Suspend The Rules - Background and Rationale

Background and Rationale

The special rules of order, rules contained in the parliamentary authority, the standing rules of the assembly, and the rules of order contained in the bylaws or constitution which specifically provide for their own suspension may be suspended. Rules of order which protect the fundamental rights of the assembly or of individual members and ordinary rules of order contained in the bylaws or constitution may not be suspended,

Rules are essential to the regularity of the proceedings. They protect the principles of parliamentary procedure - order, the right of individual members and of minorities to be heard, and the right of a majority to carry out its will. For these reasons, members have a right to insist on the observance of the rules. Yet a member may waive his right and also the assembly may dispense with the operation of its rules.

A suspension of the rules may be proposed upon a motion. Such motions may be adopted with some supermajority (which is two-thirds of members present unless otherwise specified in the bylaws or constitution). In many cases, suspension of the rules may take place with unanimous consent. Rules are also sometimes suspended by unanimous consent without a formal motion. Typically, a member will make a request to consider particular business or take a special action not permitted by the rules. The chair will ask if there is any objection; if there is no objection, the rules are suspended. This is a similar motion to a request for any other privilege.