Re: the rule of "only one motion under discussion at any one time"

[Robert Pries <robertpries@embarqmail.com>]

As many know i do not think one motion at a time is necessary. I spoke with Roy about this sometime back and he felt that as president and the presiding officer over the discussion that he could shorten debate or introduce a new motion even if another was present in an electronic discussion. The point he made to me was that he needed to know before hand so that he could act as needed. And that someone needed to petition him to do so before he arbitrarily acted. What Hal says seems to verify that the president retains control of the discussion.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Harold Stahly" <hlstahly@umich.edu>
To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2010 2:48:29 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: Re: [AISdiscuss] the rule of "only one motion under discussion at any one time"

Hello,

I have 2 cents' (or maybe only 1 cent's) worth to throw in on this  
subject.

The limitation, only one motion at a time on the floor, probably  
stems from Roberts' Rules.  There is no reason that AIS must follow  
this rule, although it makes much sense when conducting business in a  
general meeting.  Conducting business electronically is quite a  
different type of reality, where discussants are widely separated and  
it is impossible to have the immediacy that face to face put-and-take  
discussion provides.  So a two week discussion period makes a lot of  
sense in electronic meeting.  But why only one motion at a time?   
Allowing an unlimited number would certainly lead to confusion; but a  
reasonable few motions, say limited to 4 to 6 or so, would be  
entirely within the capability of board members to keep clearly  
separate in their thinking and discussion.

AIS bylaws state that Roberts' Rules prevail in situations where AIS  
rules, bylaws or standing rules, do not apply.  There is also in AIS  
bylaws a provision  that specifically stipulates that the officers  
and directors have total authority in conducting the affairs of the  
society.  I see no reason that the board can not adopt a standing  
rule that allows greater freedom in the number of motions that can be  
on the floor in electronic conducting of business.  The one-at-a-time  
rule, applied with a reasonable period necessary for complete  
discussion, seriously limits the amount of business that can be  
conducted electronically.

I hope this is something that the board can consider sometime in the  
not too distant future.

Best wishes to all of you,

Hal Stahly

On Mar 30, 2010, at 11:26 AM, Michelle Snyder wrote:

> John,
>
> If you are really making a new motion it can not be intertained  
> until the period for voting on the existing motion has ceased which  
> won't be until April 5.
>
> Michelle
>
> On 3/30/2010 8:03 AM, John I Jones wrote:
>> I move that the AIS immediately stop offering multiple year  
>> Irisregister subscriptions.
>>
>> John
>>
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