Q/A Developed by the 2021-2023  NAP Educational Resources Committee
Notes are Excerpt from the RONR (12th edition)

1. Ice Cream Club met on Tuesday and decided to make chocolate the official flavor of the Club. Jeff plans to move to reconsider the decision next month at the regular meeting. Can he do that?

Answer: No. Next month is too late to make the motion to Reconsider; he could move to rescind the decision but without notice it will take a 2/3 vote.

2. Sherry voted, along with most others, to make chocolate the official flavor. After a recess (and after the Club served chocolate ice cream) during the meeting, Sherry starts getting an allergic reaction. Sherry wants to move to reconsider the vote. Can she do that?

Answer: Yes, and this indicates a reason for using reconsider, to take into account new information.

3. During the Ice Cream Club, Susan notices that the only people present are chocolate lovers. Still, she votes to approve making chocolate the official flavor to “go along.” Later, she has second thoughts. What can she do?

Answer: She has the option of moving reconsider and enter on the minutes so that the vote can be taken when a more representative group is present. Reconsider and enter on the minutes cannot be called up on the same day. Moving reconsider with non-representative group will mean the same results.

4. When the Ice Cream Club met and planned an Ice Cream Social, the date proposed was Saturday, July 6, subsequently amended to be Friday, July 5. Amanda realizes later that Friday, July 5, is the date for the city fireworks and she moves to reconsider that amendment. Can she do that? If not, why not? If so, how?

Answer: It depends. If she voted on the prevailing side (to strike Saturday, July 6 and insert Friday, July 5) she can move to reconsider.
For example: “I move to reconsider the vote on the Ice Cream Social and the amendment to strike Saturday, July 6 and insert Friday, July 5. I voted for the amendment.”
The amendment and then the original motion are reconsidered.

5. Last month the social committee met to plan for an ice cream social. In reviewing the meeting notes, Eduardo discovers that the committee is going to feature only chocolate and variations at the social. He missed the social committee meeting but can attend this month. Can the decision to feature only chocolate and variations be reconsidered? Can Eduardo make the motion to reconsider? If not, why not? If so, how?

Answer: Yes, it can be reconsidered unless members of the committee already purchased the chocolate and variations and that purchase cannot be undone. Eduardo, who did not vote on the losing side, can make the motion to reconsider.

6. Diego complains when the chair of the social committee asks for a voice vote on reconsideration. Was the chair correct to ask for a voice vote? Why or why not?

Answer: It depends. If all members of the committee who voted for chocolate and variations are present or have been given reasonable notice, only a majority vote is needed. However, if not all the members who voted on the prevailing side are present and were not given notice a 2/3 vote is required and a voice vote cannot be used. In an assembly Diego should have called a point of order when the chair asked for a voice vote.

7. When a motion to reconsider is approved, what is the next step?

Answer: The next step is to reconsider the motion as if it were a new motion.

Note: The rules and restrictions on calling and adopting the "Reconsider" Motion in a Board Meeting are different than in a Committee meeting, for examples:

Who Can/Cannot Make the Reconsider Motion?

In a Society or its Board meeting: The motion to Reconsider can be made only by a member who voted with the prevailing side. In other words, a reconsideration can be moved only by one who voted aye if the motion involved was adopted, or no if the motion was lost.

In standing and special committees, however, the motion to Reconsider can be made by any member who did not vote on the losing side—including one who did not vote at all, or even was absent. It should be noted that it is possible for a minority to be the prevailing side if a motion requiring a two-thirds vote for adoption is lost.

What are Time Limits to Make Reconsider Motion?

The making of this motion is subject to time limits, as follows: In a session of one day—such as an ordinary meeting of a club or a one-day convention—the motion to Reconsider can be made only on the same day the vote to be reconsidered was taken. In a convention or session of more than one day, a reconsideration can be moved only on the same day the original vote was taken or on the next succeeding day within the session on which a business meeting is held.

These time limitations do not apply to standing or special committees (see 37:35). Except by unanimous consent, a motion to Reconsider that has not been finally disposed of cannot be withdrawn after it is too late to renew it; that is, it can be withdrawn only within the same time limits as for making the motion in the first place.
 

Reconsider Vote Requirement in a Standing or Special Committee:

Unless all the members of the committee who voted with the prevailing side are present or have been given reasonable notice that the reconsideration will be moved, it requires a two-thirds vote to adopt the motion to Reconsider.

In other respects, reconsideration in a committee is the same as in a meeting of the society or its board. A vote cannot be reconsidered in a committee of the whole.

Bahman Davani
Phone: 214-457-7055 
Bahman@Parliamentary-Services.org

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