Guest RMA Posted January 8, 2020 at 05:14 AM Report Share Posted January 8, 2020 at 05:14 AM Is it permissible, according to RONR, to vote on a main motion with no debate allowed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Harrison Posted January 8, 2020 at 01:28 PM Report Share Posted January 8, 2020 at 01:28 PM 8 hours ago, Guest RMA said: Is it permissible, according to RONR, to vote on a main motion with no debate allowed? Yes. I haven't had my coffee yet this morning but two ways come to mind. 1) The main motion is made and then since the motion maker gets preference in recognition (gets called on before anyone else) he can move the Previous Question which if adopted (by a 2/3 vote) forces the motion to a vote immediately. 2) The member can move to "Suspend the Rules and adopt [insert motion language here]." That requires a 2/3 vote. If the motion doesn't get a 2/3 vote then it is treated the same as any other motion (debate, amendment, etc). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Honemann Posted January 8, 2020 at 02:46 PM Report Share Posted January 8, 2020 at 02:46 PM 1 hour ago, Chris Harrison said: 2) The member can move to "Suspend the Rules and adopt [insert motion language here]." That requires a 2/3 vote. If the motion doesn't get a 2/3 vote then it is treated the same as any other motion (debate, amendment, etc). But if such a motion to suspend the rules is defeated, no motion remains pending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Mervosh Posted January 8, 2020 at 03:38 PM Report Share Posted January 8, 2020 at 03:38 PM 48 minutes ago, Daniel H. Honemann said: But if such a motion to suspend the rules is defeated, no motion remains pending. I have to confess that I thought the main motion is taken up in the normal way, when the book actually says it "can be taken up only in the normal way". Thanks for the clarification. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Brown Posted January 8, 2020 at 04:41 PM Report Share Posted January 8, 2020 at 04:41 PM 1 hour ago, George Mervosh said: I have to confess that I thought the main motion is taken up in the normal way, when the book actually says it "can be taken up only in the normal way". Thanks for the clarification. George, do you happen to have the citation handy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Mervosh Posted January 8, 2020 at 04:45 PM Report Share Posted January 8, 2020 at 04:45 PM 2 minutes ago, Richard Brown said: George, do you happen to have the citation handy? "When the object is to adopt a motion without debate or amendment, the form is: MEMBER A (obtaining the floor): I move to suspend the rules and adopt [or "agree to"] the following resolution: "Resolved, That ..." (Second.) If such a motion does not receive the required two-thirds vote, the main motion can be taken up only in the normal way. " RONR (11th ed.), pp. 266-67 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Elsman Posted January 8, 2020 at 05:33 PM Report Share Posted January 8, 2020 at 05:33 PM I believe the original poster is asking if debate can be suspended without precluding amendments or other subsidiary motions. Outside of committees, this is possible by adopting a preliminary main motion by a two-thirds vote. In committees, however, such a motion would not be in order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atul Kapur Posted January 8, 2020 at 08:01 PM Report Share Posted January 8, 2020 at 08:01 PM When I read it, I thought the original poster had had this happen to them and was wondering if the correct procedure was followed. If that is the question, we need a few more details to answer whether it was proper procedurally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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