When is a second required?

[Guest Marilyn Young]

Under RONR, when a motion comes to the body from a standing committee or a special committee and is the result of the work of the committee, is a second required?

[Joshua Katz]

A second is not required when the person representing the committee, usually its chair, moves the recommendation during the committee's report.

[Weldon Merritt]

On 8/13/2023 at 4:57 PM, Joshua Katz said:

A second is not required when the person representing the committee, usually its chair, moves the recommendation during the committee's report.

Provided that the committee consists of at least two members.  A one-person committee is rare, but no impossible.

[Gary Novosielski]

On 8/13/2023 at 6:56 PM, Guest Marilyn Young said:

Under RONR, when a motion comes to the body from a standing committee or a special committee and is the result of the work of the committee, is a second required?

A motion that was recommended by a committee (i.e., included in their report by a majority vote) a second is not necessary.  I don't think it matters whether the mover is the committee chair or not.  The only additional requirement is that the committee must consist of at least two members. if not, then a second would be needed.

[Shmuel Gerber]

On 8/13/2023 at 7:25 PM, Gary Novosielski said:

I don't think it matters whether the mover is the committee chair or not.

No one said otherwise. But (for some reason) it matters whether the mover is a member of the committee. 

[Gary Novosielski]

Yeah, for some reason that makes less than the usual amount of sense, since it's still the committee's recommendation.

[puzzling]

On 8/14/2023 at 12:22 AM, Weldon Merritt said:

Provided that the committee consists of at least two members.  A one-person committee is rare, but no impossible.

Not sure about that one persons commitees need  a second.

The motion to commit allready needed a second, and i don't see it as good practice to refer a motion to a commitee and then not wanting to hear what the committee finds out.

[Josh Martin]

On 8/14/2023 at 12:24 AM, puzzling said:

Not sure about that one persons commitees need  a second.

It seems to me the reasoning is pretty clear.

"A motion made by direction of a board or duly appointed committee of the assembly requires no second from the floor (provided the subordinate group is composed of more than one person), since the motion's introduction has been directed by a majority vote within the board or committee and is therefore desired by at least two assembly members or elected or appointed persons to whose opinion the assembly is presumed to give weight regarding the board's or committee's concerns. (For rules governing the appointment of non–assembly members to committees, see 13:15, 50:12, and 50:13(d).)" RONR (12th ed.) 4:11

This reasoning is not applicable if the committee consists of only one person.

On 8/14/2023 at 12:24 AM, puzzling said:

The motion to commit allready needed a second, and i don't see it as good practice to refer a motion to a commitee and then not wanting to hear what the committee finds out.

The motion to commit and the motion proposed by the committee member are not the same thing. The second on the motion to Commit is immaterial.

I would note that the assembly will still "hear what the committee finds out," as the report would still be given. But it is conceivable, I suppose, that no one other than the committee member wishes to consider the motion made by the committee of one. (Although this would seem rather unusual.)

[Gary Novosielski]

On 8/14/2023 at 1:24 AM, puzzling said:

Not sure about that one persons commitees need  a second.

Please be assured that they do.

Well I mean, the motions arising out of their reports do.

Edited August 14, 2023 at 03:07 PM by Gary Novosielski