DEBATE

• Debate


  A discussion on any subject for the purpose of elucidating the truth or influencing action
• Inquiries and suggestions are not debates
• Necessity of debate


  • It is only through the medium of a free and full discussion that the members of an assembly may be able to decide a question intelligently
  • Before a question is put to a vote, it should be debated upon freely and thoroughly unless, by its nature or by the rules of procedure, it is undebatable
• Freedom of debate


  Every member is entitled to participate in the discussion of any question brought before the assembly save in cases where the rules of the organization or propriety prevent him from doing so
• Limits on freedom of debate

  • A member cannot just rise at his pleasure to participate in a debate without properly obtaining the floor
  • A member's right to speak may be suppressed or limited through a motion for the previous question or to limit his time or the extent of the debate
  • A member's right to speak may be restricted if he uses it to abuse the rights of other members or to unreasonably delay or disrupt the proceedings
• Debatability of motions


  • Undebatable motions
  • Motions allowing limited debate
  • Motions allowing full debate
• Undebatable motions


  Motions with high privilege and those in which a debate is, by the rules of logic, unnecessary or improper
• Motions allowing limited debate


  Discussions are restricted to certain details only, this being necessary to enable the members to vote on the question intelligently
• Motions allowing full debate

  Unlimited discussion is necessary for their proper disposition
• Basic rules of debate

  • Relevancy - all discussions must be related to the question at issue
  • Decorum - courtesy in speech and propriety of action
• The speaker should not speak against his own motion
• Interruptions in debate


  • A member may ask questions of the speaker to clarify certain points in his speech
  • The presiding officer may interrupt a speaker at any point of his speech to state a point of order, to answer questions from the assembly, or to make some remarks within his privilege
• Time limit for debate

  • Discussions on any question should not be allowed to prolong beyond reason
  • To limit the debate, the procedure is to move to limit either the number or length of speeches, or the time for the entire debate, or to close the debate at a certain time and vote on the question forthwith
  • To extend the period of debate, the proper action is to move for the extension of the time fixed for the discussions, or to increase the number of speakers, or to extend the time allotted for a particular speaker
  • To stop the debate completely and immediately, the procedure is to move or call for the previous question
• At close of debate


  • When a question appears to have been thoroughly discussed and nobody expresses a desire to speak on it further, the Chair proceeds to put the question
  • Once voting has commenced no one can claim the right of debate
• Reopening debate


  A question that has been decided upon by the assembly may be reopened to debate by a motion for reconsideration