8:1 In an assembly, as mentioned above in 1:3, each event of the members’ being assembled to transact business constitutes a separate meeting; but the complete unit of engagement in proceedings by the assembly is a session, which (in the general case covering all types of assemblies) consists of one or more connected meetings. The term session is a fundamental concept entering into many important parliamentary rules.
8:2 In parliamentary law and as understood in this book, the terms defined below have distinct meanings:
1) A meeting of an assembly is a single official gathering of its members in one room or area to transact business for a length of time during which there is no cessation of proceedings and the members do not separate, unless for a short recess, as defined below. (For modification of the “one-room-or-area” requirement when the bylaws authorize electronic meetings, see 9:30–36.) Depending on the business to be transacted, a meeting may last from a few minutes to several hours.
2) A session of an assembly, unless otherwise defined by the bylaws or governing rules of the particular organization or body, is a meeting or series of connected meetings devoted to a single order of business, program, agenda, or announced purpose, in which—when there is more than one meeting—each succeeding meeting is scheduled with a view to continuing business at the point where it was left off at the previous meeting (see also discussion of distinction between recess and adjournment, 8:7).
3) A recess, strictly speaking, is a short intermission or break within a meeting that does not end the meeting or destroy its continuity as a single gathering, and after which proceedings are immediately resumed at the point where they were interrupted. During the recess, members may leave the hall or room in which the meeting is being held, but they are expected to remain nearby. A recess frequently has a purpose connected with the business of the meeting itself—such as to count ballots, to permit consultation among members, or the like. (For the motion to Recess, see 20.)
4) A meeting is said to stand at ease if the chair, without objection, simply permits a brief pause, without a declaration of recess. In such a case there is technically no interruption of the meeting, and members remain in their places. Quiet conversation among neighboring members may take place, but it must cease immediately when the chair declares the meeting again in order or any member objects to continuing to stand at ease.
5) An adjournment (that is, the act of the assembly’s adjourning) terminates a meeting; it may also end the session. If another meeting to continue the same business or order of business has been set for a definite time (or to be “at the call of the chair”), the adjournment does not end the session. (See also 9:17–19 for the use of the word adjournment as applied to an adjourned meeting; for the motion to Adjourn see 21.)
6) The term adjournment sine die1 (or adjournment without day) usually refers to the close of a session of several meetings: (a) where the adjournment dissolves the assembly—as in a series of mass meetings or in an annual or biennial convention for which the delegates are separately chosen for each convention; or (b) where, unless called into special session, the body will not be convened again until a time prescribed by the bylaws or constitution—as in the case of a session of a legislature. In cases where the words sine die are applicable, they may be, but are not always, mentioned in the motion to adjourn or the chair’s declaration of the adjournment.
8:3 Number of Meetings in a Session. The length of a session or the number of meetings included within it varies depending on the type of assembly.
8:4 In a permanent society whose bylaws provide for regular weekly, monthly, or quarterly meetings that go through an established order of business in a single afternoon or evening, each “meeting” of this kind normally completes a separate session—unless the assembly at such a meeting schedules an adjourned meeting as explained in 9:17–19. This rule is the common parliamentary law and holds except where the bylaws provide otherwise. Although any society has the right to define, in its bylaws, what shall constitute a session of the organization, it is usually unwise in ordinary societies to adopt a rule making regular sessions last over a long period of time. Such a rule would make it possible for the hands of the organization to be tied during that time, since the same question cannot be brought up again during the same session after it is too late to reconsider (37) a vote that has finally disposed of a motion without adopting it (that is, a vote that has rejected or indefinitely postponed it or has sustained an objection to its consideration; see 11, 26).
8:5 In the case of a state or national organization that holds annual or biennial conventions, each convention constitutes a session of the organization—having one agenda or program—which may be broken up into separate meetings in the morning, afternoon, and evening, or into many meetings held over several days. In Congress a session may comprise hundreds of almost daily meetings, sometimes continuing for nearly a year.
8:6 Departure from Parliamentary Meanings in Ordinary Speech. Because of the fact that a meeting and a session usually coincide in ordinary local societies or branches, these two terms often tend to become confused or used interchangeably in everyday speech. Whenever either word is used, the context should be noted in the light of the explanations in this section. A similar situation exists regarding the terms recess, adjournment, and adjournment sine die. It is common, especially in conventions, to hear the word recess also applied to a longer break that does terminate a meeting and that consequently should be understood as an adjournment, as in “to recess until tomorrow.” On the other hand, assemblies sometimes “adjourn” or provide in the program or agenda for an “adjournment” when only a short recess is intended. The use of the word recess to describe the interval between regular sessions of an organization or assembly, as in “the summer recess of Congress,” is a colloquialism that has no relationship to the parliamentary meaning of the term.
8:7 Comparative Effects of Recess and Adjournment Within a Session. The distinction between recess and adjournment may in some cases become thin so that it must be judged in the individual context. For example, according to the definitions given above, a break in the proceedings of a convention for lunch may be more in the nature of a recess, or of an adjournment, depending on the time and the extent of dispersion of the members that is required for them to be served. From the viewpoint of the effect of a recess or an adjournment on the procedure the next time the assembly is called to order, the difference is that at the conclusion of a recess there never are any “opening” proceedings, but business is always immediately resumed where it was left off, just as if there had been no recess. At the beginning of any meeting (after the first meeting in a session), on the other hand, the resumption of business at the point where it was left off may be, but is not necessarily, preceded by brief opening ceremonies and the reading of minutes. Normally in a session lasting several days, the minutes are read at the beginning of the first meeting each day; and the beginning of a later meeting the same day may be virtually indistinguishable from the conclusion of a recess.2
8:8 How Meetings to Continue a Session Are Scheduled. When a meeting adjourns without ending the session, this necessarily means that the time for another meeting to continue the same business or order of business has already been set (or that provision has been made for such a meeting to be held “at the call of the chair”). The time or provision for this next meeting of the session may have been established by one of the following methods (which are listed in order of frequency of occurrence): (a) through a program adopted at the beginning of a convention; (b) by the adoption in the present meeting of a motion (main or privileged, depending on when it is moved) to fix the time to which to adjourn; or (c) by a specification in the motion to adjourn, if that motion was made as a main motion while no other question was pending.
8:9 Ordinary Practice in Adjourning. In ordinary practice a meeting is closed by adopting a motion simply “to adjourn”; or under certain conditions the chair can declare the adjournment without a motion, as explained in 21:14–15. The society meets again at the time provided in its bylaws or other rules, or as already established by the adoption of an earlier motion. If it does not expect to convene until the next “regular meeting” prescribed by rule or bylaw, the chair declares that the meeting “is adjourned,” and such an adjournment closes the session. On the other hand, if another meeting in the same session has been scheduled by any of the methods listed in the preceding paragraph, the chair announces the time as he declares the adjournment, saying, for example, that the “meeting is adjourned until 4 P.M. tomorrow.”
8:10 In the event of fire, riot, or other extreme emergency, if the chair believes taking time for a vote on adjourning would be dangerous to those present, he should declare the meeting adjourned—to a suitable time and place for an adjourned meeting (if he is able), or to meet at the call of the chair.
8:11 The principal significance of the session as a complete unit of an assembly’s engagement in proceedings lies in the freedom of each new session, as contrasted with the limitations placed upon a session in progress by decisions it has made. Some of the consequences of this characteristic of the session are described in the following paragraphs.
8:12 Freedom of Each New Session. As a general rule, one session cannot place a question beyond the reach of a majority at a later session except through the process of adopting a special rule of order or an amendment to the bylaws (either of which requires more than a majority vote; see immediately below). It is improper, for example, to postpone anything beyond the next regular session—which would be an attempt to prevent that session from considering the question. The principle stated applies in qualified form to cases in which a majority rescinds or amends something adopted at an earlier session, or discharges a committee from further consideration of a question referred to it at an earlier session—which a majority can do provided that previous notice was given. (See 35:2(7) and 36:4(7) for the vote required for these actions without previous notice.)
8:13 Relation of a Session’s Freedom to the Rules of an Organization. The application of the same principle to the case of standing rules (which, as the term is understood in this book, do not deal with parliamentary procedure; see 2) is as follows: Although a standing rule can be adopted by a majority vote at any session and continues in force until it is rescinded or amended, such a rule does not interfere materially with the freedom of a later session, since it can be suspended for the duration of any session (but not for longer) by a majority vote.
8:14 Bylaws, on the other hand—and special rules of order, which do deal with parliamentary procedure—contain the provisions that are expected to have stability from session to session, and to represent the judgment of the whole society as distinguished from the members voting at any particular session. These rules therefore require both previous notice and a two-thirds vote for amendment (with a vote of a majority of the entire membership as an allowable alternative); and rules of order require a two-thirds vote for suspension, while bylaws normally cannot be suspended (see 2, 25).
8:15 Relation of a Session’s Freedom to the Renewability of Motions. The conditions under which a motion can be renewed—that is, can be introduced as if new after having previously been made and disposed of without adoption—are closely related to the freedom of each new session, and to the distinction between a meeting and a session. As stated in 38 and in 8:4, the same or substantially the same question cannot be brought up a second time during the same session except by means of the parliamentary motions that bring a question again before the assembly. At any later session, on the other hand, any motion that is still applicable can normally be renewed unless it has come over from the previous session (by one of the five processes mentioned in 9:7–11 under Regular Meeting, below) as not finally disposed of (see also 38, where the renewal of motions is fully discussed).
8:16 Relation of a Session’s Freedom to Limitation on Appointment as Chairman Pro Tem. If the assembly is to elect a chairman pro tem to hold office beyond the current session (in the event of illness or disability of both the regular presiding officer and his alternate), notice must be given at the preceding meeting or in the call of the meeting that elects him. One session cannot interfere with the freedom of each new session to choose its own chairman pro tem except by an election held with previous notice (10:44–51).
9:1 The term regular meeting (or stated meeting) refers to the periodic business meeting of a permanent society, local branch, or board, held at weekly, monthly, quarterly, or similar intervals, for which the day (as, “the first Tuesday of each month”) should be prescribed by the bylaws and the hour and place should be fixed by a standing rule.
9:2 If, instead, an organization follows the practice of scheduling the day, hour, or place of its regular meetings by resolution, notice (also referred to as the call of the meeting) must be sent to all members a reasonable time in advance of each regular meeting.
9:3 In any organization, notice must be sent a reasonable time in advance of each regular meeting that is separated by more than a quarterly time interval (see 9:7 below) from the previous regular meeting. Notice must also be sent a reasonable time in advance of a convention of delegates. In many organizations, a call is sent to all members in advance of each meeting.
9:4 In all such cases, to avoid uncertainty about what period in advance is reasonable, the specific number of days’ notice required—which will depend on the conditions of the particular assembly and which each organization must determine for itself—should be prescribed in the bylaws (56:34). Unless otherwise provided in the bylaws, the number of days is computed by counting all calendar days (including holidays and weekends), excluding the day of the meeting but including the day the notice is sent.
9:5 When notice is required to be sent, unless a different standard is specified that requirement is met if written notice is sent to each member either:
a) by postal mail to the member’s last known address; or
b) by a form of electronic communication, such as e-mail or fax, by which the member has agreed to receive notice.
9:6 Each regular meeting normally completes a separate session, as explained in 8:4 (see Adjourned Meeting, 9:17–19 below, however). Some societies have frequent meetings for social or cultural purposes at which business may be transacted, and also hold a session every month or quarter especially for business. In such societies, the term regular meeting applies particularly to the regular business session.
9:7 Important rules relating to the continuance of a question from one session to the next depend on whether no more than a quarterly time interval intervenes between the two sessions. In this book, it is understood that no more than a quarterly time interval intervenes between two sessions if the second session begins at any time during or before the third calendar month after the calendar month in which the first session ends. For example, with reference to a session held in January, no more than a quarterly time interval has elapsed since the previous session if that session ended on or after October 1st of the preceding calendar year; and no more than a quarterly time interval will elapse before the next session if that session will begin on or before April 30th of the current year.
9:8 If two business sessions are separated by more than a quarterly time interval—or if the term of a specified portion of the membership expires before the start of the later session (as may happen in an elected legislative assembly or in a board)—then business can go over from the earlier session to the later one only by means of referral to a committee (13).
9:9 If two consecutive regular business sessions are separated by no more than a quarterly time interval, then—provided that there is no specified portion of the membership whose term expires before the start of the later session—there are several ways in which business can go over from the earlier session to the later one:3
1) by being postponed to, or otherwise set as a general or special order for, the later session (see 14, 41);
2) by being laid on the table (17) at the earlier session and not taken from the table (34) before that session adjourns;
3) by going over to the later session as unfinished business or as an unfinished special order (see 21:7(b), 41:18–23);
4) by being the subject of a motion to Reconsider (37) that is not finally disposed of at the earlier session; and
5) by being referred to a committee (13) that can report at the later session.
9:10 The only way for business to be carried over directly from one session to some later regular session beyond the next regular business session is by being referred to a committee that will report at that later session.
9:11 When a question is carried over from one session to another by any of the above processes, it remains within the control of the assembly as a question that has been temporarily, but not finally, disposed of.
9:12 Any business that falls within the objects of the society as defined in its bylaws (or, in the case of a board, any business within the authority of the board) can be transacted at any regular meeting (provided that the parliamentary rules relating to action already taken, or to matters not finally disposed of and remaining within the control of the assembly, are complied with in cases where they apply; compare 10:26–27; see also 35 and 38).
9:13 A special meeting (or called meeting) is a separate session of a society held at a time different from that of any regular meeting, and convened only to consider one or more items of business specified in the call of the meeting. Notice of the time, place, and purpose of the meeting, clearly and specifically describing the subject matter of the motions or items of business to be brought up, must be sent to all members a reasonable number of days in advance. The reason for special meetings is to deal with matters that may arise between regular meetings and that require action by the society before the next regular meeting, or to dedicate an entire session to one or more particular matters.4 As in the case of a regular meeting, the session of a special meeting in an ordinary society is normally concluded in a single meeting, unless the assembly at the special meeting schedules an adjourned meeting (see below).
9:14 Special meetings can properly be called only (a) as authorized in the bylaws (see 56:36); or (b) when authorized by the assembly itself, as part of formal disciplinary procedures, for purposes of conducting a trial and determining a punishment (see 63:21n9). A section of the bylaws that authorizes the calling of special meetings should prescribe:
1) by whom such a meeting is to be called—which provision is usually in the form of a statement that the president (or, in large organizations, the president with the approval of the board) can call a special meeting, and that he shall call a special meeting at the written request of a specific number of members; and
2) the number of days’ notice required. The number of days is computed in the same manner as for regular meetings (see 9:4).
The president directs the secretary to send the notice of the special meeting to all members at the society’s expense in compliance with the bylaws no later than the required number of days in advance, making sure that it contains all the necessary information.
9:15 The only business that can be transacted at a special meeting is that which has been specified in the call of the meeting. This rule, however, does not preclude the consideration of privileged motions, or of any subsidiary, incidental, or other motions that may arise in connection with the transaction of such business or the conduct of the meeting. If, at a special meeting, action is taken relating to business not mentioned in the call, that action, to become valid, must be ratified (see 10:54–57) by the organization at a regular meeting (or at another special meeting properly called for that purpose).
9:16 The requirement that business transacted at a special meeting be specified in the call should not be confused with a requirement that previous notice of a motion be given. Although the call of a special meeting must state the purpose of the meeting, it need not give the exact content of individual motions that will be considered. When a main motion related to business specified in the call of a special meeting is pending, it is as fully open to germane amendment as if it had been moved at a regular meeting.
9:17 An adjourned meeting is a meeting in continuation of the session of the immediately preceding regular or special meeting. The name adjourned meeting means that the meeting is scheduled for a particular time (and place, if it is not otherwise established) by the assembly’s “adjourning to” or “adjourning until” that time and place. If a regular meeting or a special meeting is unable to complete its work, an adjourned meeting can be scheduled for later the same day or some other convenient time before the next regular meeting, by the adoption (as applicable) of a main or a privileged motion to fix the time to which to adjourn, or a main motion to adjourn until the specified time (see 21, 22). In such a case, the adjourned meeting is sometimes spoken of as “an adjournment of” the regular or special meeting. This usage should not be confused with the act of adjourning.
9:18 When common expressions such as “regular [or “stated”] meeting,” “special [or “called”] meeting,” and “annual meeting” (see below) are used in the bylaws, rules, or resolutions adopted by an organization, the word meeting is understood to mean session in the parliamentary sense, and therefore covers all adjourned meetings.
9:19 An adjourned meeting takes up its work at the point where it was interrupted in the order of business or in the consideration of the question that was postponed to the adjourned meeting, except that the minutes of the preceding meeting are first read.
9:20 The term annual meeting is used in two senses.
9:21 Certain types of societies may hold only one business meeting of the general membership each year, perhaps leaving the management of the organization’s affairs in the meantime to a board. Such a meeting is then the annual meeting of the society.
9:22 In local organizations that hold regular business meetings throughout the year, however, the bylaws may provide that one of these regular meetings held at a specified time each year shall be known as the annual meeting. The only difference between this kind of annual meeting and the other regular meetings is that the annual reports of officers and standing committees, the election of officers, and any other items of business that the bylaws may prescribe for the annual meeting are in order, besides the ordinary business that may come up. The minutes of the previous regular meeting are read and approved as usual at the annual meeting, and the minutes of the annual meeting are read and approved at the next regular meeting. Minutes of one annual meeting should not be held for action until the next one a year later.
9:23 Business that is required to be attended to “at the annual meeting” can be taken up at any time (when it is in order) during the session of the annual meeting, or, in other words, either at that meeting as originally convened or at any adjournment of it. If such an item of business has actually been taken up as required during the session of the annual meeting, it may also go over to a later session by any of the means by which a matter may be temporarily, but not finally, disposed of (9:8–11). This is usually unwise, however, unless completing the item of business during the session proves impossible or impractical. (See also 14:12.) If the assembly fails to take up any such item of business as required before final adjournment of the annual meeting, and the next regular meeting is held within a quarterly time interval, the business goes over to that meeting as unfinished business or an unfinished special order (cf. 41:20).
9:24 An executive session in general parliamentary usage has come to mean any meeting of a deliberative assembly, or a portion of a meeting, at which the proceedings are secret. This term originally referred to the consideration of executive business—that is, presidential nominations to appointive offices, and treaties—behind closed doors in the United States Senate. The practice of organizations operating under the lodge system is equivalent to holding all regular meetings in executive session. In any society, certain matters relating to discipline (61, 63), such as trials, must be handled only in executive session. A meeting enters into executive session only when required by rule or established custom, or upon the adoption of a motion to do so. A motion to go into (or out of) executive session is a question of privilege (19), and is adopted by a majority vote.
9:25 Attendance at an Executive Session or Other Closed Session. Whenever a meeting is being held in executive session, only members of the body that is meeting, special invitees, and such employees or staff members as the body or its rules may determine to be necessary are allowed to remain in the hall. Thus, in the case of a board or committee meeting being held in executive session, all persons—whether or not they are members of the organization—who are not members of the board or committee (and who are not otherwise specifically invited or entitled to attend) are excluded from the meeting. When it is desired to similarly restrict attendance at a particular meeting without imposing any obligation of secrecy (or to remove a previously imposed restriction on attendance), this may also be done by majority vote (see also 61:6–7).
9:26 Rules Relating to the Secrecy of an Executive Session. The general rule is that anything that occurs in executive session may not be divulged to nonmembers (except any entitled to attend). However, action taken, as distinct from that which was said in debate, may be divulged to the extent—and only to the extent—necessary to carry it out. For example, if during executive session a member is expelled or an officer is removed from office, that fact may be disclosed to the extent described in 63:3. If the assembly wishes to further lift the secrecy of action taken in an executive session, it may adopt a motion to do so, which is a motion to Amend Something Previously Adopted (35). In making or debating such a motion, the members must be careful, if the assembly is not in executive session, to preserve the existing secrecy.
9:27 A member of a society can be punished under disciplinary procedure if he violates the secrecy of an executive session. Anyone else permitted to be present is honor-bound not to divulge anything that occurred. Reading and approval of the minutes of an executive session must take place only in executive session, unless that which would be reported in the minutes is not secret. When the minutes of an executive session must be considered for approval at an executive session held solely for that purpose, the brief minutes of the latter meeting are, or are assumed to be, approved by that meeting. (For additional rules regarding access to minutes and other records, including those kept by boards and committees, that are protected by the secrecy of an executive session, see 47:36 and 49:17–19.)
9:28 A deliberative assembly or committee is normally entitled to determine whether nonmembers may attend or be excluded from its meetings (even when not in executive session). Many public and semipublic bodies, however, are governed by sunshine laws—that is, their meetings must be open to the public. Normally, such laws have no application to private, nongovernmental bodies.
9:29 In meetings of many public bodies, such as school boards, the public may attend. Similarly, in some private organizations such as church councils, parishioners may be permitted to attend. These attendees are not members of the meeting body and ordinarily have no right to participate. Some bodies, especially public ones, may invite nonmembers to express their views, but this is done under the control of the presiding officer subject to any relevant rules adopted by the body and subject to appeal by a member. Often, by rule or practice, time limits are placed on speakers and relevance is closely monitored.
9:30 Extension of Parliamentary Law to Electronic Meetings. Except as authorized in the bylaws, the business of an organization or board can be validly transacted only at a regular or properly called meeting—that is, as defined in 8:2(1), a single official gathering in one room or area—of the assembly of its members at which a quorum is present.
9:31 Among some organizations, there is an increasing preference, especially in the case of a relatively small board or other assembly, to transact business at electronic meetings—that is, at meetings at which, rather than all participating members being physically present in one room or area as in traditional (or “face-to-face”) meetings, some or all of them communicate with the others through electronic means such as the Internet or by telephone. A group that holds such alternative meetings does not lose its character as a deliberative assembly (see 1:1) so long as the meetings provide, at a minimum, conditions of opportunity for simultaneous aural communication among all participating members equivalent to those of meetings held in one room or area. Under such conditions, an electronic meeting that is properly authorized in the bylaws is treated as though it were a meeting at which all the members who are participating are actually present.
9:32 If electronic meetings are to be authorized, it is advisable to adopt additional rules pertaining to their conduct (see Additional Rules for the Conduct of Electronic Meetings, below).
9:33 Types of Electronic Meetings. Various provisions for electronic meetings are possible, so that more than the minimum standard of an audioconference may be required. Thus, if the bylaws provide for meeting by videoconference (but not merely by “teleconference” or “audioconference”), the meeting must be conducted by a technology that allows all participating members to see each other, as well as to hear each other, at the same time. Provision may also be made for the use of additional collaborative technology to aid in the conduct of a meeting.
9:34 It is important to understand that, regardless of the technology used, the opportunity for simultaneous aural communication is essential to the deliberative character of the meeting. Therefore, a group that attempts to conduct the deliberative process in writing (such as by postal mail, e-mail, “chat rooms,” or fax)—which is not recommended—does not constitute a deliberative assembly. Any such effort may achieve a consultative character, but it is foreign to the deliberative process as understood under parliamentary law.
9:35 Electronic Meetings in Committees. As in the case of a board or any assembly, committees that are expressly established by the bylaws can hold a valid electronic meeting only if authorized in the bylaws to do so. A committee that is not expressly established by the bylaws, however, may instead be authorized to hold electronic meetings by a standing rule of the parent body or organization, by the motion establishing the particular committee, or by instructions included in a motion referring an individual matter to the committee or issued subsequent to such a motion (see 13:8(d), 13:22).
9:36 Additional Rules for the Conduct of Electronic Meetings. If an organization authorizes its assembly, boards, or committees to hold electronic meetings, such a provision should indicate whether members who are not present in person have the right to participate by electronic means, or whether the body may choose to allow or disallow such participation; and, conversely, whether there is required to be a central location for members who wish to attend meetings in person. The notice of an electronic meeting must include an adequate description of how to participate in it (for example, the telephone number to call for a teleconference must be provided). Various additional rules (in the bylaws, special rules of order, standing rules, or instructions to a committee, as appropriate) may also be necessary or advisable regarding the conduct of electronic meetings, such as rules relating to:
• the type of equipment or computer software required for participation in meetings, whether the organization must provide such equipment or software, and contingencies for technical difficulties or malfunctions;
• methods for determining the presence of a quorum;
• the conditions under which a member may raise a point of order doubting the presence of a quorum, and the conditions under which the continued presence of a quorum is presumed if no such point of order is raised;
• methods for seeking recognition and obtaining the floor;
• means by which motions may be submitted in writing during a meeting; and
• methods for taking and verifying votes.
In addition, depending on the character of the organization, it may be advisable to adopt provisions for ensuring that nonmembers cannot participate in meetings (unless properly invited to do so), especially during any meeting or portion of a meeting held in executive session. (For examples of rules for electronic meetings designed to meet various needs, see the appendix Sample Rules for Electronic Meetings, pp. 635-649.)
1. Pronounced SIGN-ee DYE-ee.
2. If the assembly recesses rather than adjourns, that may preclude certain motions to Suspend the Rules (see Renewal of the Motion, 25:6) and to Reconsider and Enter on the Minutes (see 37:47(6)).
3. It should be noted that if some, but not all, of an organization’s regular business sessions are separated by no more than quarterly time intervals, it is only between meetings which are that close together that a question can go over from one session to the next by any means other than referral to a committee. If a society holds regular monthly business meetings from September through May, for example, but does not meet during the summer, a question can be postponed until the next meeting at any of the meetings from September through April, but such a question cannot be postponed at the May meeting until the September meeting.
4. When a special meeting intervenes between two regular meetings, that does not affect the rules governing whether and how business can go over from the earlier regular meeting to the later regular meeting.