Guest Marva Campbell-Pruitt Posted October 30, 2019 at 02:07 PM Report Share Posted October 30, 2019 at 02:07 PM What should happen once the presiding officer calls a motion unsuitable and refuses to call the question, even though council members call for the question? Can members then take the vote? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Katz Posted October 30, 2019 at 02:20 PM Report Share Posted October 30, 2019 at 02:20 PM If the chair rules a motion out of order, the body may appeal that decision. It requires a majority to overrule the chair's decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Elsman Posted October 30, 2019 at 06:05 PM Report Share Posted October 30, 2019 at 06:05 PM No rule in RONR prohibits a member to make a motion that the chair finds "unsuitable". When RONR requires the chair to give a brief explanation for ruling a motion not in order, the expectation is, I think, that the explanation will have its basis in the rules, not the chair's personal findings of suitability—whatever that means. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Harrison Posted October 30, 2019 at 06:15 PM Report Share Posted October 30, 2019 at 06:15 PM If the Chair still refuses to put the question to a vote a member can do it themselves (RONR pp. 650-651). Then they should strongly consider taking disciplinary action against him or her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted October 30, 2019 at 07:43 PM Report Share Posted October 30, 2019 at 07:43 PM 5 hours ago, Guest Marva Campbell-Pruitt said: What should happen once the presiding officer calls a motion unsuitable and refuses to call the question, even though council members call for the question? Can members then take the vote? Presiding officers don't call motions suitable or unsuitable, but they may rule them out of order. This would be done when the motion is first made, not after debate, as it seems was the case here. But as with most rulings, the members may Appeal from the decision of the chair. (See §24.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Zev Posted October 30, 2019 at 10:40 PM Report Share Posted October 30, 2019 at 10:40 PM Should we be concerned that this may be a public body? After all, the OP mentioned "council members." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Harrison Posted October 30, 2019 at 11:45 PM Report Share Posted October 30, 2019 at 11:45 PM 59 minutes ago, Guest Zev said: Should we be concerned that this may be a public body? After all, the OP mentioned "council members." I'm not that concerned. Of course, I've served on public bodies before and how we would deal with a Chair deeming a motion "unsuitable" wouldn't vary any from how those I've served on that weren't public bodies would have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted October 31, 2019 at 08:55 PM Report Share Posted October 31, 2019 at 08:55 PM 22 hours ago, Guest Zev said: Should we be concerned that this may be a public body? After all, the OP mentioned "council members." I don't see why that would make a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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