Notes #30- 10 More Useful Motions to Know

Last Notes, we covered 10 basic motions everyone should know.  Now we have 10 “More Useful Motions to Know”, which are of several classes of motions, some are subsidiary and relate to the main motion, some are incidental and relate to the pending business in different ways, and some are motions which bring a question "again" before the assembly. Initially it is more important to focus on what is accomplished by the use of the motions listed.

1. CHANGE RULES OF DEBATE. Move to LIMIT or EXTEND LIMITS OF DEBATE. You can move to reduce (or increase) the number of speeches or the length of each speech or you can specify a time limit for debate on a pending main motion.  Be aware this will require a 2/3^rd vote!  Standard is speaking twice on the same motion for 10 minutes each.  You group can change that across the board, setting it as a Standing Rule.  This motion allows you to temporarily change this.

2. FORCE CONFORMITY TO AGENDA. Use the device, CALL FOR THE ORDERS OF THE DAY to require the return to the adopted program or order of business.  This can be used if your meeting is getting off track.

3. URGENT PRIVILEGE. Use the device, RAISE A QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE, to interrupt pending business to make a request affecting the rights or privileges of the assembly (i.e to point out that the speaker cannot be heard, it’s too hot or too cold, or the like.)

4. SET UP AN ADJOURNED MEETING. Move to FIX THE TIME TO WHICH TO ADJOURN. The adoption of this motion does NOT adjourn the meeting, it really says that when we “adjourn”, we are really “adjourning to meet again at a specified place or time/day”.   This is a very confusing motion!  Think of it as a really really long recess of the meeting (to the next day), so that the meeting continues and you can conclude business.  Usually only seen with organizations that have a multi-day legislative session at a convention. 

5. DISAGREE WITH CHAIR'S RULING. Move to APPEAL from the decision of the chair (must be made immediately after the chair's ruling on a POINT OF ORDER).

6. IN DOUBT ABOUT A VOTE? Call for a DIVISION OF THE ASSEMBLY (you can just call out "DIVISION!") when a voice vote seems inconclusive (and the chair doesn't do this); it is a demand for a rising vote (no vote is required on this call) .

7. TEMPORARILY CHANGE RULES. Move to SUSPEND THE RULES if something needs to be done and it’s not in accordance with the regular rules of procedure. (NOTE: Bylaws cannot be suspended!!!)

8. FIRE A COMMITTEE. Move to DISCHARGE A COMMITTEE when a committee has failed to carry out its duties or when it is desired to return a matter back to the assembly.   Typically only done with Special/Ad Hoc committees.

9. CANCEL OR REPEAL A PRIOR ACTION. Move to RESCIND if you want to strike out, change, cancel, or countermand a previous action or order adopted any time in the past.

10. REVERSE A VOTE OR CHANGE ADOPTED MOTION. Move to RECONSIDER the vote on the previously adopted motion. The purpose is to permit correction of an erroneous action or to take into account new information.

Again, see the prior Notes on motions for more info on resources.

[this note is based on work by the Plantation Unit of Parliamentarians]

Notes #29- 10 Basic Motions

As noted, the workhorse for introducing and handling business in your group (or a committee within it) is the MOTION.  In the first in this sub-series, we covered how to handle the basic “main motion”.  Each member has the right to participate according to their own judgment- to make motions, debate, and vote. The following summary will not tell you everything you need to know, but if you know how to accomplish what you want in meetings, you have made great strides in contributing to effective meetings.   So here we give 10 basic motions that most people will need to know.

1. BRING UP BUSINESS. If you want to propose that your group take an action (ie, make a purchase, plan a service event or social event or a camping trip) you must make a MAIN MOTION. You can only do this when no other business is pending.  (see the first in this sub-series on how to do this).

2. KILL A MAIN MOTION. Move to POSTPONE INDEFINITELY. This avoids a direct vote on the main motion and thereby "kills" it.

3. MAKE A MAIN MOTION BETTER. Move to AMEND the main motion. You may add or delete or change, even substitute one motion for another.  Don’t withhold a second because the motion isn't quite what you want, instead AMEND it.

4. GET MORE INFORMATION. Move to REFER the motion to a committee. You may even specify which committee or you may define the committee. (that is, assign it to an already existing Standing Committee or establish a short-lived Special Committee or Ad Hoc Committee with specific members just to look at this matter)  Very useful if you think the idea has merit, but needs more work by a small group of people.

5. PUT OFF THE VOTE ON A MAIN MOTION. Move to POSTPONE the main motion to a later time or another meeting. The time must be DEFINITELY specified.  If postponing it to another meeting, ideally it should be the next one.

6. PUT ASIDE TEMPORARILY. Move to LAY the pending motion ON THE TABLE. Can only be used if an urgent reason to do so. Consideration of the motion continues after adoption of the motion to TAKE FROM THE TABLE.

7. CLOSE DEBATE/STOP AMENDMENTS. Move the PREVIOUS QUESTION. (some groups allow for this to be called "STOP DEBATE"). This requires a 2/3 vote and if adopted the vote is taken immediately on the pending motion.   DON’T confuse the vote on the previous question with a vote on the motion itself!!  They are separate!   If you voted to stop the debate, you STILL have to vote on the motion itself.

8. TAKE A BREAK. Move to RECESS. A recess is short intermission (say, 15 minutes or so); the interrupted business is resumed after the recess.

9. CLOSE THE MEETING. Move to ADJOURN. Adjourn is in order even when business is pending and if adopted closes the meeting immediately.   (any pending business is lost, by the way).

10. NEED TO KNOW SOMETHING more about the pending motion? Use the device REQUEST FOR INFORMATION. For example, "Mr. President, Request for Information. How much did we give last year?"

For more resources on motions, see the previous Note.

[this note is based on work by the Plantation Unit of Parliamentarians]