Parliamentary inquiry

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A parliamentary inquiry is a question directed to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly to obtain information on a matter of parliamentary law or the rules of the organization bearing on the business at hand. The primary purpose is to enable members to obtains the chair's guidance on parliamentary matters about which they are uncertain.[1]

[edit] Explanation and Use

Parliamentary inquiry (RONR)
Class Incidental motion
In order when another has the floor Yes
Second No
Debatable No
Amendable No
Vote Required Is not voted on, but is responded to by chair

Mason's Manual of Legislative Procedure notes, "It is not, however, the presiding officer's duty to answer general questions concerning parliamentary law."[2] Per RONR, the chair is also not obligated to answer hypothetical questions. This motion is made by saying, "Mr. Chairman, I rise to a parliamentary inquiry."[3]

[edit] Related Motions

A parliamentary inquiry is sometimes used as a tactful alternative to a call for the orders of the day, or a Point of Order.[1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Gondin, William R. (1969). Dictionary of Parliamentary Procedure, 89. 
  2. ^ National Conference of State Legislatures (2000). Mason's Manual of Legislative Procedure, 2000 ed., p. 192
  3. ^ Robert, Henry M. (2000). Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, 10th ed., p. 281-282