Osmund of Perth has asked a question about the procedural motion “That the meeting proceeds to the next business”. His specific question is, what exactly is the next business when this motion is moved.

The answer depends on where in the agenda the meeting is at when the “next business” motion is moved.

The motion is sometimes confused with the  motion “that we proceed to the next item on the agenda.” If this motion is moved and carried, then the meeting moves to whatever item is next on the agenda, regardless of where, in the discussion on a main or substantive motion, the meeting is. In this case where the meeting may be discussing an amendment, the motion causes th meeting to abandon the motion and the amendment and move to the next item on the agenda.

The same IS NOT the case for the “next business” motion.

When the motion “That the meeting proceeds to the next business” is moved and carried, the following action occurs:

1. If it is moved on discussion of a main (or substantive) motion. In this case, once the procedural motion is carried, the main motion is abandoned and the meeting proceeds to the next item on the agenda. (This has the same effect as moving that the motion be withdrawn.)

2. If it is moved on discussion of an amendment. In this case the next business is actually the main motion and so the amendment is abandoned and the meeting proceeds to the main motion. (This has the same effect as moving that the amendment be withdrawn.)

3. If it is moved on discussion of a secondary amendment, often called an amendment to the amendment. In this case the next business is the primary amendment and so the secondary amendment is abandoned and the meeting proceeds to consider the amendment.

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