Felt’s Parliamentary Procedure/Main Question
MAIN QUESTION.
27. The main or principal question is any particular subject brought before the assembly for its consideration. It takes precedence of nothing except another principal question, and therefore cannot be introduced when any question is before the assembly. In order to insure correctness instating, and to prevent a misunderstanding of a complicated motion, the mover of any principal motion or resolution must (if requested by the presiding officer) submit it in writing. It requires to be seconded (for exceptions see Sec. 76), and is not before the assembly for debate until it has been stated by the chair.
By parliamentary courtesy the member upon whose motion a subject is brought before the assembly is first given the floor. In case of the report of a committee this courtesy is extended to the member who presents the report.
28. If a principal motion be indefinitely postponed (122), or rejected, it cannot be brought up again at that session, except by a motion to reconsider (135) the vote by which it was postponed or rejected; this rule applies also to the equivalent of, or to the negative of that motion.[1] But, inasmuch, as one assembly cannot dictate to or control the action of another assembly, the same question may be again brought up at any succeeding session.
Whenever a question has been postponed on motion to a certain day, or hour (102), it becomes on that day or that hour one of the orders of the day (89).
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- ↑ See also equivalent motions (71).