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FAQ:
<br />How do you deal with a "friendly amendment"?
<br />/'�9 nswer:
<br />3n occasion, while a motion is being debated, someone will get up and offer what he or she terms a "friendly amendment" to the motion, the
<br />maker of the original motion will "accept" the amendment, and the chair will treat the motion as amended. This is wrong. Once a motion has
<br />been stated by the chair, it is no longer the property of the mover, but of the assembly. Any amendment, "friendly" or otherwise, must be
<br />adopted by the full body, either by a vote or by unanimous consent.
<br />If it appears to the chair that an amendment (or any other motion) is uncontroversial, it is proper for the chair to ask if there is "any objection"
<br />to adopting the amendment. If no objection is made, the chair may declare the amendment adopted. If even one member objects, however, the
<br />amendment is subject to debate and vote like any other, regardless of whether its proposer calls it "friendly" and regardless of whether the
<br />maker of the original motion endorses its adoption. [RONR (10th ed.), p. 154.]
<br />Isn't it always in order to move to table a motion to the next meeting?
<br />Answer:
<br />This question confuses the motion to Lay on the Table with the motion to Postpone to a Certain Time. The purpose of the motion to Lay on the
<br />Table is to enable an assembly, by majority vote and without debate, to lay a pending question aside temporarily in order to take up something
<br />else of immediate urgency. In ordinary societies it is rarely needed, and hence seldom in order. [RONR (10th ed.), p. 201-210; see also p. 127
<br />of ROAR In Brief.]
<br />How can I get an item on the agenda for a meeting?
<br />Answer:
<br />For a proposed agenda to become the official agenda for a meeting, it must be adopted by the assembly at the outset of the meeting. At the time
<br />that an agenda is presented for adoption, it is in order for any member to move to amend the proposed agenda by adding any item which the
<br />member desires to add, or by proposing any other change.
<br />It is wrong to assume, as many do, that the president "sets the agenda." It is common for the president to prepare a proposed agenda, but that
<br />becomes binding only if it is adopted by the full assembly, perhaps after amendments as just described. [RONR (10th ed.), p. 363, 1. 8-20; see
<br />also p. 16 of RO: R In Brief]
<br />Is it true that the president can vote only to break a tie?
<br />Answer:
<br />No, it is not true that the president can vote only to break a tie. If the president is a member of the assembly, he or she has exactly the same
<br />rights and privileges as all other members have, including the right to make motions, speak in debate and to vote on all questions. However, the
<br />impartiality required of the presiding officer of an assembly (especially a large one) precludes exercising the right to make motions or debate
<br />while presiding, and also requires refraining from voting except (i) when the vote is by ballot, or (ii) whenever his or her vote will affect the
<br />result.
<br />When will the chair's vote affect the result? On a vote which is not by ballot, if a majority vote is required and there is a tie, he or she may vote
<br />in the affirmative to cause the motion to prevail. If there is one more in the affirmative than in the negative, he or she can create a tie by voting
<br />in the negative to cause the motion to fail. Similarly, if a two-thirds vote is required, he or she may vote either to cause, or to block, attainment
<br />of the necessary two thirds. [RONR (10th ed.), p. 392-93; see also Table A, p190 of ROAR In Brief]
<br />I have a question for the person who is speaking.
<br />Answer:
<br />Don't interrupt, it's not nice. Technically, Robert's Rules allows for you make a point of information and interrupt a speaker by saying, "Will
<br />the speaker yield to a question?" The speaker can then choose to let you ask the question or not. But since both the question and the answer will
<br />count towards to speaker's time limit, it is very impolite to use this in situations with extremely strict time limits (like at the national
<br />convention). In this case, it is best to wait until the speaker is done and then address the chair with your point of inquiry, who then has the right
<br />to decide whether or not to allow it.
<br />I have a question for the maker of the motion or someone who has already spoken.
<br />Answer:
<br />Make a point of information, and ask the chair if they will allow a question to so-and-so. If the chair allows it, direct your question through the
<br />chair to the person.
<br />Never address the person directly.
<br />• Can be made at any time, as long as no one is speaking.
<br />• The chair has the right to decide whether or not to allow the question.
<br />Source: http:%lwww.rohertsrules.com/'faq.html:~8, and httR/,'ww«.alpharhochi.or 'features/Ic2005'LC RR Guide.pdf
<br />Notation :"RONR" is the standard abbreviation parliamentarians use to cite Henry M. Robert 111 and others, Robert's Rules of Order Newly
<br />Revised, 10th ed. (Cambridge, Mass.: Perseus Publishing, 2000). The standard citation to particular pages and lines is "RONR (10th ed. [for
<br />'edition'], p. [for 'page' or 'pages'], I. [for 'line' or 'lines'].
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