Reconsideration of a motion: Difference between revisions

In [[parliamentary procedure]], '''reconsideration of a motion''' (or '''reconsideration of a question''') takes places upon a [[Motion (parliamentary procedure)|motion]] to bring back for further consideration a matter previously decided. The motion originated in the [[United States]].<ref name=":0">{{citeCite parlbook|title = RONRRobert's Rules of Order Newly Revised|editionlast = 11thRobert|pagesfirst = 315Henry M.|publisher = Da Capo Press|year = 2011|isbn = 978-0-306-82020-5|location = Philadelphia, PA|pages = 315|edition = 11th|ref = harv|display-authors = etal}}(RONR)</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1346&dat=19761010&id=7e4vAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wvoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7017,2742609&hl=en|title = Americans Reconsider Motions|last = Bagley|first = Toni|date = October 10, 1976|work = Lakeland Ledger|access-date = 2016-02-20|via = Google News}}</ref> A special form of this motion is '''reconsider and enter on the minutes'''.

Under ''[[Robert's Rules of Order|Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised]]'' (RONR), the motion to reconsider must be made within a limited time after the action on the original motion: usually at the same meeting or, in the case of a multi-day session or convention, on the next day within the session or convention in which business is conducted.<ref>{{citeHarvard parl|titlecitation =no ronrbrackets|Robert|2011|pagesp = 316}}</ref> Until the motion to reconsider is disposed of or lapses, the effect of the original vote is suspended, and no action may be taken to implement it.<ref>{{citeHarvard parl|titlecitation =no ronrbrackets|pagesRobert|2011|p = 321}}</ref> This is in contrast to the [[Rescind or amend something previously adopted|motion to rescind]], which may be made at any later meeting, but until passed, has no effect on the original decision.

The motion to reconsider may be made only by a member who voted on the prevailing side in the original vote.<ref>{{cite parl|title = ronr|pages name=":0" 315}}</ref> If another member disputes an assertion by the maker of the motion to reconsider that he voted on the prevailing side, the member moving to reconsider is to be believed unless the record of a roll call vote says otherwise.<ref>{{cite parl|title=DEM|pages=229}}</ref>

The motion to reconsider is debatable to the extent that the motion being reconsidered is debatable.<ref>{{citeHarvard parl|titlecitation =no ronrbrackets|Robert|2011|pagesp = 320}}</ref>

The making of the motion to reconsider takes precedence over all other motions and yields to nothing. It is not, however, considered at the time it is made if other business is pending, and the timing of its consideration depends on the ranking of the motion that led to the vote to be reconsidered.<ref>{{citeHarvard parl|titlecitation =no ronrbrackets|Robert|2011|pagesp = 318}}</ref>

The motion to '''reconsider and enter on the minutes''' is a special form of the motion to reconsider that automatically halts a passed motion from taking effect until it is called up at another meeting, which cannot be held on the same day.<ref>{{citeHarvard parl|titlecitation =no RONRbrackets|edition = 11thRobert|pages = 3332011|yearp = 2011333}}(RONR)</ref> Its purpose is to delay a temporary majority from taking action on a measure until there is time to notify absent members.<ref name=":01">RONR,{{Harvard citation no brackets|Robert|2011|p. = 334}}</ref><ref>{{cite parl|title=DEM|pages=160}}</ref>

This motion is needed in large societies with frequent meetings and small quorums. For example, at a long meeting, many members may have left, leaving a quorum consisting mostly of a group determined to take certain action. In this case, this motion prevents the vote on that action from becoming final.<ref name=":01" />

This motion cannot be applied to motions whose object would be defeated by the delay.<ref name=":01" />

[[The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure|The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure]] does not have this motion.<ref>{{cite parl|title =TSC tsc|pages = 237|edition = 4th}}</ref>