Approving something in the Bylaws and in a manual

[Guest Watson]

My organization is incorporated and has adopted RONR in its Bylaws as it parliamentary manual. We have a standing committee that updates our manuals with items that are approved by the assembly and a duly elected officer of the organization chairs that committee. I have been told that the officer will be introducing a motion at the next meeting to add an item (of a continuing nature) to one of our manuals and the motion will request to also add that item to the Bylaws. So my question is why is this not an improper motion? Here is my thinking: (1) The assembly cannot approve something that it has already approved (if it is approved in the bylaws it should not be approved again in a manual and vice versa), (2) if it can be approved as an item in the manual then there is no reason to place it in the bylaws (only the most important items that are difficult to change should ever be placed in the bylaws). Please give your opinion as to whether I am off base in my thinking or advise what you think the proper action (if any) should be.

[Hieu H. Huynh]

An item can be added to the bylaws by following the procedures to amend the bylaws. What is this item?

[Guest]

One of my organizations function is gaming. The item to be added to the manual has to do with the amount of payouts at our gaming events. That does not have to be added to the Bylaws if we place it in our gaming manual and approve it.  If it is approved in our gaming manual then it seems improper to place it in the bylaws and approve it for a second time. On the other hand, if we place it in the Bylaws and approve it, then why in the world should we have to place it in our gaming manual and approve it a second time. Therefore I am saying that the motion to approve it in both places seems improper. Perhaps this is clearer.

[Kim Goldsworthy]

For what it is worth, let me cite a generic rule.

     • It is always a bad idea to have duplicate rules.

(It makes maintenance of rules twice as long, or twice as complicated, to change something in two different documents.)