St. Louis City Board of Aldermen Rules

ST. LOUIS PUBLIC LIBRARY
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St. Louis City Board of Aldermen Rules 34-40A
2011-2012 SESSION

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VIII. MOTIONS

Rule 34 Presenting Motions

No motion shall be put or debated unless it is seconded. When a motion is seconded it shall be stated by the President before debate, and the proposer of the motion shall be entitled to the floor. Motions shall be presented to the Clerk in writing, if requested by any member.

Rule 35 Withdrawing Motions

After a motion is stated by the President it shall be in possession of the Board, but may be withdrawn by the proposer at any time.

Rule 36 Amending Motions

1. During the consideration of a bill, as well as other matters before the Board, a motion to amend an amendment shall be in order, but one to amend an amendment to any amendment shall not be in order. An amendment modifying the intention of a motion shall be in order, but an amendment relating to a different matter shall not be in order. Provided, however, that no bill shall be so amended in its passage as to change its original purpose. (See City Charter, Art. IV. Sec. 11)

2. On an amendment to ``strike out and insert,'' the paragraph to be amended shall first be read as it stands and then the words proposed to be stricken out and those to be inserted. Finally, the paragraph as it would stand if so amended shall be read.

3. Amendments shall be presented to the Clerk in writing in the following form, if requested by any member:

Amendment No.___ To Board Bill No. ________

To amend said Board Bill, Page ___, Line ____, to Page _____, Line ___, as follows:

Beginning on Page ___, Line ____, strike out the words: ``______,''
and insert in lieu thereof, to read in words and figures as follows: ``_____''; or

Beginning on Page ___, Line ____, after the word(s) ``____________________''
insert or strike out the following words and figures: `` _____________________''.

Rule 37 Motions During Debate

When a question is under debate the only motions in order shall be:

1. to lay on the table;
2. the previous question;
3. to adjourn;
4. to adjourn to a time certain;
5. to refer;
6. to amend;
7. to substitute; and
8. to postpone indefinitely or to a day certain.

Rule 37A - Non-Debatable Motions; The following motions shall be decided without debate:

1. to lay on the table;

2. the previous question;

3. to adjourn;

4. to suspend Rule 75 to introduce a Resolution provided that a copy of any such Resolution shall be placed on the desk of each member prior to any vote on such a motion; and, provided further, that the principal sponsor has the right and privilege to have any such Resolution formally read by the Clerk in open session prior to any vote on such a motion; and

5. to suspend Rule 76.3 to consider a Resolution or place a Resolution on the Resolutions-Informal Calendar on the same day it is first read.; Rule 38 Motion to Adjourn; A motion to adjourn shall always be in order, except when:

1. another member is in possession of the floor;

2. adjournment was the last preceding motion;

3. it has been decided that the previous question shall be taken; or

4. the members are voting.; Rule 39 Motion to Refer; A motion to refer to a Standing Committee shall take a precedence over a similar motion for a Special Committee.; Rule 40 Motions Laid on the Table
: When a question is laid on the table it may not thereafter be considered except by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of all the members of the Board.; Rule 40A - Majority Required to Adopt Motions; Unless as expressly noted in these Rules, a motion shall be adopted if it receives the affirmative vote of a majority of the members present. Any member voting "Present" shall be considered present and voting and such vote shall be counted for purposes of determining the number of members present. A vote of "Present" shall not be counted as an affirmative vote.