JerryRig Posted June 8, 2015 at 06:14 PM Report Share Posted June 8, 2015 at 06:14 PM A business meeting is in process and a committee chairman gives an informational committee report (standing or special). The chairman states that no questions will be accepted.After the report has been given, can a member of the assembly raise an informational inquiry to the assembly chairman and the assembly chairman ask the committee chairman to respond? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted June 8, 2015 at 06:24 PM Report Share Posted June 8, 2015 at 06:24 PM A business meeting is in process and a committee chairman gives an informational committee report (standing or special). The chairman states that no questions will be accepted.After the report has been given, can a member of the assembly raise an informational inquiry to the assembly chairman and the assembly chairman ask the committee chairman to respond?Yes. The committee chairman can (and presumably will) decline to answer, but he can't stop people from asking questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Brown Posted June 8, 2015 at 06:54 PM Report Share Posted June 8, 2015 at 06:54 PM Agreeing with Josh, the formal motion is a "Request for information". See pages 293-294, among others. Edited to add: The assembly could also adopt a motion, in the way of instructions to a committee, directing the committee to respond (or report back) to the assembly on questions submitted by the assembly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryRig Posted June 9, 2015 at 11:41 AM Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 at 11:41 AM Standing committees are established by the bylaws and special committees by the assembly majority vote. Could both type committees be directed to respond by a majority vote of the assembly or would the standing committees require a bylaws change? If a bylaws change is required for the standing committees, the time delay to accomplish a bylaws change will be too long to be of benefit to answering the question at hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstackpo Posted June 9, 2015 at 12:09 PM Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 at 12:09 PM Standing committees are established by the bylaws and special committees by the assembly majority vote. Could both type committees be directed to respond by a majority vote of the assembly or would the standing committees require a bylaws change? If a bylaws change is required for the standing committees, the time delay to accomplish a bylaws change will be too long to be of benefit to answering the question at hand. Answering/commenting paragraph by paragraph: That is a bit overstated. A Standing Committee can also be established by a motion, p. 491. The distinction between standing and special is in the nature of the task(s) assigned to them at the time they are established, not the way they were established. Yes, although a larger than majority vote may be necessary to change a committee's assignment(s) from the original specification(s). Se p. 305 and 310. If the specs are in the bylaws, you may be stuck. That would be unfortunate -- blame the bylaw authors who overspecified what the Committee's job is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Guest Posted June 9, 2015 at 12:41 PM Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 at 12:41 PM A Standing Committee can also be established by a motion, p. 491. Though not in all circumstances (as explained on p.491). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryRig Posted June 9, 2015 at 01:42 PM Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 at 01:42 PM The bylaws establish the standing committee but the specific issue of not responding to questions after a report to the main assembly is not covered in the bylaws. The bylaws authorize RONR as the parliamentary authority, therefore, I would have thought that the issue of responding in the business meeting would be a majority vote issue with the assembly stating how the assembly wants the business meeting to be conducted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hieu H. Huynh Posted June 9, 2015 at 02:28 PM Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 at 02:28 PM Perhaps these committee members could be replaced with members who are willing to answer questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstackpo Posted June 9, 2015 at 03:24 PM Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 at 03:24 PM HHH's good suggestion does turn on how those recalcitrant committee members were appointed in the first place. So check the bylaws (where have I heard that phrase before...). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryRig Posted June 9, 2015 at 04:43 PM Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 at 04:43 PM I certainly agree that for long term solutions, your statements on replacing committee members and revising the bylaws should be considered; but in the short term, is my statement - "The bylaws authorize RONR as the parliamentary authority, therefore, I would have thought that the issue of responding in the business meeting would be a majority vote issue with the assembly stating how the assembly wants the business meeting to be conducted." is OK to use on a case-by-case basis? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstackpo Posted June 9, 2015 at 04:50 PM Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 at 04:50 PM Maybe -- but it may be an incorrect statement for some of those "cases". Tell us the exact particulars of the "case" you have in mind and we may be able to help out (or maybe not...). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Guest Posted June 9, 2015 at 04:59 PM Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 at 04:59 PM . . . the specific issue of not responding to questions after a report to the main assembly is not covered in the bylaws. Nor should it be. And all the votes in the world can't force a member to be responsive if that member chooses not to be responsive. So then what do you do? Discipline the member? Yes, you could do that. For example, the member could be removed from the committee and replaced. As Mr. Huynh suggested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted June 9, 2015 at 05:08 PM Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 at 05:08 PM Could both type committees be directed to respond by a majority vote of the assembly...Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryRig Posted June 9, 2015 at 07:31 PM Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 at 07:31 PM Thank you all for your helpful insights and guidance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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