Amending bylaws

[Mike6453]

I have a procedural question about my church amending bylaws. Note that we are in the process of doing a major update to the bylaws and will present the entire bylaws as a revision. Our church bylaws require amendments to be presented at one meeting and voted on at the next meeting. My question pertains to when the proposed revision comes up for a vote. Can members make motions to amend the proposed revision? And if this is allowed, I presume each amendment motion would be handled separately. But if an amendment to the revision is approved, does the church vote on the entire revision as amended at that meeting or must it be delayed until the next meeting? Thank you!!

[Gary Novosielski]

Yes, when the revision is moved, it is open to amendment. Each amendment is handled separately.  The typical method is to consider the revision a paragraph or section at a time, in manageable pieces.  Amendments are allowed for each paragraph, and voted on.  Amendments require only a majority vote to be agreed to.  If no (more) discussion or amendments are offered for a particular paragraph, move on to the next.  

Once the whole document has been "perfected" the entire revision is then voted on for final approval (or rejection). If your bylaws are silent, or are typical, a two-thirds vote is required for final passage.

The rules in RONR do require previous notice, but do not require that it be done at a meeting.  But your custom rules do not conflict with anything in RONR. 

I don't know what your bylaws actually say, except what you have described, which is apparently a paraphrase, not the actual language, but assuming there are no surprises there, the final vote can be taken at the second meeting.  If it takes longer than you expect, the matter can be postponed to a third meeting and taken up again, but if it's ready for the vote at the second meeting, there's no reason to delay the vote.

 

[Josh Martin]

On 9/19/2023 at 9:11 PM, Mike6453 said:

My question pertains to when the proposed revision comes up for a vote. Can members make motions to amend the proposed revision?

Yes.

On 9/19/2023 at 9:11 PM, Mike6453 said:

And if this is allowed, I presume each amendment motion would be handled separately.

Yes.

On 9/19/2023 at 9:11 PM, Mike6453 said:

But if an amendment to the revision is approved, does the church vote on the entire revision as amended at that meeting or must it be delayed until the next meeting?

After all debate and amendments have concluded, the assembly takes a vote on the revision as a whole, as amended. The assembly may postpone consideration to the next meeting if it wishes, but the assembly is not obligated to do so, unless your rules so provide.

Edited September 20, 2023 at 04:42 PM by Josh Martin

[puzzling]

On 9/20/2023 at 5:41 PM, Josh Martin said:

After all debate and amendments have concluded, the assembly takes a vote on the revision as a whole, as amended. The assembly may postpone consideration to the next meeting if it wishes, but the assembly is not obligated to do so, unless your rules so provide

Puzzling with aspects of this.

If the final vote on the adaption of the revision is delayed to the next meeting.

Are at that next meeting all parts of he revision again open for amendment and debate?

[Atul Kapur]

Yes.