Assembly

Chapter 8:
MOTIONS AND OTHER ACTIONS DURING DEBATE

ar63 Assembly Rule 63. Putting a motion. When a motion is made, it shall be stated by the presiding officer or read by the chief clerk before debate.

ar64 Assembly Rule 64. Seconding. Whenever a requested action is required to be seconded, immediately after the request is made the presiding officer shall ask if there are sufficient seconds. Any member wishing to be a second shall then stand in his or her assigned place until counted. The presiding officer shall count the seconds and immediately announce whether or not there are sufficient seconds for the request to be granted by the assembly.

ar65 Assembly Rule 65. Privileged and subsidiary motions and requests during debate.

ar65(1) (1) When a main question is under debate the following privileged motions and requests are in order if appropriate under the rules governing motions, requests, and proposals:

ar65(1)(a) (a) To suspend the rules [rule 90].

ar65(1)(b) (b) To request a call of the assembly [rule 83].

ar65(1)(c) (c) To adjourn [rule 70].

ar65(1)(d) (d) To adjourn to a fixed time [rule 70].

ar65(1)(e) (e) To lift a call of the assembly [rule 87].

ar65(1)(f) (f) To recess.

ar65(1)(g) (g) To raise a question of assembly privilege [rule 61 (1)].

ar65(1)(h) (h) To raise a question of personal privilege [rule 61 (2)].

ar65(1)(i) (i) To offer and ask consideration of a privileged resolution [rules 33 and 43].

ar65(2) (2) When a main question is under debate the following subsidiary motions are in order if appropriate under the rules governing motions and proposals:

ar65(2)(a) (a) To lay on or take from the table [rule 74].

ar65(2)(b) (b) To end debate [rule 71].

ar65(2)(c) (c) To postpone to a day or time certain [rule 72].

ar65(2)(d) (d) To refer to a standing committee [rule 72].

ar65(2)(e) (e) To refer to a special committee [rule 72].

ar65(2)(f) (f) To revive an amendment [rule 18 (3)].

ar65(2)(g) (g) To amend, if the proposal or motion is amendable [rules 52 to 55 and 70 (2) and (4)].

ar65(2)(h) (h) To postpone indefinitely, reject, or nonconcur in a proposal [rules 49 and 72].

ar65(2)(i) (i) To return a proposal to the 2nd reading stage [rule 73m].

ar65(3) (3) The motions and requests listed in subs. (1) and (2) have precedence in the order in which they are listed. While any motion or request is pending, motions or requests of the same or lower precedence are not in order, except that:

ar65(3)(a) (a) Amendments may be offered while other amendments are under consideration;

ar65(3)(b) (b) Amendments to amendable motions are not in order while a question of higher precedence is pending; and

ar65(3)(c) (c) Any amendment may be rejected or tabled.

ar65(4) (4) If any motion is made while no other question is before the assembly, or is made subject to qualifications not specifically authorized in the assembly rules, the motion loses its precedence and becomes a main motion, subject to the rules that apply to main motions.

ar65(5) (5) The right of members to debate a question and make motions and requests relating thereto ceases when the presiding officer has called for the “ayes" or directed the chief clerk to open the roll.

[(2)(e) and (g) am. 1999 A.Res. 3]
[(1)(i) am. 2001 A.Res. 3]
[(2) (i) cr. 2019 A.Res. 12]

ar66 Assembly Rule 66. Incidental motions, requests and questions during debate.

ar66(1) (1) In addition to the motions and requests listed in rule 65 (1) and (2), and subject to the limitations imposed by other rules, the following incidental motions, requests, and questions are in order while a proposal or question is under debate:

ar66(1)(a) (a) A point of order and appeal therefrom [rule 62].

ar66(1)(b) (b) A question of quorum [rule 30].

ar66(1)(c) (c) A request that a member be called to order [rule 58].

ar66(1)(d) (d) A parliamentary inquiry.

ar66(1)(e) (e) A request or motion for a leave of absence [rule 27].

ar66(1)(f) (f) A request or motion by the maker of a pending motion that it be withdrawn, if rule 73 (6) does not apply.

ar66(1)(g) (g) A request or motion by the author of a pending amendment that it be withdrawn and returned to the author.

ar66(1)(h) (h) A request or motion to be excused from voting for special cause [rule 77].

ar66(1)(i) (i) A request for a roll call vote when one is not required [rule 76 (3)].

ar66(1)(j) (j) A request for a division of a question [rule 80].

ar66(1)(k) (k) A request that a member yield to a question [rule 57].

ar66(1)(L) (L) The entering of a motion to reconsider an amendment [rule 73].

ar66(2) (2) The motions, requests, and questions listed in sub. (1) do not have an order of precedence, can be initiated at any time they are timely, and shall be disposed of before any question to which they relate is returned to or any other incidental motion, request, or question is entertained.

ar67 Assembly Rule 67. Nondebatable motions. Any motion to adjourn, recess, end debate, take up a resolution under rule 32 (3m), return a proposal to the 2nd reading stage under rule 73m, or suspend the rules, and all incidental questions relating to such motions including appeals, are decided without debate.

[am. 1995 A.Res. 2]
[am. 2019 A.Res. 12]

ar68 Assembly Rule 68. Amendments to motions to be germane. Amendments to amendable motions are subject to the rules of germaneness in rule 54 as if they were amendments to proposals and amendments.

[am. 2001 A.Res. 3]

ar69 Assembly Rule 69. Dilatory motions.

ar69(1) (1) When it appears to the presiding officer that any motion or procedure is being used for the purpose of delay, including a motion to recess for purposes of a partisan caucus, the presiding officer shall declare it dilatory and out of order.

ar69(2) (2) Two consecutive identical motions are dilatory unless significant business has intervened between the motions.

ar69(3) (3) Two consecutive motions to adjourn are not be in order unless other significant business has intervened between the motions or unless no other business is pending before the assembly.

ar69(4) (4) While a motion remains undecided pending the presiding officer's ruling on a point of order taken under advisement, it is dilatory to enter a substantially similar motion on the same question, but it is proper to request an expansion of the question under advisement.

[(4) am. 2001 A.Res. 3]
[(1) am. 2019 A.Res. 12]

ar69m Assembly Rule 69m. Motion to recess. A motion to recess to a day of the year other than the day of the year on which the motion is made shall be treated the same as, and has the same effect as, a motion to adjourn.

[cr. 1995 A.Res. 2]

ar70 Assembly Rule 70. Adjourning.

ar70(1) (1) A motion to adjourn is always in order including when the assembly is under call, but not while the assembly is voting or another member has the floor or while the assembly has recessed for a party caucus and is not under call.

ar70(2) (2) A motion to adjourn to a fixed time other than that prescribed by rule 28 is debatable and amendable as to the proposed time for convening.

ar70(3) (3) A simple motion to adjourn is not debatable or amendable.

ar70(4) (4) A motion to fix the time for convening the next daily session may be amended by altering the time. The motion is debatable and in order only when no other main question is before the assembly.

[(1) am. 1995 A.Res. 2]

ar71 Assembly Rule 71. Ending debate.

ar71(1) (1) When a proposal is under consideration, any member who obtains the floor may move that debate on the proposal be ended. Any such motion shall be seconded by at least 15 members, may not be debated, and is decided by a roll call vote.

ar71(2) (2) If the motion prevails, debate on the proposal ends and all pending and subsequently entered motions concerning the proposal are decided without debate in the order prescribed by the assembly rules.

ar71m Assembly Rule 71m. Voting immediately; time limit on debate.

ar71m(1) (1) When a proposal is under consideration a member may move that all pending amendments and substitute amendments be tabled en masse. The motion is not debatable and if carried by a majority debate is ended on the question then before the assembly and the assembly shall move immediately to the main question pending before the assembly without debate on any pending amendments and substitute amendments. A motion that carries under this subsection prohibits the offering of other amendments or substitute amendments to the proposal to which the main question relates. A motion to table the proposal to which the main question relates is not in order after a motion under this subsection has been made.

ar71m(2) (2) The procedure under this section for ending debate on a proposal is an alternative to the procedure under rule 71 and may be used only if the time limits established under rule 55m (1) or in any privileged resolution have expired.

[cr. 2015 A.Res. 3]

ar72 Assembly Rule 72. Postponing; rejecting; referring. When a motion to postpone to a day or time certain, to postpone indefinitely, to reject, to nonconcur, or to refer to a specific standing or special committee has failed, it may not be allowed again on the same day at the same stage in the consideration of that proposal.

[am. 1989 A.Res. 2]

ar73 Assembly Rule 73. Reconsidering. A motion to reconsider an assembly decision on any question may only be made by a member who voted with or was paired with the side that prevailed on that question, except that in the case of a tie vote or voice vote any member may move reconsideration.

ar73(1) (1) The motion to reconsider:

ar73(1)(a) (a) May be applied only to: 1) final assembly decisions on amendments; 2) final assembly decisions on proposals made at the conclusion of any given stage of a proposal's consideration; and 3) assembly decisions on a veto of a proposal that has failed to pass notwithstanding the objections of the governor.

ar73(1)(b) (b) May not be applied to: 1) the assembly's approval of a conference committee report or of a resolution confirming a nomination for appointment under rule 51m; 2) the assembly's decision on a veto of a proposal that has passed notwithstanding the objections of the governor; or 3) an assembly action to recede from its position on a proposal so as to agree with the position of the senate.

ar73(2) (2)

ar73(2)(a) (a) A motion to reconsider any decision, other than passage of or concurrence in a proposal, may only be entered after the question to which the motion relates has been decided and must be entered either: 1) before the relating clause of the next proposal is read by the clerk, the next order of business is announced by the presiding officer, or other business is begun; or 2) on the 7th order of business that next occurs on a roll call day.

ar73(2)(b) (b) For any decision other than passage, adoption, concurrence, indefinite postponement, rejection, or nonconcurrence, the motion for reconsideration shall be considered when the proposal is next regularly scheduled for consideration.

ar73(3) (3)

ar73(3)(a) (a) A motion for reconsideration of the vote by which a proposal is passed, adopted, concurred in, indefinitely postponed, rejected, or nonconcurred in may be entered: 1) before the relating clause of the next proposal is read by the clerk, the next order of business is announced by the presiding officer, or other business is begun; or 2) on the 7th order of business that next occurs on a roll call day. Any motion to reconsider such final action shall be taken up immediately if the roll call day on which it is entered is already the next actual day following the vote constituting final action on the proposal.

ar73(3)(b) (b) On the final legislative day of the last general-business floorperiod preceding the veto review session in any legislative biennium, any pending motion to reconsider shall be taken up on the 7th order of business on that day. Any motion to reconsider entered subsequently may be taken up at any time on that day by vote of a majority of the members present and voting.

ar73(3m) (3m) A motion for reconsideration of a decision on a veto of a proposal that has failed to pass notwithstanding the objections of the governor may be entered at any time and any number of times during the legislative biennium.

ar73(4) (4)

ar73(4)(a) (a) A motion to reconsider the decision on an amendment shall be placed on the same calendar as the motion to reconsider the final 2nd reading stage decision on the proposal to which the amendment relates, regardless of when made. The failure of any calendar that has been provided to members to show a motion to reconsider a decision on an amendment does not prevent the consideration of the motion under the proper order of business on that calendar day.

ar73(4)(b) (b) Reconsideration of decisions on amendments follows the sequence in rule 55 for consideration of amendments.

ar73(4)(c) (c) If a motion to reconsider a decision on any amendment prevails, the final decision on the proposal at the end of the 2nd reading stage must also be reconsidered, returning the proposal to the amendable stage. If the engrossed proposal consists of a substitute amendment, with or without adopted amendments, both the vote to engross and the vote to adopt the substitute amendment must be reconsidered to return the proposal to the amendable stage.