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Only one main motion can be pending at a time. A main motion is the lowest ranking of all the motions. This means that any secondary motion is discussed and voted on before a pending main motion. An important point to remember in presenting business and making a main motion is that of the ownership who owns the main motion. When a member makes a main motion, it belongs to the maker of the motion until it is repeated by the chairman and placed before the assembly. Before the chair repeats the main motion, the person making the main motion can withdraw it or modify it without asking permission to make any changes.

An incidental main motion is also made while no business is pending, but it does not introduce new business. Instead, it deals with procedure. An example of an incidental main motion is “I move that the Finance committee be in charge of purchasing the furniture for the SGA office.” This incidental main motion is debatable and amendable. It is related to the main motion because it deals with who is going to carry out the adopted action of the main motion. Therefore, the motion is incidental to the motion from which it arises. Key words to use to identify incidental main motions include ratify, adopt, limit, and recess. For example, a member may make an incidental main motion to adopt proposals made in a committee report, ratify action taken in the absence of a quorum, or recess when no business is pending.

The motion to ratify us a useful motion when the assembly has to confirm action taken when there was no quorum present; when the assembly has to take emergency action without a quorum present; when officers, committee members, or delegates have acted in excess of their instructions; or when a local unit needs the approval of the stage or national organization before something can be done. A motion to ratify needs a second, is debatable, and needs a majority vote to adopt. The assembly can only ratify what it would have the right to do in advance. It can ratify something that goes against the bylaws or constitution.

The motion to ratify can be amended by substituting the motion to censure. Censure is a way for the members to show displeasure with a member's or officer's conduct. Instead of ratifying an action, member's cam censure officers or committee members for taking action without getting prior approval. Censure shows the assembly's indignation without going so far as expulsion or removal from office. The motion to censure is debatable. The person being censured can debate the motion but cannot vote on the motion.