New Business Items

[Guest Melissa]

In a large assembly of representatives (approx 600), a new business item is proposed and adopted by the body. How does the NBI get implemented in the future? Is there responsibility of the maker to ensure the intentions are followed? Is there responsibility of the President or designee, to obtain information from the maker to understand the intent of the NBI? Or is it all up to the President to interpret the NBI and follow as they deem appropriate?

Is there a Rule around NBIs? Or does it come from past practice of the assembly and leadership?

[Gary c Tesser]

Frankly, I do wish that Robert's Rules put a little more emphasis on this question. As far as I can tell, the book assumes that an organization will, routinely, properly implement an action that it has decided to do. But the statement of this process is, in fact, explicit only in an example, given on p. 115, which I usually am so annoyed in having difficulty finding, because it's probably on p. 121 or so in the 9th Edition, which I cut my teeth on, and boy, does cutting my teeth hurt, somewhat because holding that buzz-saw to my jaw makes my eyeballs jump around, unless I'm maybe being over-literal again, or maybe over-gross.

P. 115 discusses the organization's adopting a motion to make a donation. (Guest_Melissa_ and other fans of my loquacious asides, please note: the discussion on this page is really only about adopting the motion. Implementing the motion -- what we're discussing now -- is in the eye-openingly casual summary.) The chair announces that the motion to make the donation has been adopted; he directs the treasurer to cut the check; he directs the secretary to write a cover letter ...

-- and he then asks for further business! See? It's assumed that the job will be done ... and we move on! For sure, it's certainly not the job of the maker of the motion to make sure that it's carried through: that's the job of the organization itself. (I'll hazard that, in practice, if the organization's administration is neglectful, the maker of the motion might find herself razzing everybody to do their jobs. But that's politics, kiinda, not the pure parliamentarianationism that this website is about.)

N.B. "NBI," for "new business item," is not a standard abbreviation, as far as I know. I myslef will cheerily support Guest_Melissa_'s initiative to popularize it, should she so desire, but readers should be wary of using it without providing a first example (as Guest_Melissa_ dutifully supplied in this thread),

Oh, and all this holds for any motion adopted, even for old or previously-unfinished business items, or any incidental business items that should come up. Not just NBI's. (Darn, now she has me doin it.)

[Edited for some clarity, on the off-chance]

[Guest Melissa]

Let me explain a bit more - I created several NBIs (only way I know how to name them) because I wanted some change to occur in the organization. The body adopted them. Behind the scenes, the President doesn't agree with my NBIs. Therefore, does President now have the authority to interpret the NBIs they way she/he sees fit? Which would really be out of line with the intent of the NBIs?

[hmtcastle]

Let me explain a bit more - I created several NBIs (only way I know how to name them) because I wanted some change to occur in the organization.

Let's call them motions. You made several motions and they were adopted by the assembly. How (or even if) they affect the president depends on the precise wording of the motions. If they properly directed the president to do something, that's what he has to do.

[Chris Harrison]

Therefore, does President now have the authority to interpret the NBIs they way she/he sees fit?

Absolutely not! The President is duty bound to implement the orders of the assembly (I don't know if RONR specifically says that but it is simple common sense) and should be severely disciplined for any insubordination. See FAQ #20 for details.