How is a motion amended

If it's a complex motion, the motion should be written down for the chair to read. Robert's Rules of Order provides for four general types of motions: main motions, subsidiary motions, incidental motions, and renewal motions. The most important are main motions, which bring before the council, for its action, any particular subject. Main motions cannot be made when any other motions are before the group. Subsidiary motions are motions which direct or change how a main motion is handled. These motions include:.

Incidental motions are housekeeping motions which are in order at any time, taking precedence over main motions and subsidiary motions. Once the group has taken action, renewal motions require the group to further discuss or dispose of a motion.

The motions include:. Finally, there are a few questions of privilege that are in order at any time and must be disposed of prior to resuming discussion on the matter at hand:. Filling a Vacancy in City or Town Councils.

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Council Voting. Council Committees. Share this:. On this Page [hide] On this Page [show]. Overview Parliamentary procedure provides the process for proposing, amending, approving and defeating legislative motions.

Basic Rules Only one subject may be before a group at one time. Each item to be considered is proposed as a motion which usually requires a "second" before being put to a vote. Once a motion is made and seconded, the chair places the question before the council by restating the motion. To dispose of a business item, the motion should be phrased as a positive action to take, and then, if the group desires not to take this action, the motion should be voted down.

The exception to this rule is when a governing body is asked to take action on a request and wishes to create a record as to why the denial is justified. Only one person may speak at any given time. When a motion is on the floor, an order of speaking is prescribed by Robert's Rules, allowing the mover of a motion to speak first, so that the group understands the basic premise of the motion.

The mover is also the last to speak, so that the group has an opportunity to consider rebuttals to any arguments opposing the motion. All members have equal rights. Each speaker must be recognized by the moderator prior to speaking. Each item presented for consideration is entitled to a full and free debate. Each person speaks once, until everyone else has had an opportunity to speak. The rights of the minority must be protected, but the will of the majority must prevail.

Persons who don't share the point of view of the majority have a right to have their ideas presented for consideration, but ultimately the majority will determine what the council will or will not do.

Use parliamentary procedure as a tool, not a bludgeon. Motions Business is brought before the council by motions, a formal procedure for taking actions. Main Motions The most important are main motions, which bring before the council, for its action, any particular subject.

Subsidiary Motions Subsidiary motions are motions which direct or change how a main motion is handled. These motions include: Tabling. Used to postpone discussion until the group decides by majority vote to resume discussion. By adopting the motion to "lay on the table", a majority has the power to halt consideration of the question immediately without debate. Requires a second, non-debatable, not amendable. Previous question or close debate. Used to bring the body to an immediate vote.

It closes debate and stops further amendment. Contrary to some misconceptions, the majority decides when enough discussion has occurred, not the moderator. The formal motion is to "call for the question" or "call for the previous question," or simply, "I move to close debate. May be desired if the group has adopted a rule limiting the amount of time that will be spent on a topic, or if the group desires to impose a time limitation.

Postpone to a definite time. Similar to tabling, except that the motion directs that the matter will be taken up again at some specific date and time. Refer to committee. Directs that some other body will study the matter and report back. Used to "fine tune" a motion to make it more acceptable to the group. The amendment must be related to the main motion's intent and cannot be phrased in a way that would defeat the main motion. Two amendments may be on the floor at one time: the first amendment modifies the main motion, and the second amendment must relate to the first amendment.

When an amendment is on the floor, only the amendment may be debated. The amendments are voted on in the reverse order in which they were made, as each amendment changes to some degree the intent of the main motion. As each amendment is voted on, an additional primary or secondary amendment may be introduced. Requires a second, debatable, majority vote. Postpone indefinitely. This motion effectively kills a motion, because, if adopted, a two-thirds vote is subsequently required to take the matter up again.

Incidental Motions Incidental motions are housekeeping motions which are in order at any time, taking precedence over main motions and subsidiary motions. These motions include: Point of order. Accordingly, when a Member speaks to a motion and resumes his or her seat without moving an amendment that had been intended, the Member cannot subsequently move the amendment, as he or she has already spoken to the question before the House.

If a Member has already spoken to a question, or has moved an amendment to it, he or she may not be called to move a further amendment, but may speak to any further amendment which is proposed by another Member. A Member who moves or seconds an amendment cannot speak again on the original question after the amendment has been disposed of, because he or she has already spoken while the original question was before the House and before the question on the amendment has been proposed by the Chair.

When an amendment has been moved, and the question on the amendment proposed by the Chair, a Member speaking subsequently is considered to be speaking to both the original question and the amendment. Accordingly, the Member cannot speak again to the original question after the amendment has been disposed of. A Member who has already spoken to the original question prior to the moving of an amendment may speak to the question on the amendment but must confine his or her remarks to the amendment.

A Member who has spoken to the original question and an amendment may speak to the question on any further amendment but must confine his or her remarks to the further amendment. A Member who has already spoken to the original question may not second an amendment moved subsequently. The seconder has the right to speak to the amendment at a later period during the debate, [] or may choose to speak immediately after seconding the amendment.

If this is agreed to, the question on the original question is then put immediately. Once an amendment is moved and seconded, the question on the amendment must then be proposed by the Chair. It is then in the possession of the House. An amendment must be relevant to the question which it is proposed to amend. An amendment proposed to be made, either to the original question or to a proposed amendment, must be framed so that, if it is agreed to, the question or amendment, as amended, would be intelligible and internally consistent.

An amendment should not be accepted by the Chair if, when considered in the context of the motion proposed to be amended, and with regard to the convenience of other Members, it could be regarded as of undue length. It is not in order for a Member to seek effectively to extend the length of his or her speech by moving a lengthy amendment, without reading it, but relying on the fact that the amendment would be printed in Hansard.

An amendment must not be moved which is inconsistent with a previous decision on the question. The Speaker may disallow any motion or amendment which he or she considers is the same in substance as any question already resolved in the same session [] see page The standing orders provide that an amendment may not be moved to an earlier part of a question after a later part has been amended, or after an amendment to a later part has been proposed, and the proposal has not, by leave, been withdrawn.

Leave of the House has been granted to allow an amendment to be moved to an earlier part of the question. When notice has been given of amendments or Members have declared their intention of moving amendments, the Chair has declined to put the question on an amendment in a form which would exclude the moving of other amendments.

The Chair has divided an amendment into parts and submitted only the first part so as not to preclude other Members from submitting amendments which they had expressed a desire to propose. Only an amendment which adds other words may be moved to words which the House has resolved stand part of the question or which have been inserted in, or added to, a question. Although there is no reference in the standing orders to an amendment which is a direct negative of the question before the House, the House has followed the parliamentary rule that such amendments are not in order if they are confined to the mere negation of the terms of a motion.

The proper mode of expressing a completely contrary opinion is by voting against a motion without seeking to amend it. Whilst it may be claimed that such amendments are out of order as direct or expanded negatives, they usually seek to put an alternative proposition to the House and so are in order see below. A working rule for determining whether an amendment is a direct negative is to ask the question whether the proposed amendment would have the same effect as voting against the motion.

If it would, it is a direct negative. On one such amendment being successful, the Speaker agreed with the proposition that the omission of the words was the same as if the motion had been directly negatived and it was so recorded in the Votes and Proceedings. He then said that he presumed the House would not desire him to put the question. The House agreed with this assessment. Amendments may be moved, however, which evade an expression of opinion on the main question by entirely altering its meaning and object.