Postpone to a certain time
In parliamentary procedure, a postponing to a certain time or postponing to a time certain is an act of the deliberative assembly, generally implemented as a motion. It delays action on a pending question until a different day, meeting, hour or until after a certain event.
Explanation and Use
| Class | Subsidiary motion |
|---|---|
| In order when another has the floor? | No |
| Requires second? | Yes |
| Debatable? | Yes |
| May be reconsidered? | Yes |
| Amendable? | Yes |
| Vote required | Majority, unless it makes question a special order |
Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR)
A postponed question becomes an order of the day for the time to which it is postponed.[1] Under Demeter's Manual, if a motion to postpone definitely specifies a time that falls after the next regular meeting, or after a certain event which will not occur until after the next regular meeting, then it is treated as a motion to postpone indefinitely, which is the lowest-ranking of the subsidiary motions.[2]
A motion to postpone an action or event that was previously scheduled is distinct from the subsidiary motion to postpone indefinitely, and is a type of the motion to amend something previously adopted.[3]
The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure (TSC)
| Class | Subsidiary motion |
|---|---|
| In order when another has the floor? | No |
| Requires second? | Yes |
| Debatable? | Yes |
| May be reconsidered? | No |
| Amendable? | Only relating to the new time |
| Vote required | Majority, unless it makes question a special order |
TSC implements the concept of postponing a motion to a certain time as a subsidiary motion of the same name. Only main motions can be postponed in this way, and they can be made either general or special orders for their target date of consideration.[4]
Postponing a motion in this way is permitted so long as:
- There is a meeting on the date the motion is postponed to. For example, a main motion cannot be postponed to a day where there is no regular meeting or where a special meeting has not been planned yet.
- The date to which the main motion is being postponed is not too late for it to be effective. For example, if the main motion proposes that there be a picnic on September 3, the motion cannot be postponed to September 5, because that would be too late for it to be carried out.
Alternatively, a motion can be postponed until after a specific event has occurred, such as after an officer makes a relevant report.
Debate on the motion to postpone to a certain time should be brief and confined only to the reasons for and time of the postponement. Amendments to it may only relate to the desired date that the assembly will resume consideration.
As with Robert's Rules of Order, TSC requires simple majority to postpone a motion as a general order and a vote of two-thirds (2/3) to postpone it as a special order. However, unlike Robert's, TSC does not allow this motion to be reconsidered, as TSC does not allow most motions to be reconsidered.
