Question of privilege

[Guest Ursula]

Does the same rule about timeliness apply to questions of personal privilege as applies to points of order?  That is, can a member raise a point of privilege because he thinks he was insulted at the last meeting, and expect it to be taken seriously?

[Josh Martin]

Does the same rule about timeliness apply to questions of personal privilege as applies to points of order?

No.

That is, can a member raise a point of privilege because he thinks he was insulted at the last meeting, and expect it to be taken seriously?

Yes, but it is too late to discipline anyone for remarks made at the previous meeting. See RONR, 11th ed., pgs. 227, 649.

[Josh Martin]

Insulting other members would be met with a point of order, not personal privilege.  If he wasn't sure he was insulted then, and now thinks he was in hindsight, I'd say it would fail for lack of timeliness.

I disagree regarding the question of privilege. A question of personal privilege is in order to address charges circulated against a member's character, and the text does not suggest any timeliness requirement for such a motion. I concur, however, that a Point of Order on the subject is no longer timely.

[Guest Guest]

I see the relevant language on p.649, but not on 227.

[Josh Martin]

I see the relevant language on p.649, but not on 227.

I'm referring to the language for examples of why a question of personal privilege may be raised, specifically, that it may be raised to address charges circulated against a member's character. There is no mention in the section on Raise a Question of Personal Privilege regarding any timeliness requirement. Therefore, it would seem to me that a member may raise such a question of privilege at a later meeting.