refer to committee

[Guest paul]

How long can a referred item be in committee? Roberts has some standards as to how long an item can be postponed but I cannot find any limits for an item referred to a committee. If there is a date for reporting as part of the referral, can it go beyond that date? And stay in the committee for more than a year? Pages would be helpful. Thanks, paul 

[Gary Novosielski]

The time limits that apply to postponement do not apply to committee referrals. 

So, yes, a matter referred to a committee could be longer than a year if need be.  The assembly, when referring a question to a committee may set a reporting due date, or simply allow the committee to report when it is ready.  It may also issue (additional) instructions to an already established committee by a majority vote, and these instructions may establish or modify an established reporting date.

Setting a date for reporting does not prohibit the committee from working beyond that date, but it does affect the threshold requirement for the motion to Discharge a Committee (§ 36) from further consideration of the question--i.e., to reclaim the question from the hands of the committee, and place it again before the assembly:

Quote

Since the motion would change action already taken by the assembly, requires (a) a two-thirds vote, (b) a majority vote when notice of intent to make the motion has been given at the previous meeting within a quarterly time interval or in the call of the present meeting, or (c) a vote of a majority of the entire membership—any one of which will suffice. To prevent business from being delayed by a committee, however, there are two special circumstances under which the motion requires only a majority vote (even without notice): (a) if the committee fails to report within a prescribed time as instructed, and (b) while the assembly is considering any partial report of the committee.

 

[Josh Martin]

3 hours ago, Guest paul said:

How long can a referred item be in committee? Roberts has some standards as to how long an item can be postponed but I cannot find any limits for an item referred to a committee. If there is a date for reporting as part of the referral, can it go beyond that date? And stay in the committee for more than a year? Pages would be helpful. Thanks, paul 

I concur with Mr. Novosielski, although I would add that in the case of a special committee, there may be some time limits, depending on the type of assembly.

“A special committee—since it is appointed for a specific purpose—continues to exist until the duty assigned to it is accomplished, unless discharged sooner (see 36); and it ceases to exist as soon as the assembly receives its final report. The fact that an annual meeting intervenes does not discharge a special committee. But in a body which ceases to exist or in which the terms of some or all of its members expire at a definite time, like a convention of delegates, a city council, or a board of directors, a special committee expires with the body that appointed it, unless it is appointed expressly to report at a later time. If it does not report, its life expires with that of the body to which it was to report.” (RONR, 11th ed., pgs. 502-503)

Edited November 29, 2018 at 11:27 PM by Josh Martin