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"Amendments considered as a block and voted upon as one without discussion." Why?

Guest Joyce Kozelliski

By Guest Joyce Kozelliski
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Weldon Merritt

Weldon Merritt

Posted
Posted (edited)
On 5/8/2024 at 6:41 PM, Guest Joyce Kozelliski said:

Why are amendments considered as a block and voted upon without discussion

Where did you get that idea? That's certainly not the rule in RONR. Amendments are debatable, except amendments to an undebatable motion. And if a series of independent amendments are moved in one motion, the motion  can be divided. Depending on how closely related the amendments are, they may be divided on the davened demand of a singe member, or by a motion to Divide the Question.

Edited by Weldon Merritt
Correct a typo.
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Guest Joyce Kozelliski

Guest Joyce Kozelliski

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Posted

No, they were not part of a consent agenda.   An organization I belong to is having their annual meeting.  The proposed amendments to our bylaws were sent to all members.   There is a group of 3 amendments that state:  "The following three proposed amendments will be considered as a block.  The block will be voted upon as one without discussion.

I'm just wondering why there will be no discussion.

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Joshua Katz

Joshua Katz

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Posted
On 5/8/2024 at 6:18 PM, Guest Joyce Kozelliski said:

I'm just wondering why there will be no discussion.

Unless there is something in your bylaws about it, because someone in your organization (whoever prints the proposals) thinks they can force people to vote without a discussion. Which they can, if people go along, but people should not go along without being shown a rule that allows them to do so.

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Weldon Merritt

Weldon Merritt

Posted
Posted
On 5/8/2024 at 6:41 PM, Guest Joyce Kozelliski said:

Why are amendments considered as a block and voted upon without discussion

 

On 5/9/2024 at 1:03 PM, Gary Novosielski said:

They're not.

Notwithstanding many initial response, which I stand by as the general rule, I think some amendments might need to be voted on as a block, if they are dependent on each other so that none wood make sense standing alone. But I agree that discussion cannot be precluded except by a properly adopted Special Rule of Order, motion to Suspend the Rules, or order for the Previous Question. Or if they are amendment to an undebatable motion, but that seems rather unlikely for a series of amendments.

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Shmuel Gerber

Shmuel Gerber

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Posted
On 5/8/2024 at 7:58 PM, Weldon Merritt said:

And if a series of independent amendments are moved in one motion, the motion  can be divided. Depending on how closely related the amendments are, they may be divided on the [demand] of a singe member, or by a motion to Divide the Question.

This is true for amendments to the bylaws, which are main motions. For subsidiary motions to Amend, however, the rule is different. See 27:11.

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Gary Novosielski

Gary Novosielski

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On 5/9/2024 at 2:16 PM, Weldon Merritt said:

 

Notwithstanding many initial response, which I stand by as the general rule, I think some amendments might need to be voted on as a block, if they are dependent on each other so that none wood make sense standing alone. But I agree that discussion cannot be precluded except by a properly adopted Special Rule of Order, motion to Suspend the Rules, or order for the Previous Question. Or if they are amendment to an undebatable motion, but that seems rather unlikely for a series of amendments.

I suppose so, but you must admit that if it were a true-false test, the statement:

Amendments are considered as a block and voted upon without discussion.

would be correctly marked FALSE.

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Weldon Merritt

Weldon Merritt

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Posted
On 5/9/2024 at 6:26 PM, Gary Novosielski said:

I suppose so, but you must admit that if it were a true-false test, the statement:

Amendments are considered as a block and voted upon without discussion.

would be correctly marked FALSE.

Yes, I agree with that. If the statement is false in any respect, then the correct answer is FALSE.   

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Josh Martin

Josh Martin

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Posted (edited)
On 5/8/2024 at 6:41 PM, Guest Joyce Kozelliski said:

Why are amendments considered as a block and voted upon without discussion

They aren't.

On 5/8/2024 at 8:18 PM, Guest Joyce Kozelliski said:

No, they were not part of a consent agenda.   An organization I belong to is having their annual meeting.  The proposed amendments to our bylaws were sent to all members.   There is a group of 3 amendments that state:  "The following three proposed amendments will be considered as a block.  The block will be voted upon as one without discussion.

I'm just wondering why there will be no discussion.

It may or may not be reasonable to consider these three amendments "as a block."

  • If the amendments are very closely related, such that they won't make any sense standing on their own, they must be voted on as a block.
  • If the amendments are somewhat closely related, but they would still make sense standing on their own, they may be divided by majority vote.
  • If the amendments are not related, they may be divided upon demand of a single member.

In any event, however, the amendments are debatable, unless the assembly determines otherwise by a 2/3 vote.

Edited by Josh Martin
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