Can a president make a motion

[Guest guest]

Does a president of an assembly have authority to make a motion before an assembly?  

[Josh Martin]

11 minutes ago, Guest guest said:

Does a president of an assembly have authority to make a motion before an assembly?  

See FAQ #1.

[Benjamin Geiger]

As the kids say today, "well, yes, but actually no."

Theoretically, the presiding officer is still a member of the assembly (assuming they were one to begin with), which gives them the right to make motions. However, the presiding officer has an obligation of impartiality. This means that they are expected to waive their rights to make motions, participate in debate, or vote (except by ballot or when their vote would affect the outcome).

There are two notable exceptions:

1. Under small board rules and in committees, the presiding officer is able to participate fully, without waiving their rights.

2. In other forms of meeting, the presiding officer is permitted to step down for the duration of the consideration of a question, with the vice president (if one exists and is willing) or an appointed chair pro tempore taking the reins. In that circumstance, the new presiding officer is the one with the obligation of impartiality.

[Guest Also assumed motions]

(just to add)

Also the president can make "assumed" motions like:

- motion to adopt the agenda.

- motion to adjurn the meeting if there is no further business 

- motion to accept the motions in the consent agenda.

 

 

[Josh Martin]

31 minutes ago, Guest Also assumed motions said:

(just to add)

Also the president can make "assumed" motions like:

- motion to adopt the agenda.

- motion to adjurn the meeting if there is no further business 

- motion to accept the motions in the consent agenda.

It is correct that the President may, in certain circumstances, "assume" a motion. This is not, however, technically the President "making" the motion. Rather, it is the President stating the question on the motion without the motion being made or seconded. This is used "to facilitate the business of the assembly, not to give the chair an opportunity to make a motion whose consideration he or she, as an individual member, believes would be desirable." This is described further in Official Interpretation 2007-1.

I agree that adopting an agenda (in assemblies which adopt an agenda at each meeting, by rule or custom) or adopting the motions on the consent agenda (in assemblies which have adopted rules providing for a consent agenda, or "consent calendar" as it is called in RONR) are cases in which "assuming" a motion would be appropriate.

In the case of adjourning the meeting when there is no further business (in a meeting of an ordinary local society that normally goes through a complete order of business at each regular meeting), however, even this process is unnecessary. After confirming that there is no further business, the chair may simply declare the meeting adjourned, without the need for a motion at all (assumed or otherwise).

"When it appears that there is no further business in a meeting of an ordinary local society that normally goes through a complete order of business (41) at each regular meeting (9), the chair, instead of waiting or calling for a motion to adjourn, can ask, "Is there any further business?" If there is no response, the chair can then say, "Since there is no further business, the meeting is adjourned."" (RONR, 11th ed., pg. 241)