Allotted time to speak at meeting

[Guest BigB]

My HOA allows each person to speak for 3 minutes at a meeting.  If I don’t want to speak, can I yield my 3 minutes to another member?

[Bruce Lages]

No - under the rules in RONR the right to speak in debate is not transferable. But check the rules of your HOA, or even any local or state laws that govern HOAs in your state. They may have different rules regarding this.

Edited March 25, 2024 at 03:21 AM by Bruce Lages
edited to add the last sentence

[Josh Martin]

On 3/24/2024 at 10:13 PM, Guest BigB said:

My HOA allows each person to speak for 3 minutes at a meeting.  If I don’t want to speak, can I yield my 3 minutes to another member?

No, unless your HOA's rules so provide.

"Rights in regard to debate are not transferable. Unless the organization has a special rule on the subject, a member cannot yield any unexpired portion of his time to another member, or reserve any portion of his time for a later time—that is, if a member yields the floor before speaking his full ten minutes, he is presumed to have waived his right to the remaining time." RONR (12th ed.) 43:10

[Joshua Katz]

On 3/25/2024 at 5:45 AM, Josh Martin said:

Rights in regard to debate are not transferable.

I don't think OP is talking about debate, though.

[Josh Martin]

On 3/25/2024 at 8:31 AM, Joshua Katz said:

I don't think OP is talking about debate, though.

Oh, I see what you mean. It seems this appears to be in relation to some sort of "public comment" period, likely for HOA members during meetings of the HOA board.

In that case, the organization will have to look to its own rules governing this comment period, although generally I am still inclined to think a member's right to speak is not transferable unless the rule so provides.