LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1995, Page 51

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SPECIAL STANDING RULES

. The chair shall see that the agenda is followed as’

- closely as possible.

. Resolutions of each floor committee shall be
prioritized by number and shall normally be
presented in the numerical sequence published in
Today’s Business.

. When recognized by the chair, members of the
convention shall state their name. They shall also
state the name of the District or of the
administrative unit (board, faculty) they represent.

. The two-minute rule shall apply for all who speak
_ from the floor and for the committee during debate.

. While any voting delegate may call the question at
any time, after every 30 minutes of debate on any
one motion (except those specified in Standing Rule
13), there shall be an automatic call of the question
by the chair. The chair may also call for a vote on the
close of debate (4 majority required) when in his
judgment the assembly has heard sufficient
speaking on both sides of the issue.

. Voting shall ordinarily be carried out by use of an
electronic response system which requires delegates
to be present at the beginning of the business
portion of each session.. When not used, instead of
only a voice vote on motions before the convention,
the chair shall ordinarily also call for the raising of
’ the right hand.

. If'a substitute motion is offered and seconded, the
_ presenter shall be offered two minutes to provide the
- rationale for presenting it. The convention shall then
first’ decide by majority vote without debate whether
or not to consider the substitute. If the decision is in
the affirmative and the substitute motion is
subsequently adopted, the original motion fails; if

the substitute motion does not receive favorable — .

action either to consider or to adopt, the original
motion is again before the house. (This is the so-
. called “Behnken rule” for dealing with substitute
. motions.)
.- Questions of privilege ‘shall be addressed in writing
tothe chair, or its appointee, instead of consuming
‘ convention time.
; In the sessions of the last two days, the President
_ shall have the privilege of calling up for action
- resolutions which in his judgment must be acted
‘, spon by the convention before adjournment.
Resolutions prepared by the floor committees which
are: not acted upon by the convention before
‘adjournment die. The subject matter may be
reintroduced at.the next convention by means of an
overture.
. Minutes shall be distributed every morning in
Today's: ‘Business. The first item of business in the
afternoon session shall be the formal approval of

these minutes. However, at that time only -

corrections involving convention action shall be
‘offered from the floor for consideration. Simple
editorial corrections involving, for example,
misspelling of names and faulty titles and references
‘shall. be: submitted “in writing to the Secretary for

- incorporation in the minutes after veri-fication.

. The preface, preamble, rationale, and whereas

Si

sections shall be considered an integral part of the
resolution or overture and, as such, subject to the
same serious consideration and adoption in all its
parts as the main motion itself.

13. The convention chairman, in consultation with the
floor committee chairmen, may identify any issue to
which a maximum of 1% hours of continuous
consideration may be allotted. The following
schedule will be employed for these issues:

Maximum of 15 minutes Committee presentation

If needed, 30 minutes Debate on the main motion

Maximum of 45 minutes Presentation of and debate
on amendments,
substitute motions, (if
accepted), the main motion
or the main motion as
amended

During the first 45 minutes, no motion may be made
to table or to cease debate, although the chairman
shall have the right to inquire of the assembly at
any point during the entire 90 minutes regarding its
readiness to vote. Alternate pro and con speaking
will be followed during the debate. If not concluded
earlier, at the end of 90 minutes debate shall cease
and the motion shall be called. .

14. A member who has spoken on an issue may not at
the close of the speech move the previous question.

15. Unless covered by these standing rules of the
convention, parliamentary procedure shall be
governed by the most recent edition of Robert’s Rules
of Order.

Adopted as amended (1).

16. All portable telephones, computers, or other
electronic communication devices are banned from
the delegate section.

Adopted (7)..

(Standing Rule 14 was proposed by the Secretary and
adopted in the initial adoption of standing rules. In session
7, the convention by a two-thirds majority added standing
rule 16.

With the exception of Standing Rule 13, all proposed
standing rules are identical to those followed in 1992. This
new rule was proposed to assist the convention in carrying
out its important legislative function. Its intention is not to
control but to free the delegates to give sufficient attention
to issues which are considered to be of special importance.
It does the following:

1. Provides time for the discussion of an issue without

~ interruption. ©

2.Prevents the temptation to spend time on
amendments at the expense of consideration of the
main motion.

. 3. Prevents the closure of debate by calling for the
question on the amendment and the main motion.

4, Allows for calling of the motion by the chair if it is
clear from lack of discussion that delegates are ready
to vote.

5. Brings closure to the consideration of an issue within

a specific time.) -