Motions

1. Motions The Kinds of Motions That Are Used to Have an Effective Meeting African Methodist Episcopal Church Fifth District Lay Organization Annual Meeting June 27, 2019

2. Agenda • What is a motion • Kinds of motions • Ranking motions • Non-ranking motion • How to use motions

3. What is a motion A motion is… • a formal proposal • by a member • in a meeting • that the assembly take a certain action Example:“That the organization purchase a new laptop for the secretary.”

4. Major Kinds of Motions • Main motion • Subsidiary motions • Privileged motions • Incidental motions • Motions that bring a question again before the assembly

5. Characteristics of Motions • Precedence • Applicable • Is it in order when another member has the floor • Requires a second • Debatable • Amendable • Vote required for adoption • Reconsidered

6. 13 Ranking Motions Privileged Motions Subsidiary Motions Lay on the Table Previous Question Limit or Extend the Limits of Debate Postpone to a Time Certain Commit or Refer Amend Postpose Indefinitely Main • Fix the time to which to adjourn • Adjourn • Recess • Raise a Question of Privilege • Call for the Orders of the Day

7. Kinds of Main Motions The lowest ranking motion is the main motion • Original main motion Introduces substantive question as a new subject • Incidental main motion Relates to business of the assembly or its past or future action

8. How To Introduce New Business To The Assembly Main motion by saying, “I move to (that)…” or “Resolved, that…” • If you want to introduce a subject, make a

9. Subsidiary Motions • May be applied to a main motion by: • modifying it • delaying action on it • disposing of it • Take precedence over the main motion • Take precedence over lower ranking subsidiary motions

10. The Second Ranking Motion Postpone indefinitely • Use this motion if you want to reject a main motion or “kill” it for the current session

11. The Third Ranking Motion If you want to change a motion, move to Amendin one of the following three ways: • inserting or adding words or a paragraph • striking out words or a paragraph • striking out and inserting words or substituting a paragraph

12. Amend Examples Main motion: That we purchase a computer and printer for the secretary. Insert: I move to amend by inserting “laptop” before computer. That we purchase a laptop computer and printer for the secretary. Add: I move to amend by adding “and treasurer” That we purchase a laptop computer and printer for the secretary and treasurer. Strike: I move to amend by striking “and printer” That we purchase a laptop computer for the secretary and treasurer. Strike and Insert: I move amend by striking “secretary” and inserting “president” That we purchase a laptop computer for the president and treasurer.

13. The Fourth Ranking Motion Use the motion to Commit or Refer to a Committeewhen you want to send a pending question to a small group for further study and/or recommendation. What committee What is the Composition Who do they report to When do they report

14. The Fifth Ranking Motion Postpone to a certain time (or definitely) Use it if you want to: • delay taking action or making a decision • until later in the same meeting • or to the next meeting

15. The Sixth Ranking Motion Limit or extend limits of debate • Use when you want to change the rules of debate to allow more time or to allow less time for the assembly to debate a particular issue

16. The Seventh Ranking Motion The Previous Question • Use when debate is continuing and you think the assembly is ready to vote now. Passing this motion ends debate on the current issue and brings an immediate vote.

17. The Eighth Ranking Motion Lay on the Table Use when you want to set aside the pending question temporarily because something more important needs to be addressed right now.

18. Privileged Motions • Deal with matters of immediate and overriding importance • Do not relate to the pending business • Take precedence over the main motion, all subsidiary motions, and lower ranking privileged motions

19. Ninth Ranking and Privileged Motion Call for the orders of the day • In order to require that the adopted program or agenda be followed

20. The Tenth Ranking and Privileged Motion Raise a question of privilege • To request any privilege (usually having to do with comfort level or the ability to make an informed decision)

21. Is the motion to make when you want to take a short break in the meeting To close a meeting, use the twelfth privileged motion to Privileged Motions Continued The Eleventh Privileged Motion to Recess Adjourn

22. The Highest Ranked Motion When you want to set a time to continue the business to another day without adjourning the present meeting, move to Fix the time to which to adjourn

23. Incidental Motions • Do not have rank • Must be decided immediately before business can proceed • Relate to the pending business • Applicable only in its own type of special circumstance

24. Examples of Incidental Motions Point of order To ask the chair to enforce the rules, rise to a

25. Examples of Incidental Motions When you want to reverse or question a decision of the chair, the motion that you make is to Appealfrom the decision of the chair

26. Examples of Incidental Motions Division If you question the announced result of a voice vote or a vote by show of hands and want to require a standing revote, the motion you should make is to ask for a

27. Examples of Incidental Motions If you want to make changes in how a vote is taken or when the polls are closed, you need to make a motion about Nominations or the Polls

28. Motions that Bring a Question Again Before the Assembly • Bring business back before the assembly • Sometimes called Bring Back motions • Do not have rank • Enable the assembly to reopen a completed question by • Taking up a motion temporarily disposed of • Changing something previously adopted

29. Take from the table Bring Back Motions Continued When an item was laid on the table at this meeting or a previous meeting, and you want it to be considered now, you move to

30. Reconsider Note: There is no requirement on the member that seconding the motion Bring Back Motions Continued If you voted on the prevailing side and changed your mind about a vote, and would like the assembly to consider this issue over again, you can move to

31. Bring Back Motions ContinuedReconsider Purpose • To bring back for further consideration a motion that has been voted on • Can be made only on the same day the vote to be reconsidered was taken Effect • Making the motion: Suspension of all action that depends on the results of the vote proposed to be reconsidered • Adoption of the motion: Immediately places again before the assembly the question on which the vote is to be reconsidered. Note: It comes before the assembly in the exact position it was in the moment before it was originally voted upon

32. Bring Back Motions ContinuedReconsider Exceptions: • An affirmative vote whose provisions have been partially carried out • An affirmative vote in the nature of a contract when the party to the contract has been notified of the outcome • Any vote which has caused something to be done that is impossible to undo • A vote on a motion to Reconsider • When practically the same result as desired can be obtained by some other parliamentary motion

33. Motions That Cannot Be Reconsider • Adjourn • Close Nominations • Close the Polls Immediately • Consider by Paragraph • Create a Blank • Division of the Assembly • Division of a Question • Parliamentary Inquiry • Point of Order • Proceed to the Order of the Day • Raise a Question of Privilege • Recess • Reconsider • Suspend the Rules • Take from the Table

34. Bring Back Motions Continued If you no longer think a motion is a good idea, and it is not impossible to undo, move to Rescind Or If you just want to change something that was decided earlier, you can move to Amend something previously adopted Note: 1. Two-thirds vote without notice 2. Majority vote with notice

35. Bring Back Motions ContinuedRescind • This motion allows the assembly to Repeal or Annulan action taken at a previous meeting • The motion to Rescind had no time limit and can be made by any member, no matter how they voted on the original motion that is proposed to be rescinded • If you give notice of your intent to make this motion, the vote required is a majority. • Without notice, it takes a two-thirdsor a majority of the entire membership

36. Bring Back Motions Continued:Rescind Limitations: • This motion can be applied to any motion previously adopted provided that none of the action involved has been carried out in way that is too late to undo • Negative vote on this motion can be reconsidered, but the affirmative vote cannot • Not in order when the making or calling up of the motion to Reconsider is in order • You cannot Rescind something that was not done! If a motion failed – the group took no action, therefore there is not action to rescind

37. Bring Back Motions Continued:Amend Something Previously Adopted • This motion is governed by identical rules as the motion to Rescind • If the purpose is to change (amend) the previous action that the group has taken, use Amend Something Previously Adopted • When using previous notice to lower the vote requirement, make sure the amendment is within the scope of notice • Use this motion to prevent the complete rejection of a motion by the motion to Rescind • This motion can be used to remove someone from office

38. Summary of Kinds of Motions The ranking motions are considered in order of rank. The Incidental and Bring Back motions can be considered at any time they are appropriate. Privileged Motions Bring Back Motions Incidental Motions Subsidiary Motions Main Motions

39. Closing thought “We are here to get at the will of the assembly. This is the only valid reason for holding a meeting, and that must be the basis for all parliamentary action.” Henry M. Robert