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Concept
Motion (parliamentary procedure)
Summary
In certain countries, a motion in parliamentary procedure is a formal proposal by a member of a deliberative assembly that the assembly take certain action. Such motions, and the form they take are specified by the deliberate assembly and/or a pre-agreed volume detailing parliamentary procedure, such as Robert's Rules of Order; The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure; or Lord Citrine's The ABC of Chairmanship. Motions are used in conducting business in almost all legislative bodies worldwide, and are used in meetings of many church vestries, corporate boards, and fraternal organizations.
Motions can bring new business before the assembly or consist of numerous other proposals to take procedural steps or carry out other actions relating to a pending proposal (such as postponing it to another time) or to the assembly itself (such as taking a recess).
In a parliament, it may also be called a parliamentary motion and may include legislative motions, budgetary motions, supplementary budgetary motions, and petitionary motions.
A motion which has been approved by the assembly is called a resolution.
A motion is a formal proposal by a member to do something. Motions are the basis of the group decision-making process. They focus the group on what is being decided.
Generally, a motion should be phrased in a way to take an action or express an opinion. A motion to not do something should not be offered if the same result can happen without anything being done. Such a motion could result in confusion if the assembly does not want to not do it.
The process of handling motions generally involves the following steps, depending on the motion and the rules of order in use:
A member obtains the floor and makes a motion.
Another member seconds the motion.
The chair states the motion.
Members debate the motion.
The chair puts the motion to a vote.
The chair announces the results of the vote and what happens with the motion.
A motion is proposed by a member of the body, for the consideration of the body as a whole.
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