Standing Committee Report

[Tomm]

Does the mere fact that a presentation from a standing committee will be made and is posted in the agenda constitute that the report has in fact been "received" and after the report is verbally given any motion to "accept" or "receive" the report is actually agreeing to "adopt" all aspects of the recommendations within that report?

As I understand it, it is also the responsibility of the presenter, who gets first crack, to ask that the report be adopted?

 

   

[Atul Kapur]

Quote

 

A common error is to move that a report "be received" after it has been read—apparently on the supposition that such a motion is necessary in order for the report to be taken under consideration or to be recorded as having been made. In fact, this motion is meaningless, since the report has already been received. Even before a report has been read, a motion to receive it is unnecessary if the time for its reception is established by the order of business, or if no member objects (see also below).

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.

 

RONR 11th ed., p. 508, lines 19-35

The person making the committee report can move the recommendations in the report, rather than the adoption of the report.

Edited June 21, 2020 at 07:24 PM by Atul Kapur

[Tomm]

Quote

The person making the committee report can move the recommendations in the report, rather than the adoption of the report.

What's the difference? 

Wouldn't either a move to accept the recommendations be the same as adopting the report? Don't they both open-up the option to debate and amend the recommendations in the report?

[Weldon Merritt]

26 minutes ago, Tomm said:

What's the difference? 

Wouldn't either a move to accept the recommendations be the same as adopting the report? Don't they both open-up the option to debate and amend the recommendations in the report?

There's a big difference. Adopting the report would mean that the society adopts every word of the report as its own. Adopting the recommendations means simply that. The recommendations are adopted, but not all of the background and other information in the report. 

[Atul Kapur]

A motion to "adopt the report" is much more than adopting the recommendations. 

A motion to adopt the report "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., p. 508, lines 2-10.

[Josh Martin]

4 hours ago, Tomm said:

Does the mere fact that a presentation from a standing committee will be made and is posted in the agenda constitute that the report has in fact been "received" and after the report is verbally given any motion to "accept" or "receive" the report is actually agreeing to "adopt" all aspects of the recommendations within that report?

It is correct that the mere fact that the presentation is made means that the report has, in fact, been received. If a motion is made to "accept" the report, the effect of that motion will be to adopt the report in its entirety, word for word, including the recommendations along with any reasoning given by the committee. Generally, what should be done instead is to move to adopt one or more of the recommendations. If a motion is made to "receive" the report this basically does nothing, since the report has already been received.

"When a report contains recommendations—except in cases where the recommendations relate only to the adoption or rejection of question(s) that were referred while pending (13) and consequently become pending again automatically when reported (pp. 516–19)—the reporting board or committee member usually makes the necessary motion to implement the recommendations at the conclusion of his presentation," (RONR, 11th ed., pg. 507)

"In rare instances after an assembly has received a report, it may have occasion to adopt the (entire) report; 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). Unlike motions to take the action recommended in a report as described above, a motion "to adopt the report" should be made by someone other than the reporting member and requires a second. 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., pgs. 507-508)

"A common error is to move that a report "be received" after it has been read—apparently on the supposition that such a motion is necessary in order for the report to be taken under consideration or to be recorded as having been made. In fact, this motion is meaningless, since the report has already been received. Even before a report has been read, a motion to receive it is unnecessary if the time for its reception is established by the order of business, or if no member objects (see also below).

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." (RONR, 11th ed., pg. 508)

Edited June 21, 2020 at 11:11 PM by Josh Martin