Board approved Motions

[RFloyd]

I am new to Roberts Rules and am trying to understand something that recently happened during a board meeting.

Prior to my nomination and acceptance to a non profit BOD, the board members voted and approved a motion that requires any future board member be part of an advisory committee for 1 year before they could be considered and/or nominated to the board of directors.

During a board meeting today, a new person was introduced to the board and nominated to the Executive Board to be considered for the position of Treasurer for the organization. A board majority refused to vote this person to the EB, but they agreed to vote him on to the BOD. This person has not served the required 1 year on the advisory committee as stated by the past motion.

Does the past motion stand, or does it have to be a Bylaw to stand?

Wouldn't the board need to vote to suspend the motion before they could vote this new person onto the BOD?

Would this election be considered valid if they simply ignored the past approved motion?

Thank you in advance for any guidance you can offer as I learn the rules.

[Gary Novosielski]

I am new to Roberts Rules and am trying to understand something that recently happened during a board meeting.

Prior to my nomination and acceptance to a non profit BOD, the board members voted and approved a motion that requires any future board member be part of an advisory committee for 1 year before they could be considered and/or nominated to the board of directors.

During a board meeting today, a new person was introduced to the board and nominated to the Executive Board to be considered for the position of Treasurer for the organization. A board majority refused to vote this person to the EB, but they agreed to vote him on to the BOD. This person has not served the required 1 year on the advisory committee as stated by the past motion.

Does the past motion stand, or does it have to be a Bylaw to stand?

Wouldn't the board need to vote to suspend the motion before they could vote this new person onto the BOD?

Would this election be considered valid if they simply ignored the past approved motion?

Thank you in advance for any guidance you can offer as I learn the rules.

The qualifications (or restrictions) for members of the Board of Directors would have to be included in the bylaws. Are you saying that the BoD amended the bylaws to change the eligibility requirements, or did they just vote some ordinary motion and claim that they have modified the requirements without amending the bylaws?

If they claim to have amended the bylaws, do they have the authority, according to the bylaws, to amend the bylaws on their own initiative?

You'll have to read the bylaws to find out.

RONR has nothing to say about the customized rules used in your organization, except that you should follow them.

[Josh Martin]

Does the past motion stand, or does it have to be a Bylaw to stand?

The past motion is invalid. A requirement for office would need to be in the Bylaws.

Wouldn't the board need to vote to suspend the motion before they could vote this new person onto the BOD?

Would this election be considered valid if they simply ignored the past approved motion?

The past motion is invalid so the board is free to ignore it. The election is valid. Now, if this rule ever is placed into the Bylaws, it would not be suspendable, and if ignored, the election would be null and void.