closing the question to debate and before putting the question that the motion maker has the right to speak on the question last and asking if he would like to exercise that right and then putting the question right after the speech.