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Effect of accepting a committee report


Drake Savory

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1 hour ago, Drake Savory said:

Looking at p124 l10-18

What is the effect of accepting a committee report?  I'm not referring to a motion arising from the report but rather accepting the report itself.

Consequently, what happens when the motion to accept the report fails?

From RONR as cited by Mr. Harrison:

Quote

Another error—less common, but dangerous—is to move, after the report has been read (or even before the reading), that it “be accepted,” when the actual intent is that of the mistaken motion to receive, as just explained, or of a legitimate motion to receive made before the report is read. If a motion “to accept” made under any of these circumstances is adopted and is given its proper interpretation, it implies that the assembly has endorsed the complete report.

 

1

As noted, a motion to Accept a report is an error.   If it is moved and fails, it has no effect, the same as if it had never been moved.

Instead, after a report is read, the chair should simply announce that the secretary will place the report on file.

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11 hours ago, Drake Savory said:

Looking at p124 l10-18

What is the effect of accepting a committee report?  I'm not referring to a motion arising from the report but rather accepting the report itself.

Consequently, what happens when the motion to accept the report fails?

The preferred terminology in RONR when a society intentionally does this is the word “adopt,” and “an affirmative vote on such a motion has the effect of the assembly's endorsing every word of the report—including the indicated facts and the reasoning—as its own statement (see also p. 124)... Adoption of an entire report is seldom wise except when it is to be issued or published in the name of the whole organization.” (RONR, 11th ed., pg. 508) If the motion fails, the society has not endorsed the entire report as its own statement. There are no other effects of a negative vote on such a motion.

Many assemblies have an unfortunate habit of voting to “accept” all reports to come before the assembly. Although likely not meaning to do so, this may be interpreted as having the same effect as a motion to adopt, and for this reason (in addition to the fact that this practice is a waste of the assembly’s time), such practices should be halted immediately.

Edited by Josh Martin
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