Part 1 The Law of Deliberative Assemblies Bules of Order For Churches and Other Organizations Governed by Ecclesiastical Usage TABLE OF MOTIONS IN THE ORDER OF THEIR PRECEDENCE. (Letters refer to rules opposite.) Order of Precedence-The motions below numbered 1 to 9 take precedence over all others in the order given, and any one of them is in order while a motion of a lower rank is pending. 9. The Main Questions. To Modify or Amend. 8. To amend, substitute, or divide... To Refer to Committee. 7. To commit (or recommit). To Defer Action. To Suppress or Extend Debate. 5. For the previous question.... To Suppress the Question. Objection to consideration. 4. To postpone indefinitely. 4. To lay upon the table.. .K D C A E G A E M .A HM N DE AEG Q To Bring Up a Question the Second Time. DEFIP To reconsider undebatable question...A E FI P Concerning Orders, Rules, Etc. 3. For the orders of the day. To make subject a special order. To suspend the rules. To take up question out of its order. .A EH N M M .A E F M AEM AEG Q Questions touching priority of business. Questions of Privilege. Leave to continue speaking after indecorum...A The withdrawal of a motion.. For the Closing of a Meeting. 2. To adjourn (in committees, to rise), or to take a recess, without limitation..A E F Q R 1. To fix the time to which to adjourn. .B A. Undebatable, but remarks may be tacitly allowed. Undebatable if another question is before the assembly. C. Limited debate allowed on propriety of postponement only. D. Opens the main question to debate. Motions not so marked do not allow of reference to main question. Cannot be amended. E. F. . G. Cannot be reconsidered. An affirmative vote cannot be reconsidered. H. In order when another has the floor. I. A motion to reconsider may be moved and entered when another has the floor, but the business then before the house may not be set aside. This motion can only be entertained when made by one who voted orignially with the prevailing side. It takes precedence of all others, excepting motions relating to adjournment. Only one reconsideration is permitted. K. A motion to amend an amendment cannot be amended. L. The Chair may give reasons for his decisions, even when the appeal is not debatable. A tie vote sustains the decision. M. Requires two-thirds votes unless special rules have been adopted. N. Does not require to be seconded. O. A motion may be withdrawn before it is seconded; if seconded the consent of the second must be secured, and usually the request of these two is granted by unanimous consent; but if the request to withdraw is contested after the motion has been seconded and stated, a majority vote is required to permit the mover to withdraw his motion. P. A reconsidered motion cannot be reconsidered. Q. Cannot be renewed until other business has intervened. R. Motion to adjourn can be amended when there is no other business before the house, but when modificd in any form, loses its privilege. S. In order only when no other business is before the house. May be debated or amended and yields to all subsidiary motions. A, B, C OF PARLIAMENTARY LAW-TABULAR SUMMARY OF MOTIONS IN ALPHABET ICAL ORDER. With References to the Sections in Which They Are Fully Treated. Adjourn. (§118-120.) Cannot be amended or reconsidered: undebatable except when it would dissolve the assembly, leaving business unfinished, when limited discussion may be permitted. Loses its privilege if in any way modified. Adjourn: to Fix the Time. (§ 120.) Has precedence over every other motion; may be amended as to the time to which adjournment is to take place; undebatable if another question is before the assembly. Amend. ($61.) Debatable; may be amended; has same privilege as the motion which it is proposed to modify, and takes precedence of it. Amend an Amendment. ($62.) Same as to amend, except that it cannot be amended. Appeal from Decision of Chair. (§95.) Debatable; one speech from each member, except when relating to indecorum or transgression of the rules, when it is undebatable. Even if undebatable, the Chair may state his reasons for decision. Cannot be amended when it relates to indecorum. Call to Order. ($97.) Undebatable; does not require a second; cannot be amended; in order when another has the floor; may be decided on ruling of the Chair, subject to appeal, or submitted by the Chair to vote without formal motion. Commit (or Recommit). ($69.) Debatable, and opens the main question to debate. Takes precedence of motions to amend or postpone indefinitely. Can be amended. (§75-76.) Close, Extend or Limit Debate. Undebatable, and requires a two-thirds vote. Divide the Question. (§64.) Same as amend. May be debated and amended. Filling Blanks. ($67.) Same as amendments, but less formal. Fix the Time of Adjournment. (§121.) Has precedence over every other motion; may be amended as to the time when adjournment shall take place; undebatable if another question is before the house. Indecorum-Request to Continue Speaking After. ($97.) Undebatable. Lay on Table. ($72.) Undebatable; cannot be amended; an affirmative vote cannot be reconsidered. Lay on Table (When Used to Limit Debate). (§73.) An abuse of the question. Limit Debate. ($75.) Undebatable, and requires a two-thirds vote. Main Question. (§85.) Can be made only when no other business is before the house. Yields to all subsidiary and privileged questions. Objection to a Question. May be made when another has the floor; cannot be amended, privileged, debated or reconsidered; must be made when question is first introduced; requires two-thirds vote. Orders of the Day. ($82.) Motion for order of the day is in order when another has the floor; does not require to be seconded; cannot be amended, and is not debatable. Order, to Take Up a Question Out Of. ($85.) Not debatable; cannot be amended; requires twothirds vote. Parliamentary Inquiry. (§89.) Privileged; undebatable; does not require second. Personal Right, Question Of. ($96.) Does not require second; highly privileged. Points of Order. ($97.) Do not require second; undebatable. Postpone to a Fixed Time. (§70.) Limited debate permitted on the propriety of postponement; may be amended only as to the time. |