Felt’s Parliamentary Procedure/To Adjourn

by Orson B. Felt

Layout 2

TO ADJOURN.

83. The motion to adjourn takes precedence of al questions, except to fix the time to which to adjourn, questions of privilege requiring immediate action and questions of order relating to the adjournment. It is not in order when another member has the floor, or while the members are voting on any question, or when the previous question (97) is pending [See note to Sec. 73 A]. It cannot be renewed until some business has intervened, or until such length of time has been consumed in debate as to make the question virtually a new one.

If unqualified the motion to adjourn cannot be debated or have any other motion applied to it, but in order to take precedence and be acted upon without debate it must be simply a motion to adjourn without any qualification whatever.

84. If the assembly has not determined by vote or otherwise the time or place for re-assembling, the motion to adjourn is liable to be interrupted by a motion to fix the time or place to which it will adjourn; otherwise an adjournment would be a dissolution. While the effect of an adjournment is simply to interrupt proceedings until the assembly meets again, the effect of a dissolution is to destroy the assembly. Therefore when the motion to adjourn would, if carried, dissolve the assembly, it loses all privilege and becomes high debatable. If, however, the assembly was convened for a session of a number of days, and no hour is fixed by vote or rule for another day's sitting an adjournment should be considered as for the hour and place named for the first sitting. If action has been had fixing the time for adjournment, when that time arrives the chair should call attention to the fact and declare the assembly adjourned, unless a motions is made to extend the meeting.