Debate Limit and seeking clarification during debate

[Guest Gaudias]

This is somewhat related to a previous post regarding DEBATE LIMIT where four members were allowed to speak "in support" and four "against" motions to amend our By-Laws with each member allowed to "speak" twice.  The feedback from this Forum was very helpful and most appreciated.  It basically did not support limiting the number of speakers. 

 

EMERGING ISSUES

 

What constitutes a "speech" or interaction in a debate?  

During the actual debate, some of the information conveyed by one of the "Against" the motion member was questionable (misleading data) and could have an influence  on the vote.  One of the "in support" members asked for clarification although it was not specifically stated as "Request of Information"  Does that intervention count as one of his two interventions (speeches)? 

 

Should the Minutes summarize the comments made "In support for" and "Against" the motion? 

In the minutes of the meeting, a summary of the comments made by the "Support for" and "Against"  speeches was NOT provided.  The minutes stated "ample discussion  both for and against the amended motion was provided by the Chairman".  Is this sufficient?

 

Note 1:  The motion was denied:   19 against, 8 in support and 8 abstained 8 

Note 2:  Attending meeting 35,  membership 300, quorum 14.

 

Thanks in advance

 

[Gary Novosielski]

EMERGING ISSUES

 

What constitutes a "speech" or interaction in a debate?  

During the actual debate, some of the information conveyed by one of the "Against" the motion member was questionable (misleading data) and could have an influence  on the vote.  One of the "in support" members asked for clarification although it was not specifically stated as "Request of Information"  Does that intervention count as one of his two interventions (speeches)?

Even though it wasn't formally called a Request For Information, it would not be wrong to treat it for what it is. Still, if it took place during debate, it would count as part of that "speech", and if time is an issue, the time spent answering counts against the questioner.

 

Should the Minutes summarize the comments made "In support for" and "Against" the motion? 

In the minutes of the meeting, a summary of the comments made by the "Support for" and "Against"  speeches was NOT provided.  The minutes stated "ample discussion  both for and against the amended motion was provided by the Chairman".  Is this sufficient?

Minutes are a record of what was done or decided, not what was said. The content of speeches should not be included.

It's quite unlikely that the discussion was provided by the chairman, so that is inaccurate and does not belong there. The chairman has authority to neither limit nor extend the limit upon the number or length of speeches, so it is not through the chairman's largess that members may speak.  Rather, it is through the permission of the members that the chairman may preside.

The minutes should simply reflect that, after debate, the motion was defeated. Abstentions, attendance, and quorum don't belong there. For that matter, the vote count doesn't belong there either, unless a counted vote was ordered.

[Bruce Lages]

I don't see anything in RONR section 33 that states that making a request for information counts against debate time, although answering the request certainly does.

Is that stated somewhere else?

[Richard Brown]

I don't see anything in RONR section 33 that states that making a request for information counts against debate time, although answering the request certainly does.

Is that stated somewhere else?

It's covered mostly in Section 43 "Rules Governing Debate" on pages 388-389 as well as in several other places in RONR.

 

It seems to me that it is in the nature of a motion and is treated similarly to a Parliamentary Inquiry.  If a member speaking in debate yields to another member for a question, the time is apparently charged to the speaker, not to the member asking the question, per this  statement on page 389:  "If a speaker yields to another member for a question (Request for Information, pp. 294–95), the time consumed by the question is charged to the speaker."

 

However, other provisions in RONR seem to make it clear that in other cases, a Request for Information is not treated as debate or as one of a member's two opportunities to speak in debate.  See, for example, the following provision on page 389:  "Merely asking a question or making a brief suggestion is not counted as speaking in debate; nor is the making of a secondary motion counted as speaking in debate,* so long as in making the motion the member makes no comment on the then-pending question."

 

Edited to add:  So, in response to the original question by guest Gaudias, the answer is no, such a request for clarification, if limited, would not count as a "speech" in debate.

[Gary Novosielski]

Apparently, whoever has the floor at the time the question is asked is charged with the time.

 

If I ask you a question while I am speaking, your answer (should you choose to provide one) is charged to me.

 

If I have the floor and yield to you for a question, the time you take to ask it is charged to me.

 

But, perhaps more to the OP's question: if, in the latter case, your question does not constitute a comment on the merits of the pending question, you are not charged with having made a "speech". 

 

Asking a question does not constitute debate unless it does.