Notes and Comments on Robert's Rules, Fourth Edition

Getting Started: Basic Provisions for Handling a Motion

7 7 Getting Started: Basic Provisions for Handling a Motion What is the procedure for obtaining the floor to introduce a motion? Before making a motion, a member must obtain the floor. To do so, a member rises (or goes to a microphone in larger assemblies) and addresses the chair by title (29, 376–77). In Robert’s, “The term the chair refers to the person in a meeting who is actually presiding at the time, whether that person is the regular presiding officer or not [i.e., president, chairman, speaker, or moderator]” (448). The chair then recognizes the member by announcing the member’s name or title. In large conventions, a delegate will state his name and unit represented prior to speaking. Members are not required to rise in smaller boards and committees to be recognized (29, 487). What are the steps for handling a motion? There are six steps for handling main motions and other debatable motions. Robert’s divides them into three steps for bringing forward a motion and three for considering a motion: 1. A member makes the motion by stating, “I move that . . .” (32–33). (Do not say “I make the motion that . . .”) 2.Anothermembersecondsthemotionbycallingout,“Second!”(35). 3. The chair states the motion, “It is moved and seconded that . . .” (37). (Do not say “It has been moved and seconded that . . .”) 4. Members debate the motion (42). 5. The chair takes the vote (or “puts the question to a vote”) (44). 6. The chair announces the result (47). These steps may vary depending on the parliamentary situation and whether the specific motion is debatable, requires a vote, etc. May the chair simply place a motion before the body? Generally, no. However, in instances where members are generally in favor of an action or there seems to be “no opposition in routine 8 Notes and Comments on Robert’s Rules business or on questions of little importance,” the chair can place the motion before the body without a formal motion (54). An example might be the chair asking, “Is there is any objection to approving the minutes?” What is the purpose of the second? The purpose of the second “is to prevent time from being consumed by the assembly’s having to dispose of a motion that only one person wants to see introduced” (36). The goal of parliamentary procedure is to balance individual and majority rights. When the organization finds itself with an oddball who wastes valuable time making ridiculous motions, the delicate balance is lost. Thus, the requirement of the second is a fine-tuning device that restores the balance by requiring at least one other member who thinks the motion is worth talking about. (The purpose is admirable—few people argue in favor of wasting time—but alas, most organizations have more than one oddball. There is always the member who will second anything.) What if the chair forgets to ask for a second? Prior to debate, a member may raise a Point of Order that the motion has not received a second. But concern for the second is often overdone . Even Robert’s advises: “In handling routine motions, less attention is paid to the requirement of a second. If the chair is certain that a motion meets with wide approval but members are slow in seconding it, he can state the question without waiting for a second” (36–37). Robert’s advice is well taken because three misconceptions result from excessive concern about a second. The first misconception is that a motion is out of order if it is discovered during debate that the motion was not seconded. Once debate has begun, a motion is not out of order if it was not seconded. Recall that the rationale for requiring a second is to ensure that at least one other member thinks the motion is worth talking about. Once debate has progressed, the rationale has been met (36–37). The second misconception is that an adopted motion is null and void if it is later discovered that the motion was never seconded. Obviously, if the body adopts a motion, the rationale for requiring a second has been met. 9 Getting Started Neither of these two misconceptions will occur, of course, if the chair remembers to obtain a second, but it is not unusual to hear a Point of Order that “This motion was not seconded” turn into a “parliamentary hassle.” Typically...