By Staff, Baptist Message
ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – It is important to remember that motions may only deal with one topic at a time. When making a motion, you should be as brief as possible and always begin with the phrase “I move that…”
If you are making a subsidiary motion (one that deals with a motion already on the floor), it must be relevant to the motion currently under consideration and not be a motion that is the same or substantially like one already dealt with by this Convention.
If your motion is a privileged motion, it must not be dilatory (unnecessary or made only to delay the conduct of business). If your motion seeks to amend the Louisiana Baptist Convention Articles of Incorporation or its Bylaws, prior to offering your motion, please review these documents in advance to review the rules for how to amend each.
A copy of the LBC Articles of Incorporation and its Bylaws are found in your Book of Reports.
Important steps in wording your motion:
— A motion should direct the Convention to take some sort of action or to refrain from taking some action. Include only the action you want to see taken in your motion.
— Do not include sup[1]porting reasons for adopting your motion in the motion itself. This is done during debate; and as the maker of the motion, you will have the first opportunity to speak to your motion.
– Do not make a motion that instructs the Convention to not adopt some other main motion. Also, do not attempt to amend a main motion in such a way that it becomes the opposite of its original intent. If you are against a certain motion, simply vote “no.”
— If you wish to amend a motion, you may move to strike out words from that motion and replace them with other words or you may move to simply add or take away words from the motion. It is not proper to make a “substitute motion” which seeks to completely change the words of a motion so that it is no longer what was originally offered.
— If you offer a motion during the report of a convention entity or the Executive Board, do not address the person making the report; only address the chair and stat your motion directly to him.
The following may be used when making motions on the floor during the annual meeting. Please provide a copy to the president or secretary of the LBC before making your motion.
