19City of Roseville y Commissioner’s Handbook
<br />To Debate or Not to Debate
<br />The basic rule of motions is that they are
<br />subject to discussion and debate. Accord-
<br />ingly, basic motions, motions to amend,
<br />and substitute motions are all eligible,
<br />each in their turn, for full discussion before
<br />and by the body. The debate can continue
<br />as long as members of the body wish to
<br />discuss an item, subject to the decision
<br />of the chair that it is time to move on and
<br />take action.
<br />There are exceptions to the general rule
<br />of free and open debate on motions. The
<br />exceptions all apply when there is a desire
<br />of the body to move on. The following
<br />motions are not debatable (that is, when
<br />the following motions are made and
<br />seconded, the chair must immediately call
<br />for a vote of the body without debate on
<br />the motion):
<br />A motion to adjourn. This motion, if
<br />passed, requires the body to immediately
<br />adjourn to its next regularly scheduled
<br />meeting. This motion requires a simple
<br />majority vote.
<br />A motion to recess. This motion, if
<br />passed, requires the body to immediately
<br />take a recess. Normally, the chair deter-
<br />mines the length of the recess, which may
<br />range from a few minutes to an hour. It
<br />requires a simple majority vote.
<br />A motion to fix the time to adjourn. This
<br />motion, if passed, requires the body to
<br />adjourn the meeting at the specific time
<br />set in the motion. For example, the motion
<br />might be: “I move we adjourn this meeting
<br />at midnight.” It requires a simple majority
<br />vote.
<br />A motion to table. This motion, if passed,
<br />requires discussion of the agenda item
<br />to be halted and the agenda item to be
<br />placed on “hold.” The motion may contain
<br />a specific time in which the item can come
<br />back to the body: “I move we table this
<br />item until our regular meeting in October.”
<br />Or the motion may contain no specific
<br />time for the return of the item, in which
<br />case a motion to take the item off the ta-
<br />ble and bring it back to the body will have
<br />to be taken at a future meeting. A motion
<br />to table an item (or to bring it back to the
<br />body) requires a simple majority vote.
<br />A motion to limit debate. The most
<br />common form of this motion is to say: “I
<br />move the previous question” or “I move
<br />the question” or “I call for the question.”
<br />When a member of the body makes such
<br />a motion, the member is really saying: “I’ve
<br />had enough debate. Let’s get on with the
<br />vote.” When such a motion is made, the
<br />chair should ask for a second to the mo-
<br />tion, stop debate, and vote on the motion
<br />to limit debate. The motion to limit debate
<br />requires a two-thirds vote of the body.
<br />Note that a motion to limit debate could
<br />include a time limit. For example: “I move
<br />we limit debate on this agenda item to 15
<br />minutes.” Even in this format, the motion
<br />to limit debate requires a two-thirds vote
<br />of the body. A similar motion is a motion
<br />to object to consideration of an item. This
<br />motion is not debatable, and if passed,
<br />precludes the body from even considering
<br />an item on the agenda. It also requires a
<br />two-thirds vote.
<br />Majority and Super-Majority Votes
<br />In a democracy, decisions are made with a
<br />simple majority vote. A tie vote means the
<br />motion fails. So in a seven-member body,
<br />a vote of 4-3 passes the motion. A vote of
<br />3-3 with one abstention means the motion
<br />fails. If one member is absent and the vote
<br />is 3-3, the motion still fails.
<br />All motions require a simple majority, but
<br />there are a few exceptions. The excep-
<br />tions occur when the body is taking an
<br />action that effectively cuts off the ability
<br />of a minority of the body to take an action
<br />or discuss an item. These extraordinary
<br />motions require a two-thirds majority (a
<br />super-majority) to pass:
<br />Motion to limit debate. Whether a mem-
<br />ber says, “I move the previous question,” “I
<br />move the question,” “I call for the question”
<br />or “I move to limit debate,” it all amounts
<br />to an attempt to cut off the ability of the
<br />minority to discuss an item, and it requires
<br />a two-thirds vote to pass.
<br />Motion to close nominations. When
<br />choosing officers of the body, such as
<br />the chair, nominations are in order either
<br />from a nominating committee or from
<br />the floor of the body. A motion to close
<br />nominations effectively cuts off the right
<br />of the minority to nominate officers, and it
<br />requires a two-thirds vote to pass.
<br />Motion to object to the consideration
<br />of a question. Normally, such a motion is
<br />unnecessary, because the objectionable
<br />item can be tabled or defeated straight up.
<br />However, when members of a body do not
<br />even want an item on the agenda
<br />to be considered, then such a motion is in
<br />order. It is not debatable, and it requires a
<br />two-thirds vote to pass.
<br />Motion to suspend the rules. This mo-
<br />tion is debatable, but requires a two-thirds
<br />vote to pass. If the body has its own rules
<br />of order, conduct or procedure, this mo-
<br />tion allows the body to suspend the rules
<br />for a particular purpose. For example, the
<br />body (a private club) might have a rule
<br />prohibiting the attendance at meetings by
<br />non-club members. A motion to suspend
<br />the rules would be in order to allow a non-
<br />club member to attend a meeting of the
<br />club on a particular date or on a particular
<br />agenda item.
<br />The Motion to Reconsider
<br />There is a special and unique motion
<br />that requires a bit of explanation all by
<br />itself: the motion to reconsider. A tenet of
<br />parliamentary procedure is finality. After
<br />vigorous discussion, debate and a vote,
<br />there must be some closure to the issue.
<br />And so, after a vote is taken, the matter is
<br />deemed closed, subject only to reopening
<br />if a proper motion to reconsider is made.
<br />A motion to reconsider requires a majority
<br />vote to pass, but there are two special
<br />rules that apply only to the motion to
<br />reconsider.
<br />First is the matter of timing. A motion to
<br />reconsider must be made at the meeting
<br />where the item was first voted upon or at
<br />the very next meeting of the body. A mo-
<br />tion to reconsider made at a later time is
<br />untimely. (The body, however, can always
<br />vote to suspend the rules and, by a two-
<br />thirds majority, allow a motion to recon-
<br />sider to be made at another time.)
<br />Second, a motion to reconsider may be
<br />made only by certain members of the
<br />body. Accordingly, a motion to reconsider
<br />may be made only by a member who
<br />voted in the majority on the original mo-
<br />tion. If such a member has a change of
<br />heart, he or she may make the motion to
<br />reconsider (any other member of the body
<br />may second the motion). If a member who
<br />voted in the minority seeks to make the
<br />motion to reconsider, it must be ruled out
<br />of order. The purpose of this rule is finality.
<br />If a member of the minority could make a
<br />motion to reconsider, then the item could
<br />be brought back to the body again and
<br />again, which would defeat the purpose of
<br />finality.
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