What are Incidental Motions?

The past two classes in AEE 297 a were all about Incidental Motions. Our Robert's Rules of Order book is becoming our best friend as we dive head first into these motions.

Incidental motions are motions that are not planned. They have no order of precedence because they are taken up when they are made, unlike other motions. 

There are 11 incidental motions total, but we focused on the 8 common ones. Our mnemonic device is...

Point of Order 

• This motion does not need a second, is not debatable, amendable, and does not require a vote.
• Point of Order corrects a mistake in the rules. It should not be used on minor infractions because it can be a waste of time during a meeting. 

Object to Consideration of Question

• This motion does not require a second, is not debatable, amendable, and requires a 2/3 vote in the negative.
• The purpose is to allow an assembly to avoid an original main motion when it can be considered undesirable for the assembly. 

Withdraw 

• This motion does not require a second, unless the question has been stated by the chair. It is not debatable or amendable and does not require a vote unless it has been stated by the chair. Then it requires majority vote to pass. 
• This motion becomes useful when the motion maker realizes the main motion can conflict or won't work for the assembly. 

Parliamentary Inquiry

• This motion does not require a second, is not debatable or amendable, and does not require a vote.
• The purpose of this motion is to ask a question about how to perform parliamentary procedure. 

Appeal

• This motion requires a second and is debatable when it is applied to a motion. It cannot be amended and requires a majority vote.
• A chair is delegated to run a meeting and make decisions, but any member has the right to appeal from the decision. 
• EXAMPLE: There has been a main motion made and seconded and the chair has asked for debate. Three members stand at the same time to be recognized by the chair, one of them being the motion maker. The chair decides to recognize Sally instead. Another member can call point of order, but if the chair decides to continue in recognizing Sally, someone can appeal the chairs decision. 

Division of Assembly

• This motion does not require a second, is not debatable or amendable, and does not require a vote.
• This motion is used during voting. Most of the time there are voice votes taken. Voice voting can be unclear sometimes. A member can call for Division of the Assembly when there is an unclear divide in the vote. 

Division of Question

• This motion requires a second, is not debatable, can be amended, and requires a majority vote.
• Division of a Question is made when the main motion has two separate motions together. 
• EXAMPLE: Sally says, "I move that the 4-H club buys a new set of flags for the meetings and  club T-shirts for all the members." This motion has two motions: to buy a new set of flags and club T-shirts for all members. The motion needs to be split in two, so a member can call for Division of a Question. 

Suspend the Rules

• This motion requires a second and is not debatable or amendable. It requires a 2/3 vote to suspend a parliamentary order or order of business. It requires a majority vote to suspend the standing rule. 
• The rules of parliamentary order, order or business, or standing rules can be suspended. Any rules in the bylaws or fundamental principles of parliamentary law cannot be suspended. This is done when the assembly wants to do something during the meeting that could not have been done with the rules. 
• EXAMPLE: (This is just one of many) The assembly can suspend the rules to allow multiple people to debate on the motion. 

As you can see, some of these motions are very complex with gray areas. They aren't as straight forward as the subsidiary motions. For more information on these motions, you can visit Robert's Rules of Order 11th Edition pages 247-299.

Erin Yoest

Session 2 - Motions: the Nuts ‘N’ Bolts of Parliamentary Procedure - January 22nd

Responses to your Tickets Out from Session 2!

What are you curious about?

• The progression/malleability of Robert's within an org. What liberty is acceptable?
• Each organization will allow different levels of liberty. The point is to ensure that business is always being conducted efficiently.
• The 13 ranking motions:
  1.       Fix Time to Which to Adjourn (P)
  2.       Adjourn (P)
  3.       Recess (P)
  4.       Question of Privilege (P)
  5.       Call for the Orders of the Day (P)
  6.       Lay on the Table (S)
  7.       Call for Previous Question (S)
  8.       Limit or Extend Limits of Debate (S)
  9.       Postpone Definitely (S)
  10.   Refer to a Committee (S)
  11.   Amend (S)
  12.   Postpone Indefinitely (S)
  13.   Main Motion (M)
  * P indicates “privileged motions” – They will be discussed in depth on February 1st
  * S indicates “subsidiary motions” – They will be discussed in depth on January 25th
  * M indicates “main motions” – it was discussed in depth tonight on January 22nd
• Why can you not attempt to drown out a disorderly member with the gavel? They are being disorderly, so you should be able to obtain order. 
• See RONR, p. 387
• What is the best way to study the 13 motions?
• We will cover tips and tricks throughout learning the motions, but I personally found creating a table with the motions and their requirements helpful.
• What happens when a member is censured? Are there common punishments?
•  Each organization will have different punishments for a censured member in their Bylaws.
• If the Chair does not know can s/he ask a member for help?
• Of course. Many organizations have a Parliamentarian for these situations though. Also, many Chairs have basic Parli Pro rules and motions on a sheet in front of them when they are running a meeting.
• Gavel procedure
• Some common practices:
• One tap: completion of business, members sit, meeting adjourned
• Two taps: call meeting to order
• Three taps: signals members should stand
• Several sharp taps: restores order
• Learning about all the secondary motions, there are way more than I thought there were!
• We will be covering the secondary motions (subsidiary, privileged, and incidental motions) during the next 3 sessions! 
• Subsidiary motions
• Next Wednesday!
• Proper timing and use of common motions
• We will be covering how to effectively use motions as we learn each one.
• The proper use of objections
• See RONR, p. 267-270 

What did you learn?

• 13 motions and how they are ranked
• That we should motion to introduce legislation
• Original motions are the motions to bring new business
• Anyone can move to "object to the consideration of a question" but the motion requires a two-thirds vote to pass
• Division of the question is allowed if you agree with only part of a resolution
• Motions can only be reconsidered by people who were on the prevailing side
• How to appeal the Chair's decision
• The 10 rules of Parli Pro

1.  The rights of an organization supersede the rights of individual members.
2. All members are equal and their rights are equal.
3. A quorum must be present to do business.
4. The majority rules.
5. Silence is consent.
6. Two-thirds vote rule
7. One question at a time; one speaker at a time
8. Debatable motions must receive full debate
9. Once a question is decided, it is not in order to bring up the same motion, or one essentially like it, at the same meeting.
10. Personal remarks in debate are always out of order.
    

• The 6 steps to make a motion (see RONR, pp. 32, 42, 120)

1. Making the motion
2. Another member seconds the motion
3. The Chair states the motion 
4. Debating the question
5. Putting the question
6. Announcing the result of the vote

• Some common mistakes in making motions
• We improperly run our UPUA meetings
• About the main motions and meetings
• There are 2 types of main motions: original main and incidental main
• The lowest ranking motion is a main motion
• The consequences of a censure is determined by the organization's Bylaws
• Object to consideration of a question
• Primary and secondary motions
• Proper use of the gavel
• A lot! There is much to be learned about Parli Pro, but the subject matter is accessible
• Gavel taps

What do you want to learn more about?

• Parli Pro strategy and loopholes and how to implement Parli Pro when one is not chairing the meeting
• We will be learning tips and strategies throughout the semester to run meetings effectively whether one is Chair or not! You will have lots of practice in either position.
• How, as a future educator, can I teach Parli Pro to my students effectively?
• Pay attention to how Dr. Foster is teaching you, he is a great Professor!
• Proper use of the gavel 
• Some common practices:
• One tap: completion of business, members sit, meeting adjourned
• Two taps: call meeting to order
• Three taps: signals members should stand
• Several sharp taps: restores order

•  The 13 ranking motions
• There are 13 ranking motions and we will be learning them in the next three sessions
• Properly stating a motion
• "I move to..." or "I move that..."
• Can you ask the Secretary to restate the main motion?
• The Chair must state the motion (#3 of the 6 Steps to Make a Motion). You can ask him/her to restate the main motion whenever you need. We will be learning how during session 5 on February 8th. 
• To read about how to ask for this, see RONR, p. 294-295
• Secondary motions
• We will be covering the secondary motions (subsidiary, privileged, and incidental motions) during the next 3 sessions!
• I want to act out examples to retain the information better
• We will be doing interactive activities every week!
• The small details in specific motions
• We will be learning the most important details when we learn about each individual motion. Keep doing your reading for the smallest details!
• More efficient ways to run meetings
• Stay tuned this whole semester ;)
• The process of postponing indefinitely
• Next Wednesday!
• Incidental motions
• See you at session 5 on February 8th!
• Parliamentary inquiry
• See RONR, p. 294-295