Motion (parliamentary procedure)
Encyclopedia
In parliamentary procedure
, a motion is a formal proposal by a member of a deliberative assembly
that the assembly take certain action. In a parliament
, this is also called a parliamentary motion and includes legislative motions, budgetary motions, supplementary budgetary motions, and petitionary motions. These can bring new business before the assembly or consist of numerous other proposals to take procedural steps or carry out other actions relating either to a pending motion or the body itself.
divide motions into five classes:
Classes 2, 3 and 4 are collectively referred to as "secondary motions".
The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure
treats the fifth class as a type of main motion, under the title "Restorative Main Motions".
Once the mover has obtained the floor, the mover states the motion, normally prefixed with the phrase "I move." For instance, at a meeting of the board of directors
of a corporation, a director may state "I move that the corporation delay the launch of the new product from April to July." If the motion was in writing, the mover would say "I move the resolution at the desk" or "I move the following resolution" and would then read it. Generally, once the motion has been proposed, consideration by the assembly occurs only if another member of the body immediately seconds
the motion.
Parliamentary procedure
Parliamentary procedure is the body of rules, ethics, and customs governing meetings and other operations of clubs, organizations, legislative bodies, and other deliberative assemblies...
, a motion is a formal proposal by a member of a deliberative assembly
Deliberative assembly
A deliberative assembly is an organization comprising members who use parliamentary procedure to make decisions. In a speech to the electorate at Bristol in 1774, Edmund Burke described the English Parliament as a "deliberative assembly," and the expression became the basic term for a body of...
that the assembly take certain action. In a parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
, this is also called a parliamentary motion and includes legislative motions, budgetary motions, supplementary budgetary motions, and petitionary motions. These can bring new business before the assembly or consist of numerous other proposals to take procedural steps or carry out other actions relating either to a pending motion or the body itself.
Classification of motions
Robert's Rules of OrderRobert's Rules of Order
Robert's Rules of Order is the short title of a book containing rules of order intended to be adopted as a parliamentary authority for use by a deliberative assembly written by Brig. Gen...
divide motions into five classes:
- Main motionMain motionA main motion, in parliamentary procedure, is a motion that brings business before the assembly. Main motions are made while no other motion is pending...
s, those that bring business before the assembly when no other motion is pending. - Subsidiary motionSubsidiary motionA subsidiary motion, in parliamentary procedure, is a type of motion by which a deliberative assembly deals directly with a main motion prior to voting on the main motion itself.-Explanation:...
s, which affect the main motion being considered. - Incidental motionIncidental motionAn incidental motion, in parliamentary procedure, is one of a category of motions that relate in varying ways to the main motion and other parliamentary motions.-Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised :...
s, which affect rules and procedures that are not specifically tied to a particular main motion. - Privileged motionPrivileged motionA privileged motion is a motion in parliamentary procedure that is granted precedence over ordinary business because it concerns matters of great importance or urgency...
s, which are urgent matters that must be dealt with immediately, even if they interrupt pending business. - Motions that bring a matter again before the assembly.
Classes 2, 3 and 4 are collectively referred to as "secondary motions".
The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure
The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure
The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure is a book of rules of order. It is the second most popular parliamentary authority in the United States after Robert's Rules of Order. It was first published in 1950...
treats the fifth class as a type of main motion, under the title "Restorative Main Motions".
Proposing motions
A motion is proposed by a member of the body, for the consideration of the body as a whole. With the exception of certain incidental and privileged motions, the person making the motion, known as the mover, must first be recognized by the chairman as being entitled to speak; this is known as obtaining the floor.Once the mover has obtained the floor, the mover states the motion, normally prefixed with the phrase "I move." For instance, at a meeting of the board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of a corporation, a director may state "I move that the corporation delay the launch of the new product from April to July." If the motion was in writing, the mover would say "I move the resolution at the desk" or "I move the following resolution" and would then read it. Generally, once the motion has been proposed, consideration by the assembly occurs only if another member of the body immediately seconds
Second (democracy)
In deliberative bodies a second to a proposed motion is an indication that there is at least one person besides the mover that is interested in seeing the motion come before the meeting...
the motion.
See also
- Amend (motion)Amend (motion)-Explanation and Use:-Main Motions:Any main motion and any motion to amend may be amended. However, a motion to amend a motion to amend may not be amended, due to the overly complex parliamentary situation that would frequently result.-Secondary Motions:...
- ClotureClotureIn parliamentary procedure, cloture is a motion or process aimed at bringing debate to a quick end. It is also called closure or, informally, a guillotine. The cloture procedure originated in the French National Assembly, from which the name is taken. Clôture is French for "ending" or "conclusion"...
- FilibusterFilibusterA filibuster is a type of parliamentary procedure. Specifically, it is the right of an individual to extend debate, allowing a lone member to delay or entirely prevent a vote on a given proposal...
- Motion to recommit
- Motion of no confidenceMotion of no confidenceA motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
- Motion to tableTable (parliamentary)In parliamentary procedure, a motion to table has two different and contradictory meanings:*In the United States, table usually means the motion to lay on the table or motion to postpone consideration; a proposal to suspend consideration of a pending motion...
- Private member's billPrivate Member's BillA member of parliament’s legislative motion, called a private member's bill or a member's bill in some parliaments, is a proposed law introduced by a member of a legislature. In most countries with a parliamentary system, most bills are proposed by the government, not by individual members of the...
- Suspend the rulesSuspend the rulesIn parliamentary procedure, suspension of the rules is a procedure in which a deliberative assembly sets aside its normal rules of order in order to do something that it could not do otherwise.-Background and rationale:...