A151 Removal from the Consent Calendar in the House of Deputies

Resolved, the House of Deputies amends Rule VI.C.3 and VI.C.4 as follows:

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3. Placing items on the Consent Calendar. Every Committee's Reports on Resolutions or other matters will be placed on the Consent Calendar automatically unless:

i.   it is removed in accordance with these Rules;

ii.  the Rules of Order, the Joint Rules of Order, the Canons, or the Constitution require a different procedure or vote threshold other than a simple majority for considering the resolution or matter;

iii.   the item has been set by a Special Order of Business; or

iv.    the item is one of the following:

a. an election;

b. the confirmation of the election of the Presiding Bishop

4. Who may remove items from the Consent Calendar. An item may be removed from the Consent Calendar any time before the final vote on the Calendar by:

i.   the Chair of the Committee on Dispatch of Business or a vote of the Committee on Dispatch;

ii.  any twenty Deputies by petition presented to the Secretary before the legislative session begins;

iii.  the President of the House.

5. Recommendation by the Legislative Committee. After consultation with a representative from the Committee on Dispatch, a Legislative Committee may vote to recommend the Committee on Dispatch of Business to remove a resolution from the Consent Calendar. Upon receipt of the recommendation, the Committee on Dispatch will vote to accept or reject it at its next meeting. 

 

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Rule VI.C

3. Placing items on the Consent Calendar. Every Committee's Reports on Resolutions or other matters will be placed on the Consent Calendar automatically unless:

i.    the committee votes to exclude it from the Consent Calendar;

ii. i.it is removed in accordance with these Rules;

iii. ii. the Rules of Order, the Joint Rules of Order, the Canons, or the Constitution require a different procedure or vote threshold other than a simple majority for considering the item resolution or matter;

iv.   the item has been set by a Special Order of Business; or

v. iv. the item is one of the following:

a. an election;

b. a Resolution of privilege or courtesy;

c b. the confirmation of the election of the Presiding Bishop.

4. Who may remove items from the Consent Calendar. An item may be removed from the Consent Calendar any time before the final vote on the Calendar by:

i.    the Legislative Committee proposing the action;

ii.i.   the Chair of the Committee on Dispatch of Business or a vote of the Committee on Dispatch;

iii.  the proposer of the Resolution or Memorial;

iv. ii.  any twenty three Deputies by petition presented to the Secretary before the legislative session begins;

v. iii.  the President of the House.

5. Recommendation by the Legislative Committee. After consultation with a representative from the Committee on Dispatch, a Legislative Committee may vote to recommend the Committee on Dispatch of Business to remove a resolution from the Consent Calendar. Upon receipt of the recommendation, the Committee on Dispatch will vote to accept or reject it at its next meeting.

Procedure to remove items from the Consent Calendar. An item may be removed by providing notice to the Secretary;

i.    providing notice to the Secretary; or

ii.   announcement on the floor of the House.

Explanation

This proposal represents a continuation and compromise upon the changes implemented during the previous General Convention. Notably, the House of Deputies has been unique in lacking a mechanism for intentional planning on its legislative calendar, setting it apart from other legislative bodies worldwide. This deficiency has been corrected in recent revisions to the Rules of Order, by giving the Committee on Dispatch the ability to reorder resolutions for the daily calendar to help process legislation efficiently and fairly. Additionally, certain resolutions represent a major change to our position on an issue, our structure, our worship, or our polity. These resolutions may be controversial or represent a need for intentional extended discernment by Deputies before a vote. If floor time is consumed with many resolutions, it adds pressure and makes our decision-making feel forced.

Deputies must consider a huge number of resolutions in a limited period. Even with a fully scheduled convention, the Deputies cannot consider all resolutions through the default floor rules for debate. Most resolutions are adopted with minimal debate and without modifications to committee recommendations. As a result, the critical lobbying and legislative work primarily occur within the committees, making it essential for deputies to focus their efforts there if they wish to amend the text or outcome.

To address these challenges, it is critical that our rules accurately reflect the realities of the legislative process. A key aspect is allocating sufficient floor time in the House to engage in in-depth discussions on issues crucial for the Church's discernment of its vision. The increasing volume of resolutions, combined with the absence of limitations, hinders deputies' ability to thoroughly debate major legislation, leading to frustration among all involved in the process. To remedy this, finding a balanced approach that considers the limited floor time available while ensuring adequate discussion on specific resolutions becomes necessary. The Committee on Dispatch, with its representatives in every legislative committee, is well-equipped to facilitate this balance.

Moreover, the proposal acknowledges the mechanism to remove legislation from the consent calendar if deputies deem it necessary. Raising the threshold ensures the Committee on Dispatch is the primary mechanism for allocating floor time. It also lowers it from the past convention and provides a release valve so that legislation with widespread support or controversy can be appropriately addressed and potentially removed from consideration, promoting a more thorough and thoughtful decision-making process.

Another change is the removal of the automatic floor vote of courtesy resolutions. Although well intentioned, the number could be large and consume a significant amount of floor time.