[Note:] Article IV, 7 Organization of legislature; quorum; compulsory attendance. Section 7. Each house shall be the judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own members; and a majority of each shall constitute a quorum to do business, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may compel the attendance of absent members in such manner and under such penalties as each house may provide.
Assembly Journal of February 20, 2003 .......... Page: 75
Assembly Journal of February 20, 2003 .......... Page: 75
Point of order:
Representative Schneider moved that the rules be suspended and that LRB-2058 be taken up at this time.
Speaker Pro Tempore Freese ruled that the Assembly can not take up LRB-2058 because the resolution had not been introduced.
Representative Schneider rose to the point of order that, under Assembly Rule 90, the Assembly was able to suspend the rules to take up a LRB number.
Representative Foti rose to the point of order that the Assembly would not only be suspending the rules, but also suspending 111.92, Wisconsin Statutes.
Speaker Pro Tempore Freese took the point of order under advisement.
[Note:] No ruling.
111.92(1)(a)...If the committee approves the tentative agreement, it shall introduce in a bill or companion bills, to be put on the calendar or referred to the appropriate scheduling committee of each house, that portion of the tentative agreement which requires legislative action for implementation, such as salary and wage adjustments, changes in fringe benefits, and any proposed amendments, deletions or additions to existing law....
Assembly Rule 90 (1) Any assembly or joint rule may be suspended by the unanimous consent of the members present or by a two-thirds roll call vote of the members present.
Assembly Journal of January 27, 2004 .......... Page: 645
Point of order:
Representative Kreuser asked unanimous consent that the rules be suspended and that Senate Bill 214 be withdrawn from today's calendar and taken up at this time.
Representative Foti objected.
Representative Kreuser moved that the rules be suspended and that Senate Bill 214 be withdrawn from today's calendar and taken up at this time.
Representative Gard rose to the point of order that the motion to suspend the rules to withdraw Senate Bill 214 from today's calendar was not in order.
Assembly Journal of January 27, 2004 .......... Page: 646
Speaker Pro Tempore Freese took under advisement the point of order that was raised by Representative Gard that the motion to suspend rules and take up Senate Bill 214 from today's calendar was not in order.
Assembly Journal of February 3, 2004 .......... Page: 663
Representative Foti withdrew the point of order raised on Tuesday, January 27, that a motion to suspend the rules to take up Senate Bill 214 was not in order.
[Note:] The bill, carrying or going armed with a concealed weapon, was vetoed by the governor, and the senate, but not the assembly, overrode the veto.
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Assembly Journal of May 8, 2001 .......... Page: 242
Point of order:
Representative Cullen rose to a point of order on the interpretation of Assembly Rule 56 (1).
Representative Carpenter moved that the Assembly stand adjourned.
[Note:] This may have been a parliamentary inquiry, not a point of order.
Assembly Rule 56 (1) Any member who desires to speak in debate or submit any matter to the assembly shall rise in his or her assigned place and respectfully address the presiding officer. Upon being recognized, the member shall confine his or her remarks to the question before the assembly and shall avoid personalities. A member may be recognized or addressed only by the number of the member's district or by the county or municipality in which the member resides.
MASON'S MANUAL
Sec. 149. Appeals, Points of Order, Inquiries
See also Ch. 25, Secs. 250-254, Parliamentary Inquiries and Other Requests for Information.
3. A parliamentary inquiry may be directed to the presiding officer or an inquiry may be made from one member to another. While these may involve questions of concern to the members, they rarely present any question to be determined by the body.
Assembly Journal of May 8, 2001 .......... Page: 242
Point of order:
Representative Cullen rose to a point of order on the interpretation of Assembly Rule 56 (1).
Representative Carpenter moved that the Assembly stand adjourned.
[Note:] This may have been a parliamentary inquiry, not a point of order.
Assembly Rule 56 (1) Any member who desires to speak in debate or submit any matter to the assembly shall rise in his or her assigned place and respectfully address the presiding officer. Upon being recognized, the member shall confine his or her remarks to the question before the assembly and shall avoid personalities. A member may be recognized or addressed only by the number of the member's district or by the county or municipality in which the member resides.
MASON'S MANUAL
Sec. 149. Appeals, Points of Order, Inquiries
See also Ch. 25, Secs. 250-254, Parliamentary Inquiries and Other Requests for Information.
3. A parliamentary inquiry may be directed to the presiding officer or an inquiry may be made from one member to another. While these may involve questions of concern to the members, they rarely present any question to be determined by the body.
Assembly Journal of July 2, 2001 .......... Page: 358
Representative Black moved that the rules be suspended and that Senate Bill 55 be immediately messaged to the Senate.
Ruling on the point of order:
Speaker Pro Tempore Freese ruled that the motion was not properly before the Assembly because there was a point of order under advisement and that removed the bill from further consideration under Assembly Rule 62 (3)(b)1.
Representative Black appealed the ruling of the Chair.
Speaker Pro Tempore Freese ruled that an appeal of the Chair was not properly before the Assembly since there was not a ruling on a point of order.
Point of order:
Representative Black rose to the point of order that the motion to suspend the rules and immediately message Senate Bill 55 be to the Senate was in order.
Speaker Pro Tempore Freese took the point of order under advisement.
[Note:] Rep. Black's point of order may have been a parliamentary inquiry.
MASON'S MANUAL
Sec. 230. When an Appeal Is in Order 8. An answer to a parliamentary inquiry is not a decision and therefore cannot be appealed.
Assembly Rule 62 (3) The presiding officer may speak on points of order in preference to others and may:
(a) Immediately announce and explain a ruling on a point of order that has been raised; or
(b) Defer such ruling by taking a point of order under advisement.
1. When the point of order concerns a proposal or a question currently pending on such proposal, taking the point of order under advisement removes the proposal from further consideration until the presiding officer announces the ruling on the point of order.
Assembly Journal of October 25, 2001 .......... Page: 473
Point of order:
Representative Carpenter rose to the point of order that a motion for reconsideration of the vote by which Assembly Bill 576 was engrossed was in order under Assembly Rule 73.
Speaker Pro Tempore Freese took the point of order under advisement.
[Note:] No ruling. This may have been a parliamentary inquiry, not a point of order.
MASON'S MANUAL
Sec. 230. When an Appeal Is in Order 8. An answer to a parliamentary inquiry is not a decision and therefore cannot be appealed.
Assembly Journal of October 30, 2001 .......... Page: 483
Point of order:
Representative Staskunas rose to the point of order that the motion to amend the motion that the rules be suspended and that Assembly Bill 294 be withdrawn from the committee on Labor and Workforce Development be amended to substitute Assembly Bill 545 was not in order under Assembly Rule 15.
Speaker Pro Tempore Freese took the point of order under advisement.
Representative Staskunas withdrew the point of order that the motion to amend a motion to suspend the rules and that Assembly Bill 294 be withdrawn from the committee on Labor and Workforce Development was not in order.
[Note:] Assembly Rule 15 (1) A proposal may not be withdrawn from any committee until 21 calendar days have expired since the proposal was referred to the committee. After the 21-day period, a proposal may be withdrawn either by motion or by petition, but:
Assembly Rule 65 (2) When a main question is under debate the following subsidiary motions are in order if appropriate under the rules governing motions and proposals:
(g) To amend, if the proposal or motion is amendable [rules 52 to 55 and 70 (2) and (4)].
Assembly Rule 65 (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:
(b) Amendments to amendable motions are not in order while a question of higher precedence is pending; and
Under Assembly Rule 66, once an amendment or proposal is offered or introduced in the assembly, it belongs to the assembly. Therefore, it can be returned to the author only by permission of the assembly.
Assembly Rule 66 (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:
(g) A request or motion by the author of a pending amendment that it be withdrawn and returned to the author.
MASON'S MANUAL
Sec. 64. Amendability of Motions
See also Ch. 38, Secs. 395-421, Motion to Amend.
1. Propositions are sometimes introduced in a form not acceptable to the body. It is essential therefore that it be possible to amend propositions in order that they state the common will of the group. There are limitations, however, on the right to amend, particularly with reference to certain procedural motions. There is a convenient rule by which it is possible to determine whether a proposal is subject to amendment. If it could properly have been submitted in a different form, it can be amended. If the proposition could not have been stated in a different form, it cannot be amended.
Sec. 178. Subsidiary Questions
Definition
1. Subsidiary questions are questions of a procedural nature relating directly to or adhering to main motions.
2. It is not usually possible for main motions to be immediately adopted or rejected upon presentation. In legislative bodies it is usually required that main motions be referred to committee and they may be amended. Debate may be limited to a certain time, or the consideration postponed from time to time. Procedural motions, by which main motions are guided through a legislative body, are a type of motion subsidiary to main motions and from this they acquire their name.
3. Subsidiary motions are most often applied to main motions, but the motion to amend may be applied to any motion which is capable of being stated in more than one form.
Sec. 490. Procedural Motions with Precedence of Main Motions
2. Generally, these motions are subject to the same rules as other simple procedural motions. They are not debatable, except sometimes limited debate is permitted on the motion to withdraw a bill from committee or discharge a committee. They are not subject to the subsidiary motions and can be renewed after a change in the parliamentary situation, but cannot be reconsidered. Unless some special rule has been adopted, they require a majority of the legal votes cast for adoption.
3. Among the more frequently used motions of this class are:
(a) Motions to withdraw from committee or discharge a committee.
Sec. 491. Withdrawing Bills from Committee
2. The motion to withdraw a question or discharge a committee from further consideration is not a suspension of the rules, and may be made without previous notice.
3. The motion, in either form, takes precedence as a main motion. It is not subject to the motions to postpone, to refer to committee, to lay on the table or to amendment.
Assembly Journal of October 30, 2001 .......... Page: 484
Point of order:
Representative Black rose to the point of order that the motion to suspend the rules and that Assembly Bill 294 be withdrawn from the committee on Labor and Workforce Development and taken up at this time was not dilatory.
Speaker Pro Tempore Freese took the point of order under advisement.
Assembly Journal of October 30, 2001 .......... Page: 487
Representative Black withdrew his point of order that the motion to suspend the rules and that Assembly Bill 294 be withdrawn from the committee on Labor and Workforce Development and taken up at this time was not dilatory.
[Note:] This may have been a parliamentary inquiry, not a point of order.
MASON'S MANUAL
Sec. 230. When an Appeal Is in Order 8. An answer to a parliamentary inquiry is not a decision and therefore cannot be appealed.
Assembly Journal of October 30, 2001 .......... Page: 484
Point of order:
Representative Ladwig moved that the rules be suspended and that Assembly Bill 380 be immediately messaged to the Senate.
Representative Black moved that the motion, that the rules be suspended and that Assembly Bill 380 be immediately messaged to the Senate, be amended to substitute Assembly Bill 294 be given a second reading.
Representative Ladwig asked unanimous consent to withdraw her motion that the rules be suspended and that Assembly Bill 380 be immediately messaged to the Senate.
Representative Cullen objected.
Representative Hubler rose to the point of order that amending a motion to substitute a different proposal is not in order under Assembly Rules or Mason's Manual, Chapter 28.
Speaker Pro Tempore Freese took the point of order under advisement.
Assembly Journal of October 30, 2001 .......... Page: 487
Ruling on the point of order:
Speaker Pro Tempore Freese ruled well taken the point of order raised by Representative Hubler that amending a motion to substitute a different proposal is not in order under Assembly Rules or Mason's Manual, Chapter 28.
[Note:] 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.
Assembly Rule 54 (3) Assembly amendments that are not germane include:
(a) One individual proposition amending another individual proposition.
MASON'S MANUAL
Sec. 64. Amendability of Motions. 1. ....There are limitations, however, on the right to amend, particularly with reference to certain procedural motions. There is a convenient rule by which it is possible to determine whether a proposal is subject to amendment. If it could properly have been submitted in a different form, it can be amended. If the proposition could not have been stated in a different form, it cannot be amended.
Sec. 282. Motion to Suspend the Rules
6. A motion to suspend the rules may not be:
(a) Amended.
(b) Debated.
(c) Laid on the table.
(d) Referred to committee.
(e) Postponed.
(f) Reconsidered or renewed for the same purpose on the same day, unless other business has intervened or there has been a change in the parliamentary situation.
A motion to suspend the rules may not have any other subsidiary motion applied to it.
Assembly Journal of October 30, 2001 .......... Page: 487
Point of order:
Representative Black rose to the point of order that the motion to suspend the rules and Assembly Bill 294 be withdrawn from the committee on Labor and Workforce Development and taken up at this time was in order.
Ruling on the point of order:
The Chair (Representative Duff) ruled the motion not timely because Assembly Bill 294 was already under advisement for a previous point of order.
[Note:] This may have been a parliamentary inquiry, not a point of order.
MASON'S MANUAL
Sec. 230. When an Appeal Is in Order 8. An answer to a parliamentary inquiry is not a decision and therefore cannot be appealed.
Sec. 149. Appeals, Points of Order, Inquiries
See also Ch. 23, Secs. 230-235, Appeals; Ch. 24, Secs. 240-246, Points of Order; and Ch. 25, Secs. 250-254, Parliamentary Inquiries and Other Requests for Information.
1. In conducting its business, a legislative body may have questions relating to policy or procedure presented to it for decision on appeals from decisions on points of order. Appeals may involve important questions of policy and, therefore, appeals may take on all of the characteristics of a main motion and are subject, in general, to the same rules.
2. Points of order are presented to the presiding officer for determination. The decision of the presiding officer on points of order may always be questioned by the body on appeal and the question decided by the body itself.
Assembly Journal of March 7, 2002 .......... Page: 751
Point of order:
Representative Carpenter rose to a point of order that the vote to take up reconsideration of the vote by which Assembly Bill 872 was passed, would require a two thirds majority for the motion to prevail.
Speaker Pro Tempore Freese took the point of order under advisement.
Assembly Journal of March 7, 2002 .......... Page: 751
Ruling on the point of order:
Speaker Pro Tempore Freese ruled well taken the point of order raised by Representative Carpenter that the vote to take up reconsideration of the vote by which Assembly Bill 872 was passed, would require a two-thirds majority for the motion to prevail under Assembly Rule 73 (3)(a).
[Note:] This may have been a parliamentary inquiry, not a point of order. A "parliamentary inquiry" might have informed the members as to the vote required. A "point of order" is appropriate only to obtain a decision by the presiding officer concerning an issue currently before the house. Had the resolution been adopted by a majority but less than 2/3, a point of order might have been appropriate. Because the roll had not been called, there was no issue.
MASON'S MANUAL
Sec. 230. When an Appeal Is in Order 8. An answer to a parliamentary inquiry is not a decision and therefore cannot be appealed.
Assembly Rule 73 (3) (a).....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 2nd or a later actual day following the vote constituting final action on the proposal, but consideration of any other motion for reconsideration of such final action, entered on the roll call day following the day on which the final action was taken, shall be laid over and placed on the calendar for the first legislative day that occurs at least 2 calendar days after the decision was made.
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Senate Journal of February 13, 2001 .......... Page: 72