casting vote
A deciding vote cast by the chair of a deliberative assembly when the votes are tied. • The U.S. Constitution gives the Vice President the casting vote in the Senate. U.S. Const. art. I, § 3.
Search Results for: deliberative assembly
call the question
call the question. Parliamentary law. 1. (Of a member) to move to close debate. 2. (Of a deliberative assembly) to adopt a motion to close debate. See CLOSE DEBATE.
member
member. 1. Parliamentary law. One of the individuals of whom an organization or a deliberative assembly consists, and who enjoys the full rights of participating in the organization — including the rights of making, debating, and voting on motions — except to the extent that the organization reserves those rights to certain classes of membership.
action calendar
The list of business awaiting a deliberative assembly’s vote. — Also termed action agenda.
special rule
special rule. 1. A rule applicable to a particular case or circumstance only. See RULE(1). 2. A deliberative assembly’s rule that supplements or supersedes its parliamentary authority. See PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY. 3. A rule that applies only to a particular matter, such as a specific bill. In senses 2 & 3, see RULE(2), (3).
board
board. 1. A group of persons having managerial, supervisory, or advisory powers (board of directors). • In parliamentary law, a board is a form of deliberative assembly and is distinct from a committee — which is usu. subordinate to a board or other deliberative assembly — in having greater autonomy and authority. 2. Daily meals
report calendar
The list of business coming before a deliberative assembly for information only rather than for its vote. • An item on the report calendar may be the subject of a vote in the future. — Also termed report agenda.
consideration seriatim
Consideration serially, whereby a deliberative assembly considers a long or complex motion in a series of readily divisible parts before voting on the entire motion. — Also termed consideration by paragraph (in which case a “paragraph” means not a literary paragraph but any readily divisible part of a motion, which may include more than one
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credential
credential. (usu. pl.) 1. A document or other evidence that proves one’s authority or expertise. 2. A testimonial that a person is entitled to credit or to the right to exercise official power. 3. The letter of credence given to an ambassador or other representative of a foreign country. 4. Parliamentary law. Evidence of a
committee of the whole
A special committee that comprises all the deliberative assembly’s members who are present. • A deliberative assembly may resolve itself into a committee of the whole so that it can take advantage of the greater procedural flexibility that a committee enjoys, usu. presided over by some chair other than the assembly’s regular chair. Cf. quasi
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