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been made and seconded, the chair takes a vote without discussion. Like subsidiary motions, privileged motions are assigned an order in which they can be made and voted on. When a motion of lower rank is pending, only a higher-ranking motion can be made. As the following list shows, the highest ranking privileged motion is fix the time to which to adjourn. If this motion is made while any other subsidiary motion or privileged motion is pending, the member must vote on it first. The following list shows privileged motions ranked from top to bottom.

  • Fix the Time to Which to Adjourn- set another time to continue the meeting
  • Adjourn- end meeting now
  • Recess- take a break
  • Raise a Question of Privilege- welfare of individual/assembly
  • Call for the Orders of the Day- stick to the agenda

Incidental

Incidental motions deal with questions of procedure arising from the pending business, but they do not affect the pending business. Examples of rising a question about parliamentary procedure in the meeting, asking a question about the motion under discussion, or pointing out that a very important rule was broken or ignored. Incidental motions are usually not debatable and must be decided upon immediately. They have no rank because they are taken up immediately when made. The purpose of Incidental motions is to bring a motion back before the assembly for its consideration. The following list shows incidental motions ranked from top to bottom.

  • Point of Order- that's against the rules
  • Appeal- disagree with the chairs ruling
  • Division of the Assembly- doubt the result of the vote
  • Requests and Inquires- I have a question
  • Suspend the Rules- temporarily put aside a rule
  • Division of the Question-divide a motion into two or more questions

The Ranking of Motions

FIX THE TIME TO WHICH TO ADJOURN

ADJOURN

RECESS

RAISE A QUESTION OF PRIVILEGED

CALL FOR THE ORDERS OF THE DAY

"Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success." Henry Ford