http://www.rulesonline.com/start.html#rror--01.htm

 

 

ORDER OF PRECEDENCE OF MOTIONS.

[Editor's note: This is a modified version of the original, to adapt it to the needs of an online document.]

The ordinary motions rank as follows, the lowest in rank being at the bottom and the highest at the top of the list. When any one of them is immediately pending the motions above it in the list are in order, and those below are out of order.

1 2 3 4 5 Motion
- X a X - Fix the Time to which to Adjourn.
- X b - - Adjourn.
- X c X - Take a Recess.
- X - - - Raise a Question of Privilege.
- X - - - Call for the Orders of the Day.
- - - - - Lay on the Table.
- - - - X Previous Question.
- - - - X Limit or Extend Limits of Debate.
X - - X - Postpone to a Certain Time.
X - - X - Commit or Refer.
X - - X - Amend.
X - - - - Postpone Indefinitely.
X - - X - A Main Motion.

Columns:

1 - Debatable
2 - Usually Privileged
3 - Not always privileged:
a - Privileged only when made while another question is pending, and in an assembly that has made no provision for another meeting on the same or the next day.
b - Loses its privileged character and is a main motion if in any way qualified, or if its effect, if adopted, is to dissolve the assembly without any provision for its meeting again.
c - Privileged only when made while other business is pending.
4 - Can be amended
5 - Require a 2/3 vote for their adoption; the others require only a majority.

 

Roberts Rules Made Simple

http://www.dfna.org/robertsrules.htm

Points

The following three points are always in order:
1. Point of Order: a question about process, or objection and suggestion of alternative process. May include a request for the facilitator to rule on process.
2. Point of Information: a request for information on a specific question, either about process or about the content of a motion. This is not a way to get the floor to say something you think people should know. People misusing points of information in this fashion will be defenestrated, or otherwise sanctioned forcefully.
3. Point of Personal Privilege: a comment addressing a personal need - a direct response to a comment defaming one’s character, a plea to open the windows, etc.

Motions

All motions must be seconded, and are adopted by a majority vote unless otherwise noted. All motions may be debated unless otherwise noted. Motions are in order of precedence: motions may be made only if no motion of equal or higher precedence is on the floor (i.e., don’t do a number 5 (move to end debate) when the body is discussing a number 4 (move to suspend rules).
1. Motion to Adjourn: not debatable; goes to immediate majority vote.
2. Motion to Recess: not debatable. May be for a specific time.
3. Motion to Appeal the Facilitator’s Decision: Not debatable; goes to immediate vote. Allows the body to overrule a decision made by the chair.
4. Motion to Suspend the Rules: suspends formal process for dealing with a specific question. Debatable; requires 2/3 vote.
5. Motion to End Debate and Vote or Call the Question: applies only to the motion on the floor.
Not debatable; requires 2/3 vote.
6. Motion to Extend Debate: can be general, or for a specific time or number of speakers. Not debatable.
7. Motion to Refer to Committee: applies only to the main motion. Refers question to a specific group with a specific time and charge.
8. Motion to Divide the Question: breaks the motion on the floor into two parts, in manner suggested by mover.
9. Motion to Amend: must be voted for by a majority to be considered and by a 2/3 to be passed.
If amendment is accepted as “friendly” by the proposer of the amendment then many bodies will allow it to be accepted without a formal vote; this is a way of including a consensus-building process into procedure without endless debate over amendments to amendments. Strictly speaking, however, once the main motion is made it is the property of the body to amend.
10. Main Motion: what it is you’re debating and amending.