How do i debate at Standing Con?

HOW DO THE DEBATES WORK

Who Proposes the Motions?
The officer or Constituent Organisation (CO) who put the motion forward initially, normally proposes the motion in each session, i.e the name, which appears after the motion in the agenda. The motions are, however, technicaly the property of the Conference, and if people who initially proposed them do not turn up, or do not want t to speak, any delegate can start the debate by proposing the motion. Once the motion is proposed it is then open to the floor for discussion.

How often can you speak?
Unless you are the person who proposed the motion, you can only speak once on any motion. You can however speak on as many motions as you wish during the Confernece. If you proposed a motion, or if you have an ammendment to a motion successfully passed, then you can sum up before a vote is taken.

How long can you speak for?
The person who proposes the motion can speak for five minutes on why the motion should be passed. Once he or she is finished, LGBT Steering Committee will invite delegates to speak for or against the motion. Each of these speakers will have three minutes to outline their reasons for supporting or opposing the motion. The order of speakers will be as follows: Proposer, speaker against, speaker for, speaker against, and so on until a vote is called for. Note that you must speak for or against the motion. Once a vote is called for, the proposer of the amendment has the right to summit.

How do amendments work?
Amendments to the motions will have previously been submitted to the LGBT Steering Committee and are included in the Clár. LGBT Steering Committee will invite the proposer of the amendment to speak on why the amendment should be supported. A speaker will then be invited to speak against the amendment, then a speaker for the amendment and so on until a vote is called for on the amendment. All of these speeches, plus the vote on the amendment take place before the debate or voting on the original motion can continue.

What if an amendment fails?
If the amendment fails, then debate continues on the original motion as if the amendment had not been proposed.

What if the amendment succeeds?
If the amendment is passed, then the original motion together with the amendments agreed upon becomes the substansive motion. The motion is debated as if it was originally put forward in the amended format by the proposer of the amendment. The proposer of the amendment now ‘owns’ the revised motion and it is he or she who has the right to sum up when the vote is called


WHAT ARE PROCEDURAL MOTIONS, POINTS OF ORDER and POINTS OF INFORMATION

What are Procedural Motions?
Procederual motions are motions that can be proposed at any time, except during the act of a voting, a speech or a point of order. They refer to conduct or procedure debate and not to content or speeches. See Schedule D (Section 9) of the USI Constitution for details. Hence they are called 9a etc. They require a proposer and a seconder. The proposer can speak for one minute on why th emotion should be carried, followed by a speaker of one minute on why it should not be carried. The proposer of the substansive motion usually has priority in replying to a procedural motion. There is then a vote on the procedural motion.

What Procedural Motions can be put?
The following are the procedural motions their effect if passed:

(9A) That the question now be put.
If passed, there will be an opportunity for the proposer of the motion to summarise and then an immediate vote will be taken.

(9B) That the question not be put.
If passed, prevents a vote not being taken on the matter under discussion

(9C) That the motion be taken in parts.
If passed, divides the motion or amendment into specified sections to be voted on individually. Used if there are sections that you do not agree with. This must be put in writing and handed into the LGBT Steering Committee.

(9D) That the matter be referred back.
If passed, refers the matter back the specified Officer, or a specified Committee or to a National Council. It is therefore not voted upon at Conference.

(9E) A Challenge to the Chairperson’s Ruling
If passed, the chairperson must change his or her ruling on an issue in accordance with the motion.

(9F) Motion of No-Confidence in the Chairperson.
If passed, the Chairperson will vacate the Chair for the remainder of the session and will be replaced by another member of the LGBT Steering Committee.

What are Points of Order?
Points of order refer to the conduct of the debate, and arise if a delegate feels that something is happening that is not allowed for within the rules laid down for conduct of debate. A Point of Order does not relate to the motion being discussed, or any arguments for or against the motion. If you want to raise a Point of Order, you simply state that you are doing so and specify the point you are making. A Point of Order takes precedence over all other business except the act of voting, unless it refers to the conduct of the vote.

What are Points of Information?
If there is a factual piece of information you feel a speaker should be informed of, you may rise while she or he is speaking and state that you are raising a Point of Information. The speaker may decide whether or not he or she wishes to accept your Point of Information. If they do, you may speak for 15 seconds on this point. If they do not, you must accept this decision.