| Suspend the Rules | ||||||||||||||||
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A member may suggest a temporary suspension of the rules of order, or specific rules of the group, for the good of the whole group. For example, a group may have the rule that only a voting member may speak on the floor, but in this case feel that hearing from someone outside the group may be helpful --they may vote to temporarily suspend the rule prohibiting non-voting members from speaking. It might also be used to extend debate limited by group rules, or to allow a less formal "back and forth" discussion (sometimes called "committee of the whole") of an issue. The rules of order are intended to work FOR the group, not AGAINST them, so when they get in the way, it is within the group's power to temporarily "bend" them. Note that 2/3 of the voters have to agree that this is the time to bend the rules! This provision should not be over-used. Here's how it works: |
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