Commit (motion)

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The motion to commit (or refer), in parliamentary procedure, is used to refer another motion -- usually a main motion -- to a committee.

[edit] Explanation and Use

Commit (RONR)

Class	Subsidiary motion
In order when another has the floor	No
Second	Yes
Debatable	Yes, although debate on the motion must be confined to its merits only, and cannot go into the main question except as necessary for debate of the immediately pending question.
Amendable	Yes
Vote Required	Majority
Reconsider	Yes, if committee has not begun consideration of the question. A negative vote on this motion can be reconsidered only until such time as progress in business or debate has made it essentially a new question.

A motion to commit should specify which committee the matter is to be referred, and if the committee is a special committee appointed specifically for purposes of the referred motion, it should also specify the number of committee members and the method of their selection, unless that is specified in the bylaws.^[1]

Any proposed amendments to the main motion that are pending at the time the motion is referred to a committee go to the committee as well.^[2]

Once referred, but before the committee reports its recommendations back to the assembly, the referred motion may be removed from the committee's consideration by the motion to discharge a committee.

[edit] Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR)

The motion to commit has three variations which do not turn a question over to a smaller group, but simply permit the assembly's full meeting body to consider it with the greater freedom of debate that is allowed to committees. These forms are:

• to go into a committee of the whole;
• to go into a quasi committee of the whole; and
• to consider informally.

Passing any of these motions removes the limitations on the number of times a member can speak.^[3]

[edit] The Standard Code (TSC)

Under The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure, the "committee of the whole" and "quasi committee of the whole options" are not available. TSC calls these devices "convoluted".^[4] Informal consideration is available under TSC.

[edit] References

v • d • e Parliamentary Procedure Major concepts Deliberative assembly · Motions · Main motion · Quorum · Session Subsidiary motions Postpone indefinitely · Amend · Commit · Postpone to a certain time · Limit or extend limits of debate · Previous question · Lay on the table Privileged motions Call for the orders of the day · Raise a question of privilege · Recess · Adjourn · Fix the time to which to adjourn Incidental motions Point of order · Appeal · Suspend the rules · Objection to the consideration of a question · Division of a question · Consideration by paragraph or seriatim · Division of the assembly · Motions relating to methods of voting and the polls · Motions relating to nominations Incidental motions (Requests and inquiries) Parliamentary inquiry · Point of information · Request for permission to withdraw or modify a motion · Request to read papers · Request to be excused from a duty · Request for any other privilege Motions that bring a question again before the assembly Take from the table · Rescind, repeal, annul or amend something previously adopted · Discharge a committee · Reconsider Legislative procedure Call of the house · Hoist · Pass on Disciplinary procedures Censure · Declare the chair vacant · Impeach Parliamentary authorities Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR) · The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure (TSC) · Demeter's Manual · Riddick's Rules of Procedure · Mason's Manual of Legislative Procedure Other concepts Committee · Committee of the whole · Dilatory motions and tactics · Minutes · Second · History of parliamentary procedure · Principles of parliamentary procedure