A154 Presubmission of Amendments in the House of Deputies
Resolved, the House of Deputies amends Rule XIII.B.3.iii of its Rules of Order as follows:
iii. To Amend or Substitute:
a. is used to modify or change a Resolution or motion. This would include a technical change or a substantive change that would alter the meaning or the intent of a Resolution or motion. Amendments must be related to the item in the Resolution or motion that they are trying to change.
b. Secondary Amendments are:
1. proposed changes to an amendment. Secondary Amendments must relate to the specific subject of an amendment and may not be used to alter other parts of a Resolution or parts not affected by an amendment.
c. has the following characteristics:
1. Primary amendments must be filed with the Secretary before the start of the Session at which the matter will be considered and will be published by the Secretary;
2. The proposer may withdraw a prefilled amendment by providing notice on the Floor or to the Secretary before the House considers the amendment;
3. debate is allowed;
4. only Secondary Amendments are allowed;
5. a majority vote is required.
<Amended text as it would appear if adopted. Scroll below the line of asterisks (******) to see the version showing all deleted and added text.>
Rule XIII.B.3
iii. To Amend or Substitute:
a. is used to modify or change a Resolution or motion. This would include a technical change or a substantive change that would alter the meaning or the intent of a Resolution or motion. Amendments must be related to the item in the Resolution or motion that they are trying to change.
b. Secondary Amendments are:
1. proposed changes to an amendment. Secondary Amendments must relate to the specific subject of an amendment and may not be used to alter other parts of a Resolution or parts not affected by an amendment.
c. has the following characteristics:
1. Primary amendments must be filed with the Secretary before the start of the Session at which the matter will be considered and will be published by the Secretary;
2. The proposer may withdraw a prefilled amendment by providing notice on the Floor or to the Secretary before the House considers the amendment;
2. 3.debate is allowed;
4. only Secondary Amendments are allowed;
5. a majority vote is required.
Explanation
This practice, tested and successfully implemented for resolutions under special rules of special rules of order in previous conventions, is proposed to be the new default rule.
Adopting this approach addresses the challenges of translation and simultaneous interpretation, which can be both cumbersome and time-consuming, particularly when amendments are made on the spot. By requiring amendments to be submitted in writing, the process becomes more transparent, enabling effective translation and publication for all Deputies to review.
Finally, Deputies can better understand the proposed changes in advance, allowing for more focused and informed discussions. Deputies can also read the proposed amendments in advance to organize their thoughts on how they will need to vote, or what comments they have. This streamlining of the amendment process ultimately enhances the effectiveness and productivity of the legislative proceedings, fostering a more impactful discernment environment for all involved.