Postpone or Table

[Tomm]

I'm still very confused between the motions "Lay on the Table" and "Postpone to a Certain Time" even after reading FAQ's. Is it fair to say that regardless whether we're talking about a "meeting" or a "session", that whatever is being tabled or postponed must be reintroduced no later than the next "meeting" or "session", if not it dies?

I think I do understand that the original intention of "Lay on the Table" is meant to be used within a meeting or session when an urgent issue interrupts the pending business, but can also be carried over to next meeting or session? 

[Shmuel Gerber]

13 minutes ago, Tomm said:

I'm still very confused between the motions "Lay on the Table" and "Postpone to a Certain Time" even after reading FAQ's. Is it fair to say that regardless whether we're talking about a "meeting" or a "session", that whatever is being tabled or postponed must be reintroduced no later than the next "meeting" or "session", if not it dies?

Not exactly. If each meeting is a separate session, then what you say is basically true. However, the time limits are based solely on sessions, and each session may consist of several meetings. In that case, more than one meeting can intervene before the item is brought back (either at the same session or the next one, but not at any later session).

18 minutes ago, Tomm said:

I think I do understand that the original intention of "Lay on the Table" is meant to be used within a meeting or session when an urgent issue interrupts the pending business, but can also be carried over to next meeting or session? 

Yes. (Assuming that certain other conditions are met: i.e., that the two sessions are not separated by more than a quarterly time interval, and that there is no specified portion of the membership whose terms expire, such as may happen in a board or committee.)

[J. J.]

The motion may be taken from the table as the next meeting of the type of meeting that Mr. Gerber describes at several points. 

It may taken from the table during unfinished business and under new business.  It may also be taken up when the same class of business is pending.  For example, a motion growing out a standing committee report may be tabled at the May meeting.  It may be taken off the table when the reports of standings committees are in order, in addition to under unfinished or new business (p. 213, ll. 6-11).

That is usually one of the next questions.