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UUSM - About Us - Management Policies - Rules of the Meeting
Rules of the Meeting
Adopted by the congregation May 21, 2006
Parliamentary Procedure:
In cases of questions on parliamentary procedure, the chair
shall rule. If the ruling is contested, the assembly shall vote on whether
or not to uphold the ruling of the chair.
The Handling of a Motion:
1. A member makes a motion. ("Member" means voting member of the
Church.)
2. Another member seconds the motion.
3. The chair states the question on the motion.
- Neither the making nor
the seconding of a motion places it before the assembly; only the chair can
do that by stating the question.
- When the chair has stated the question, the motion is pending and
is open to debate.
4. Members debate the motion (unless no member claims
the floor to do so) by lining up at a designated microphone.
- During debate no one shall speak more
than two minutes (unless the assembly declares its desire to waive this rule
for a specific speaker.)
- No one is entitled to the floor a second
time on the same motion as long as any other member who has not spoken on
this motion desires the floor.
- With the permission of the chair, a non-member may participate in
debate (please identify yourself as a non-member when recognized by the chair,
so there is no confusion).
5. The chair asks if there is any further discussion and, if there is not,
puts the question (that is, puts it to a vote), calling for those in favor,
those opposed, and those abstaining.
6. The chair announces the result of the vote.
7. During the debate on a motion, a member may join the line at a designated
microphone to amend the motion.
- If the amendment is complicated or unclear,
the chair may require that the amendment be provided to the chair in writing.
- If
seconded, debate and a vote on the motion to amend takes precedence over
the original motion.
- A motion to amend may also be amended, but only once. If seconded,
debate and a vote on the motion to amend an amendment takes precedence over
the original motion to amend.
8. During the debate on a motion, a member may join the line at a designated
microphone to “call for the question,” which is a request to close
debate and proceed to a vote.
- The chair may observe that the question has been
called and ask if there is any objection to closing debate. If there appears
to be significant objection, the chair may allow the debate to proceed.
- If
a member nonetheless wishes to press for closure, she/he may seek recognition
and "move the previous question." This is a priority-taking
motion which, if seconded, must be voted on immediately. If it carries by
a 2/3 majority, then debate on the previous motion is terminated and the
chair proceeds immediately to put the previous question to a vote. Otherwise,
debate on the previous motion continues.
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