Suspending a rule by a lower threshhold than the rule requires

[Guest Peter Deg]

The Standing Rules of the organization contain the following rule:

Business that is outside of a committee report and included in the meeting packet will be treated as new business, which shall ordinarily be briefly introduced and referred.  If the new business includes a motion, the proper forms must be filled out and two copies given to the secretary. Proceeding to action of any new business later in the same meeting requires a two‐ thirds vote.

However, the Standing Rules also llater state that

These Standing Rules may be amended or set aside by simple majority vote without prior notice at any stated meeting.

While the first rule has a certain specificity, what vote would be required for a motion to suspend the rules in order to take up new business X later (or even immediately)  in the same meeting?   

 

[Gary Novosielski]

A general statement yields to a more specific statement.  So that particular situation requires a two-thirds vote.

RONR distinguishes between Rules of Order and Standing Rules.  Standing Rules require only a majority vote to suspend them, but Rules of Order require a two-thirds vote.  Because this rule refers specifically to the conduct of business in a meeting, it is properly a Rule of Order.

For a full discussion of these and various different types of rules, see [RONR (12th ed.) §2]

Edited October 19, 2023 at 05:12 AM by Gary Novosielski

[Guest Peter Deg]

Thank you.