Amend (motion)

In parliamentary procedure, the motion to amend is used to modify another motion. An amendment could itself be amended. A related procedure is filling blanks in a motion.

Explanation and use

Amend (RONR)
Class	Subsidiary motion
In order when another has the floor?	No
Requires second?	Yes
Debatable?	Yes, if motion to be amended is debatable
May be reconsidered?	Yes
Amendable?	Yes
Vote required	Majority

Using Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR), all main motions can be amended.^[1] An amendment can be amended.^[2] However, the limit is that an amendment to an amendment may not be amended, because it would be too complicated.^[2]

Secondary motions that, by their nature, include a variable element, also may be amended.^[1] For example, the motion to postpone may be amended as to the length of the postponement; the motion to limit or extend limits of debate may be amended as to the number or length of speeches or the total time to be consumed; and the motion to commit or refer may be amended as to the details of the committee or the time within which the committee must report.

Forms and uses of the motion

The motion to amend takes three basic forms:^[3]

Inserting or adding words or paragraphs.
Striking out words or paragraphs.
Striking out words and inserting or adding others, or substituting an entire paragraph or complete resolution for another.

A substitute amendment is an amendment that would replace existing language of a proposal or another amendment with its own.^[4]

An amendment can be used to water down a motion into a form that is more likely to be accepted or to convert it into a form that is more likely to be rejected.^[5]

Procedure

A proposed amendment is treated like many other motions in that it could be debated and voted on. This could be done even in the case of a friendly amendment.^[6] An amendment could pass with a majority vote, regardless of the vote required to pass the main motion.^[7] After passing or rejecting an amendment, the main motion would still need to be voted on.^[8]

Filling blanks

A related procedure that changes the wording in a motion is the device of filling blanks.^[9] A blank could be created by adopting a motion to create a blank and then members could make suggestions to fill in that blank. This procedure is useful because it allows an unlimited number of suggestions to be voted on as opposed to the limit of allowing only primary and secondary amendments (i.e. only an amendment to a motion and an amendment to the amendment are allowed).^[9] An example are nominations - they are, in effect, proposals to fill in the blank in the motion "that ________ be elected."^[10]

References

1 2 Robert, Henry M.; et al. (2011). Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (11th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Da Capo Press. p. 132. ISBN 978-0-306-82020-5.
1 2 Robert 2011, p. 135
↑ Robert III, Henry M.; et al. (2011). Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised In Brief (2nd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Da Capo Press. p. 38. ISBN 978-0-306-82019-9.
↑ "The Voter's Self Defense System". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved 2016-01-07.
↑ Robert 2011, p. 157
↑ Robert III, Henry M. (2011). "Frequently Asked Questions about RONR (Question 8)". The Official Robert's Rules of Order Web Site. The Robert's Rules Association. Retrieved 2016-02-24.
↑ Robert 2011, p. 133
↑ Robert III 2011, p. 39
1 2 Robert 2011, p. 162
↑ Robert 2011, p. 164

Parliamentary procedure

Major concepts	History of parliamentary procedure Principles of parliamentary procedure Deliberative assembly Committee Session Quorum Chair Floor Recognition Motion Second Debate Main motion Order of business Minutes Voting methods in deliberative assemblies Majority Unanimous consent

Subsidiary motions	Postpone indefinitely Amend Commit Postpone to a certain time Limit or extend limits of debate Previous question Cloture Lay on the table

Privileged motions	Call for the orders of the day Raise a question of privilege Recess Adjourn Fix the time to which to adjourn

Incidental motions	Point of order Appeal Suspend the rules Objection to the consideration of a question Division of a question Consideration by paragraph or seriatim Division of the assembly Motions relating to methods of voting and the polls Motions relating to nominations Request to be excused from a duty Requests and inquiries (Parliamentary inquiry, Request for information, Request for permission to withdraw or modify a motion, Request to read papers, Request for any other privilege)

Motions that bring a question again before the assembly	Take from the table Rescind, repeal, annul or amend something previously adopted Discharge a committee Reconsider

Legislative procedures	Call of the house Hoist Motion to pass on

Disciplinary procedures	Censure Declare the chair vacant Impeach Naming

Parliamentary authorities	Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR) The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure (TSC or Sturgis) Demeter's Manual of Parliamentary Law and Procedure Riddick's Rules of Procedure Mason's Manual of Legislative Procedure Erskine May: Parliamentary Practice Bourinot's Rules of Order Beauchesne's Parliamentary Rules and Forms Morin code

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