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Rosenberg's Rules of Order: Simple Parliamentary Procedure for the 21st Century a staff person, or a committee chair charged with providing information about the agenda item. Third, the chair should ask members of the body if they have any technical questions for clarification. At this point, members of the governing body may ask clarifying questions to the people who reported on the item, and they should be given time to respond. Fourth, the chair should invite public comments or, if appropriate at a formal meeting, open the meeting to public input If numerous members of the pub- lic indicate a desire to speak ro the sub- ject, the chair may limit the time of each public speaker. At the conclusion of the public comments, the chair should ann- ounce that public input has concluded (or that the public hearing, as the case may be, is closed). Fifth, the chair should invite a motion from the governing body members. The chair should announce the name of the member who makes the motion. Sixth, the chair should determine if any member of the body wishes to second the motion. The chair should announce the name of the member who seconds the mouon. It is normally good practice for a motion to require a second before proceeding with it, to ensure that it is not just one member of the body who is interested in a particular approach. However, a second is not an absolute requirement, and the chair can proceed with consideration and a vote on the mouon even when there is no second. This is a matter left to the discrerion of the chair. Seventh, if the motion is made and sec- onded, the chair should make sure every- one understands the motion. This is done in one of three ways: 1. T6e chair can ask the maker of the monon to repeat ir; 2. The chair can repeat the motion; or 3. The chair can ask the secretary or the clerk of the body to repeat the motion. 2 League of California Cities Eighth, the chair should now invite dis- cussion of the motion by the members of the governing body. If there is no desired discussion or the discussion has ended, the chair should announce that the body will vote on the motion. If there has been no discussion or a very brief discussion, the vote should proceed immediately, and there is no need to re- peat the motion. If there has been sub- standal discussion, it is normally best to make sure everyone understands the motion by repeating it. Motions are made in a simple two-step process. First, the chair recognizes the member. Second, the member makes a motion by preceding the member's desired approach with the words: "I move ..." A typical motion might be: "I move that we give 10 days' notice in the future for all our meetings." The chair usually ininates the motion by: l. Inviting rhe members to make a motion: "A motion at this time would be in order." l�eUate on policy is healthy; debate on personalities is not. The chair has the right to cut off discussion that is too personal, too loud or too crude. Ninth, the chair takes a vote. Simply asking for the "ayes" and then the "nays" is normally sufficient. If inembers of the body do not vote, then they "abstain." Unless the rules of the body provide otherwise or unless a super-majoriry is required (as delineated later in these rules), a simple majority determines whether the motion passes or is defeated. Tenth, the chair should announce the result of the vote and should announce what action (if any) the body has taken. In announcing the result, the chair should indicate the names of the mem- bers, if any, who voted in the minority on the motion. This announcement might take the following form: "The motion passes by a vote of 3-2, with Smith and Jones dissenting. We have passed the motion requiring 10 days' notice for all future meetings of this governing body." Motions in General Motions are the vehicles for decision- making. It is usually best to have a mot- ion before the governing body prior to discussing an agenda item, to help every- one focus on the motion before them. Suggesting a motion to the members: "A motion would be in order that we give 10-days' notice in the future for all our meetings." 3. Making the motion. As noted, the chair has every right as a member of the body to make a motion, but normally should do so only if he or she wishes a motion to be made but no other member seems willing to do so. The Three Basic Motions Three motions are the most common: 1. The basic motion. The basic motion is the one that puts forward a deci- sion for consideration. A basic mot- ion might be: "I move that we create a five-member committee to plan and put on our annual fundraiser." 2. The motion to amend. If a member wants to change a basic mouon that is under discussion, he or she would move to amend it. A motion to aniend might be: "I move that we amend the modon to have a 10- member committee." A motion to amend takes the basic motion that is before the body and seeks to change it in some way.