o
the assembly can change the wording of the motion by the process of
amendment.
Debate
·
After the chair states a question, it is before the assembly for consideration, debate and
action.
·
No member should speak twice to the same issue until everyone else wishing to speak
has spoken to it once.
·
Any member who wished to force an end to debate (prior to the chair) must first obtain
the floor by being recognized to speak by the chair. Once the member has obtained the
floor he must then move to
“
Call or put the Question (before the assembly)”
.
This motion
must be seconded, and adopted by unanimous consent.
·
All resolutions, reports of committees, communications to the assembly, and all
amendments proposed to them, and all other debatable motions may be debated before
final action is taken on them (unless by a two-thirds vote the assembly decides to
dispose of them without debate).
Modifying a Motion
·
A motion can be modified or amended after the chair states the question.
·
Friendly amendments
will only be considered for punctuation or spelling corrections.
o
As the chair would already have stated the motion, it is now the property of the
assembly and therefore the chair will ask the assembly if there are any
objections.
o
If no objection is made, the chair will declare the amendment adopted.
o
If even one member objects (which includes the mover and seconder), the
amendment is subject to debate and votes like any other amendment.
·
The chair will determine if
an amendment is germane
.
o
An amendment must be germane to be in order.
o
To be germane, an amendment must in some way involve the same question
raised by the motion to which it is applied.
o
An amendment cannot introduce an independent question.
o
An amendment can be hostile to, or even defeat the spirit of the original motion
and still be germane.
Putting the Question and Announcing the Vote
:
When the debate appears to have closed, the chair asks,
o
"
Are you ready for the question?" If no one rises he proceeds to
put the question
–
or to take the vote on the question.
·
In putting the question the chair should make perfectly clear what the question is that
the assembly is to decide.
o
For example, "The question is on amending the resolution by [insert
amendment]. Those in favor of the amendment, etc. The question is now on the
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