keefe Posted January 26, 2019 at 07:18 PM Report Share Posted January 26, 2019 at 07:18 PM Hello all, Our Bylaws provide an order of business for our annual meeting and also states that Roberts Rules of Order be followed at all meetings. With that being said, if the assembly desires to add something to the order of business can that be done? If so what is the correct procedure? Because the order of business is outline in the bylaws I wasn't sure if that can be suspended or amended. This is a new area for me so I am looking to learn. In Chapter 2 it would appear as though it cannot be done but I am looking for some insight. For example, the order of business in the bylaws doesn't have listed "speaking rights for non-members" , if the assembly wishes to give speaking rights to non-members would that be done in new business or in the order of business the call? Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Katz Posted January 26, 2019 at 07:32 PM Report Share Posted January 26, 2019 at 07:32 PM A bylaw specifying an order of business is in the nature of a rule of order and may be suspended to permit following a different order of business, or the adoption of an agenda based on a different order of business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted January 26, 2019 at 07:59 PM Report Share Posted January 26, 2019 at 07:59 PM 37 minutes ago, keefe said: For example, the order of business in the bylaws doesn't have listed "speaking rights for non-members" , if the assembly wishes to give speaking rights to non-members would that be done in new business or in the order of business the call? It can be done at any time the assembly wishes. If no motion is pending, a majority vote is sufficient. If a motion is pending, it would require a motion to suspend the rules, which requires a 2/3 vote. 25 minutes ago, Joshua Katz said: A bylaw specifying an order of business is in the nature of a rule of order and may be suspended to permit following a different order of business, or the adoption of an agenda based on a different order of business. Well, yes, but it is not necessary to suspend the order of business to accomplish this objective, as the assembly may permit non-members to speak during an existing heading in the order of business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Katz Posted January 26, 2019 at 08:02 PM Report Share Posted January 26, 2019 at 08:02 PM 3 minutes ago, Josh Martin said: Well, yes, but it is not necessary to suspend the order of business to accomplish this objective, as the assembly may permit non-members to speak during an existing heading in the order of business. Agreed, but that was only one example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefe Posted January 27, 2019 at 12:52 AM Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2019 at 12:52 AM 4 hours ago, Josh Martin said: It can be done at any time the assembly wishes. If no motion is pending, a majority vote is sufficient. If a motion is pending, it would require a motion to suspend the rules, which requires a 2/3 vote. Josh, are you saying that speaking rights for non-members would be done by following that? Or would that be to suspend the rules? And to ask a second question pertaining, if the you can suspend the rules for the order of business can the same be done for other areas of the bylaws such expenditures, voting requirements, quorum etc.? Thak you for your input! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atul Kapur Posted January 27, 2019 at 01:26 AM Report Share Posted January 27, 2019 at 01:26 AM If the assembly wants to let a non-member speak, but not to debate a motion, then it only requires a majority vote. In order to let a member speak while a motion is pending (aka "debate"), that requires a motion to Suspend the Rules, and that motion requires a 2/3 vote. For your other questions, you should study the Section on Suspend the Rules (pages 260-267) and particularly page 263-265 "Rules that cannot be suspended". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Katz Posted January 27, 2019 at 04:10 AM Report Share Posted January 27, 2019 at 04:10 AM 3 hours ago, keefe said: And to ask a second question pertaining, if the you can suspend the rules for the order of business can the same be done for other areas of the bylaws such expenditures, voting requirements, quorum etc.? No, some rules are suspendable, and some are not. Quorum are the prototypical example of a rule which may not be suspended, because its purpose is to protect absentee members. As I alluded to earlier, so far as bylaws are concerned, they may only be suspended in two cases: a) The rule in question provides for its own suspension; b) The rule is clearly in the nature of a rule of order. The order in which business is conducted is clearly the latter. "Expenditures" is too broad a term to give an answer, but it is likely that what you have in mind cannot be suspended. Voting requirements is, again, too broad to give an answer. Quorum requirements may not be suspended. Also note that a motion should never be to suspend a particular rule. Rather, the rules are suspended to achieve a particular purpose, so "I move that the rules be suspended in order to..." assuming that the rules preventing that outcome are, indeed, suspendable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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