Debate during Motion

[Guest Seymour]

During a debate on a motion; can a member ask for advice from a non-member? Is a vote required? Does that non-member, if approved for responding, be recognized as an expert?

[hmtcastle]

During a debate on a motion; can a member ask for advice from a non-member? Is a vote required? Does that non-member, if approved for responding, be recognized as an expert?

The member can ask but it's up to the assembly, as a whole, to permit a non-member to speak during debate. If not done by unanimous consent, a two-thirds vote is required.

[Chris Harrison]

During a debate on a motion; can a member ask for advice from a non-member?

If that nonmember is present in the meeting I don't think any rule in RONR would prevent the member from quietly conferring with the nonmember as long as the nonmember isn't addressing the assembly itself.

Is a vote required?

If the member and nonmember are quietly conferring without the nonmember addressing the assembly I don't see why a vote would be required. I think the member could simply say something like, "One moment while I confer with Mr. X" however, the time spent conferring would be taken out of the member's time. On the other hand if the member wishes to have the nonmember address the assembly the member would need to move to Suspend the Rules to allow the nonmember to speak in debate which requires a 2/3 vote. But first the member would have to give up the floor and thus one of his two allowed speeches would be ended.

Does that non-member, if approved for responding, be recognized as an expert?

No. The fact that the assembly allowed the nonmember to enter into debate in no shape or form means that the nonmember is an expert.