Lay on the Table
Name three unamendable privileged motions that take precedence over the motion to Lay on The Table.
1. Adjourn.
2. Raise a Question of Privilege.
3. Call for the Orders of the Day.
1. If a motion is made such as “I move we vote now,” how is it handled?
2. If the Previous Question is made for a series of motions, how are they voted on?
3. Assume the motions to Postpone Indefinitely and a Main motion are pending. What happens to the Main Motion if the Previous Question is ordered on this series of two motions?
1. All of the standard descriptive characteristics for the Previous Question would be used.
2. The immediately pending question is voted on first and the remainder are voted on by rank (in the order they were proposed).
3. If Postpone Indefinitely is adopted, voting stops for the Main Motion.
1. How long can a question be postponed for if an organization holds regular meetings on the same day each week?
2. How long can a question be postponed for if an organization holds regular meetings at more than a quarterly time interval?
3. How long can a question be postponed for if an organization holds regular meetings on the second Tuesday of each month?
1. No longer than a week.
2. Not beyond the end of the present session.
3. No longer than a month.
How can a motion to refer to a special committee be amended?
1. The committee’s composition.
2. The manner of selecting the committee.
3. The instructions that the committee must follow.
1. What is meant by the statement that “an amendment must be germane?”
2. Who usually decides if an amendment is germane?
3. If the chair does not make a ruling on the germaneness of an amendment, how is the decision made?
1. The amendment must relate to the subject of the motion to be amended.
2. The chair.
3. The assembly decides by a vote.
1. Name two undebatable and unamendable subsidiary motions that take precedence over Postpone Indefinitely.
2. Name the only motion that Postpone Indefinitely can be applied to.
1. Lay on the Table and Previous Question.
2. Main Motion.
1. What is the purpose of making the motion to Lay on the Table?
2. The motion to Lay on the Table is sometimes used wrong in the place of two motions. Name them.
3. How can the chair prevent a member from using the motion to Lay on the Table improperly?
1. To set aside the pending business temporarily to consider an urgent matter.
2. Postpone Indefinitely and Postpone to a Certain Time (or Definitely).
3. The chair can ask the maker of the motion the reason for making the motion.
1. Is the Previous Question allowed in committees?
2. What effect does an order for the Previous Question have on making privileged and incidental motions?
3. Explain how an order for the Previous Question effects a special order.
1. No
2. It does not prevent the making of privileged and incidental motions.
3. It does not prevent taking up a special order.
1. What are the two types of orders of the day?
2. When are general orders taken up at a meeting?
1. General orders and special orders.
2. After unfinished business .
1. What are two other names often used for a special committee?
2. What document would be used to determine the method of selecting a committee if it is not indicated when making the motion to Commit or Refer?
1. Select or Ad hoc.
2. The organization’s bylaws.
1. What motion does a primary amendment apply to?
2. What motion does a secondary amendment apply to?
3. What motion does a third degree amendment apply to?
1. The pending motion.
2. A primary or first degree amendment.
3. Nothing.
What is the difference in effect between the motion to Postpone Definitely and the motion to Postpone Indefinitely?
The motion to Postpone Indefinitely kills the motion for the remainder of the session. The motion to Postpone Definitely may be postponed to a more convenient time or used to delay action on a motion.
1. Is the motion such as “I move to lay the pending motion on the table for 10 minutes” proper? Explain your answer.
2. What debatable subsidiary motion would be used to take up a motion at a specific time?
3. What happens to motions that are adhering to a motion if it is laid on the table?
1. No. It cannot be qualified in any way.
2. Postpone to a Certain Time (or Definitely).
3. They all return after the motion is taken from the table.
Name three forms of wording used to make the motion Previous Question in an unqualified form.
1. “I move the previous question”
2. “I demand the previous question.”
3. “I call for the question.”
4. “I call the question.”
5. “I move we vote now.”
1. Name two forms of wording used to make the motion to Postpone a Question to the Next Meeting.
2. What vote would be required to adopt it?
1. “I move to postpone the motion to the next meeting.”
or
“I move that the question be postponed to the next meeting.”
2. Majority.
1. Name two ways that a special committee chairman is usually selected.
2. How should the chair handle the naming of a committee chair if the committee’s job will require a great amount of time to complete?
1. The chair can specifically designate the name of the first person named to the committee.
or
The first named committee member is automatically the chairman without a mention of a name.
2. The chair can appoint a “vice-chairman.”
1. What amendment process would be used to replace an entire motion with another motion?
2. Is the amendment process to substitute amendable?
3. What vote is required to adopt an amendment to substitute?
1. To substitute.
2. Yes.
3. Majority.
What is the difference in effects between the motion to Postpone Indefinitely and Lay on the Table?
The motion to Postpone Indefinitely kills the motion for the remainder of the session. The motion to Lay on the Table allows the assembly to set aside a pending motion to reach something of immediate urgency or importance.
Name three classes of motions that the subsidiary motion to Lay on the Table takes precedence over.
1. Main Motions.
2. All other subsidiary motions.
3. Incidental motions that are pending when it is proposed.
Assume there are 80 members in an organization and 60 attend a meeting and cast a vote on the Previous Question.
1. What is a majority of the members of the organization?
2. What percent of the members are attending the meeting?
3. How many of the members who cast a vote would have to vote in the affirmative to adopt the Previous Question?
1. 41.
2. 75% (60 ÷ 80 x 100=75%).
3. 40.
1. What form of wording would be used to make certain a question will be taken up at a precise time at the next meeting in preference to all other motions?
2. What vote is required to adopt this motion?
3. If 60 members cast a vote, what is the minimum number of members that would have to vote in the affirmative to adopt this motion for a special order?
1. “I move that the motion be postponed and be made a special order for 2 P.M. tomorrow.”
2. Two-thirds.
3. 40.
What are three variations of the motion to Commit or Refer which places the entire assembly in a committee?
1. Committee of the whole.
2. Quasi committee of the whole.
3. Consider Informally.
Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised (abbrev. RONR) states that there are three steps to restating an amendment. Assume the motion is “to purchase oak furniture” and the amendment is to strike “oak.” Restate the amendment properly using all three steps.
1. “It is moved and seconded to amend by striking ‘oak’.”
2. “If the amendment is adopted, the motion would read ‘to purchase furniture.’”
3. “The question is on striking ‘oak’. Are you ready for the question? (or ‘Is there any debate?’)”
1. Name two consequences of adopting the motion to Postpone Indefinitely.
2. Compared to other subsidiary motions, how is debate different for Postpone Indefinitely?
1. It kills the Main Motion and avoids a direct vote on the main motion.
2. Debate can go into the merits of the Main Motion it is applied to.
1. What is the meaning of “renewing” the motion to Lay on the Table?
2. Name two circumstances when it is allowed to renew the motion to Lay on the Table if it has not been adopted.
1. To lay the motion to Lay on the Table again.
2. After there is progress in business or debate or If there is an urgent matter that needs to be considered.
Name three forms of wording used to make the subsidiary motion Previous Question in a qualified form.
1. Three examples with at least two motions are correct. Example“I move [or “demand,” or “call for”] the previous question on the motion to commit and the amendment.”
2. “I demand the previous question on all pending questions.”
There are 100 members at a regular monthly meeting and a member moved to postpone the pending main motion to the next meeting. The motion was seconded and 40 of the members present cast a vote.
1. What per cent of the members present voted?
2. How many members present did not vote?
3. What is the minimum number of affirmative votes it would take to adopt the motion?
1. 40%.
2. 60.
3. 21.
Explain how the chairman is chosen for:
1. A committee of the whole
2. A quasi committee of the whole
3. Informal consideration
1. The chairman is appointed.
2. The regular presiding officer remains in the chair.
3. The regular presiding officer remains in the chair.
Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised (abbrev. RONR) states that there are three steps to putting an amendment. Assume the motion is “to purchase oak furniture” and the amendment is to strike “oak.” Please put the amendment properly using all three steps assuming debate has been concluded and the amendment is adopted?
1. The question is on striking the word “oak”.
2. If the amendment is adopted, the motion would read “to purchase furniture”
3. Those in favor of striking “oak” say aye. Those opposed say no. The ayes have it and the amendment is adopted. The question is now on the motion as amended “to purchase furniture.” Are you ready for the question? (or “Is there any debate?”)
1. Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised (abbrev. RONR) states that debate on a motion to Postpone Indefinitely can go into the merits of the underlying main motion. What does that mean?
2. Does this mean that debate can only be for the positive side of the main motion?
3. What other subsidiary motion allow member’s to debate and go into the merits of the underlying main motion?
1. It means debate can be just as if debating on the main motion itself.
2. No.
3. None.
A main motion is laid on the table at the current meeting of an assembly that meets weekly. At the next meeting, the motion is taken from the table, debated and laid on the table again.
1. Is this in order?
2. When must the motion be taken from the table before it dies?
3. At the next meeting, can it be taken from the table and laid on the
1. Yes
2. Before the end of the meeting following the meeting it was last laid on the table.
3. Yes, there is no limit to the number of times it can be laid on the table or taken from the table as long as it does not exceed the time limits.
1. Is the motion for the Previous Question amendable?
2. How can a pending motion for the Previous Question be altered?
1. No, the Previous Question is not amendable.
2. The same process can be accomplished by offering another more inclusive or less. inclusive motion for the Previous Question at the same time.
1. If a motion is postponed to later in the same day and no motion limiting debate is in effect, what effect does the postponement have on a member’s rights to debate?
2. If it is postponed to another day but still within the same session and no motion limiting debate is in effect?
3. If it is postponed to the next regular meeting and a limitation of debate was in effect at the time the postponement occurred?
1. Any debates the member made prior to the postponement count against his number of speeches.
2. The member’s rights of debate are restored because it is a different day.
3. The member’s rights of debate are restored because it is a different day and the limitation of debate is exhausted.
What are the forms of wording used for the three variations for the motion to Commit or Refer which permits the assembly’s full meeting body to consider it?
1. to “go into a committee of the whole”.
2. to “go into quasi committee of the whole”.
or
to ”consider as if in committee of the whole”
3. to ”consider informally”.
Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised (abbrev. RONR) recommends three steps when stating the question on an amendment.
Use the main motion “That we have picnic” and a primary amendment to add “next Saturday” make a statement for each of the 3 steps used by the chairman.
Step 1: “It is moved and seconded to add next Saturday.”
Step 2: “If the amendment is adopted, the main motion would read, “That we have a picnic next Saturday.”
Step 3: The question is on adding the words “next Saturday.”
1. What is the effect of postponing a main motion indefinitely in the current session?
2. What is the effect of postponing a main motion indefinitely at a convention of two meetings?
3. What is the consequence of adopting the motion to Postpone Indefinitely?
1. Its adoption suppresses the main motion throughout the entire session.
2. The suppression continues through both meetings.
3. A rejection of the Main Motion.