En Masse Adoption of Bylaws

[Guest Gerry]

We are building a new organization after the official dissolution of our previous group.  We (the previous Org Board) have developed new bylaws and are presenting for vote of members in the new organization at a Conference in the summer. We want to request the members to vote on the new Bylaws as a whole entity without any amendments being made at this Conference.  We would like proposed amendments to be considered by the members and groups though out the new fiscal year and to be presented and considered at the 1st Annual Conference of the new Organization in 2019.  Can this be done?  How? 

We prefer not to do the discussion "seriatim" but have been unable to find a way to have the entire document considered by the members before the Conference and voted on "in total" at the business meeting at the Conference.  Any suggestions?

[Joshua Katz]

You can move to adopt special rules of order for the session disallowing amendments and disallowing division, then move the items in one motion.  But the body is, of course, not obligated to go along with this.  

[Richard Brown]

Agreeing with Mr. Katz, the motion to adopt a special rule of order for the session or for the adoption of the bylaws which prohibits amendments would require a two thirds vote. 

You might read the provisions on pages 557-559 re adoption of bylaws.  Without a special rule of order or a motion prohibiting amendments, the bylaws must be open to amendments.

Edited to add:  I also believe that even with the adoption of such a special rule of order dealing with the adoption of the bylaws, that rule itself could be suspended at any time during the consideration of the bylaws by a two thirds vote.  I don't know of a way to absolutely prohibit amendments to the proposed bylaws.

Edited April 5, 2018 at 03:41 AM by Richard Brown
Added last paragraph & typo edit

[Guest Zev]

Well ... you could entice them by moving that "if the bylaws are adopted without amendments the organization will proceed directly to the barbeque."

[Benjamin Geiger]

Or do what we do: "By the way, we have to be out of the building in five minutes"...

[Gary Novosielski]

15 hours ago, Joshua Katz said:

You can move to adopt special rules of order for the session disallowing amendments and disallowing division, then move the items in one motion.  But the body is, of course, not obligated to go along with this.  

I, for one, would vote in the negative.

[George Mervosh]

Or you could really try and shorten it up:

"When the object is to adopt a motion without debate or amendment, the form is: 
MEMBER A (obtaining the floor): I move to suspend the rules and adopt [or "agree to"] the following resolution: "Resolved, That ..." (Second.) 
 If such a motion does not receive the required two-thirds vote, the main motion can be taken up only in the normal way."  RONR (11th ed.), pp. 266-67