Robert's Parliamentary Practice/Chapter 22
CHAPTER XXII.
CHARTS.
[These charts, by permission, are photographic reproductions, on a reduced scale, of "Robert's Parliamentary Law Charts," copyright, 1915, by Henry M. Robert. They are based, by permission, on the tables on pages 5, 44, 57, and 58 of Rules of Order Revised, copyright, 19155, by Henry M. Robert and published by Scott, Foresman & Co., Chicago and New York. The original charts are printed on banner cloth 36 inches wide, and can be obtained from Mrs. Wm. Anderson, 211 Eastern Avenue, Aspinwall Station, Pittsburgh, Pa.]
Explanation of Signs used in the Charts.
A single underscore shows that the motion is debatable. Motions not underscored are undebatable.
A double underscore shows that the motion is debatable, and that at the same time the pending main motion is open to debate.
A single broken underscore shows that the motion is sometimes debatable and sometimes undebatable. Thus, to Amend is debatable only when the motion to be amended is debatable, and an Appeal can be debated except when it relates to indecorum, or to the transgression of the rules of speaking, or to the priority of business, or if made while the immediately pending question is undebatable or during a division of the assembly.
A double broken underscore, which is used only for the motion to Reconsider, shows that the motion is debatable whenever the motion to" be reconsidered is debatable; and, also, that when debatable the question to be reconsidered is at the same time open to debate.
2/3. A motion followed by 2/3 requires a two-thirds vote for its adoption, the other motions requiring only a majority vote. In the case of an objection to the consideration of a question, since the question is put on the consideration, and not on the objection to the consideration, a 2/3 vote in the negative is required to prevent the consideration.
2/3? This sign shows that the motion preceding it requires a 2/3 vote unless previous notice of the motion has been given, in which case it requires only a majority.
CHART I.
ORDER OF PRECEDENCE OF MOTIONS.
| @ |
Fix the Time to which to Adjourn (when privileged). |
  |
Privileged |
| Adjourn (when Privileged). |  |
||
| @ | Take a Recess (when privileged). |  |
|
| Raise a Question of Privilege. | |
||
| Call for the Orders of the Day. |  |
||
| Lay on the Table. | |
Subsidiary | |
| Previous Question (2/3). | |
||
| @ | Limit or Extend Limits of Debate (2/3). | |
|
| @ | Postpone to a Certain Time. |  |
|
| @ | Commit or Refer. | |
|
| @ | Amend. | |
|
| Postpone Indefinitely. | |
||
| @ | Main Motion. |
The ordinary motions rank as shown above: the lowest in rank are 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 it are out of order. The first three motions are not always privileged. When not privileged they are main motions and therefore of the lowest rank and are debatable and amendable. To Fix the Time to which to Adjourn is 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. To Adjourn loses its privileged character if in any way qualified, or if its effect, when adopted, is to dissolve the assembly without any provision for its meeting again. To Take a Recess is privileged only when made while other business is pending.
CHART II.
INCIDENTAL MOTIONS.
Questions of Order and Appeal.
Suspension of the Rules. (2/3)
Objection to Consideration of a Question. (2/3)
@ Division of a Question, and @ Consideration by Paragraph or Seriatim.
Division of the Assembly. & @ Motions relating to Voting.
@ Motions relating to Nominations. (2/3?)
Requests growing out of Business Pending or that has just been pending; as,
Parliamentary Inquiry,
Request for Information,
Leave to Withdraw a Motion,
Reading Papers,
To be Excused from a Duty,
Request for any other Privilege.
CERTAIN OTHER MOTIONS.
Take from the Table.
Reconsider.
@ Rescind. (2/3?)
@ Ratify.
Incidental motions, see page 92, cannot be arranged according to rank like privileged and subsidiary ones. They take precedence of the pending motion or business out of which they arise. On account of their privilege to interrupt business they are undebatable, excepting an appeal in certain cases as shown in the explanation of a broken underscore (— — — —) page 165.
Of the Certain Other Motions mentioned, Reconsider is the only one that can be moved when another question is pending. Its privileges are very great as will be seen by consulting page 80. The motion to Take from the Table has the right of way over any main motion that has not yet been stated by the chair. [See page 72.]
CHART III.
WHAT MOTIONS TO USE.
TO MODIFY OR AMEND.
@ Amend.
@ Commit or Refer
TO DEFER ACTION.
@ Postpone to a Certain Time.
@ Make a Special Order (2/3).
Lay on the Table.
TO SUPPRESS OR TO LIMIT DEBATE.
Previous Question (2/3).
@ Limit Debate (2/3).
TO SUPPRESS THE QUESTION.
Objection to its Consideration (2/3).
Prev. Ques. (2/3) and Reject Question
Postpone Indefinitely.
Lay on the Table. (?)
TO CONSIDER A QUESTION A SECOND TIME.
Take from the Table.
Reconsider.
@ Rescind. (2/3?)
Reconsider & Enter on the Minutes
[For explanation of the signs used in this chart, see page 165.]