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Advancing through the order of business


J. J.

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This might be  question of form more than substance.

The Asnem Society meets monthly and has adopted RONR.   At their April meeting a motion to buy a plot of land was made a general order for the May meeting.

At the May meeting, a majority wish to take up this general order as soon as possible, but they do not have a two-thirds vote.

When the chair announces the heading "Reading and Approval of Minutes," a member seeks recognition and moves "to dispense with the reading of the minutes."  That motion is adopted.  The sole purpose is to get to that general order. 

The next item of business are the Reports of Officers, Boards and Standing Committees, with the first report being the report of the President,

May a member:

1.  Move "to lay the president's report on the table?"

2.  Move "to dispense with the report of the president?"

If the answer to either is yes, may this be done for each individual report for the purpose of getting to the general order quickly?

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On 5/2/2022 at 7:08 AM, J. J. said:

This might be  question of form more than substance.

The Asnem Society meets monthly and has adopted RONR.   At their April meeting a motion to buy a plot of land was made a general order for the May meeting.

At the May meeting, a majority wish to take up this general order as soon as possible, but they do not have a two-thirds vote.

When the chair announces the heading "Reading and Approval of Minutes," a member seeks recognition and moves "to dispense with the reading of the minutes."  That motion is adopted.  The sole purpose is to get to that general order. 

The next item of business are the Reports of Officers, Boards and Standing Committees, with the first report being the report of the President,

May a member:

1.  Move "to lay the president's report on the table?"

2.  Move "to dispense with the report of the president?"

If the answer to either is yes, may this be done for each individual report for the purpose of getting to the general order quickly?

I think that a report may be laid on the table. In my view, "dispense with" is unique to the reading of the minutes and is not applicable to other items of business.

So yes, I think each individual report could be laid on the table for the purpose of reaching the general order more quickly.

Edited by Josh Martin
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On 5/2/2022 at 8:08 AM, J. J. said:

If the answer to either is yes, may this be done for each individual report for the purpose of getting to the general order quickly?

J.J., unless I'm missing something in your question, I read 17:14 as allowing exactly this procedure, using Lay on the Table.

The only prohibition I see is in doing this en bloc with multiple reports.

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On 5/2/2022 at 12:48 PM, Atul Kapur said:

J.J., unless I'm missing something in your question, I read 17:14 as allowing exactly this procedure, using Lay on the Table.

The only prohibition I see is in doing this en bloc with multiple reports.

I have no doubt that there is some method for doing it.  My only concern is that a report is not a pending motion, technically.  17:3 #2 does not specifically include things other than main motions.  17:14 is a bit broader, but 41:38 refers to "the question that is actually before the assembly." Is the president's report "the question that is actually before the assembly?" I'm inclined to say yes, but I could see different answers. 

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On 5/2/2022 at 1:06 PM, J. J. said:

My only concern is that a report is not a pending motion, technically.  17:3 #2 does not specifically include things other than main motions.

 

On 5/2/2022 at 1:06 PM, J. J. said:

Is the president's report "the question that is actually before the assembly?" I'm inclined to say yes, but I could see different answers. 

14:11n9 and the last paragraph of 17:3(2) support "Yes" (as does Mr. Honemann). I see nothing to support a negative answer.

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Well, the citation wasn't just difficult for me.  Mr. Honemann, supporting Mr. Martins' opinion, seemed to venture that the officer's report could be laid on the table, apparently even if the report were to be given only for information.  However, my reading of the book does not support this opinion, and no citation was provided by Mr. Martin or Mr. Honemann.  It sounds like a case of "do as I say, not as I write", which I have always been opposed to on this forum.

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On 5/4/2022 at 11:30 AM, Rob Elsman said:

Well, the citation wasn't just difficult for me.  Mr. Honemann, supporting Mr. Martins' opinion, seemed to venture that the officer's report could be laid on the table, apparently even if the report were to be given only for information.  However, my reading of the book does not support this opinion, and no citation was provided by Mr. Martin or Mr. Honemann.  It sounds like a case of "do as I say, not as I write", which I have always been opposed to on this forum.

I would think that 17:14 and 41:38, as well as the footnote in 14:11, should suffice.

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