Censure (motion)
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The motion (parliamentary procedure) to censure is used to express a deliberative assembly's indignation. It is an alternative to more serious measures against misconduct or dereliction of duty.[1][2]
| Second | Yes |
|---|---|
| Debatable | Yes |
| Amendable | Yes |
| Vote Required | Majority |
[edit] Explanation and Use
The motion to censure is an exception to the general rule that "a motion must not use language that reflects on a member's conduct or character, or is discourteous, unnecessarily harsh, or not allowed in debate."[3] Demeter's Manual notes, "It is a reprimand, aimed at reformation of the person and prevention of further offending acts."[2] While there are many possible grounds for censuring members of an organization, such as embezzlement, divulging the secret password, absenteeism, drunkenness, and so on, DEM notes that the grounds for censuring a presiding officer are more limited:[4]
| “ | Serious grounds for censure against presiding officers (presidents, chairmen, etc.) are, in general: arrogation or assumption by the presiding officer of dictatorial powers – powers not conferred upon him by law – by which he harasses, embarrasses and humiliates members; or, specifically: (1) he refuses to recognize members entitled to the floor; (2) he refuses to accept and to put canonical motions to vote; (3) he refuses to entertain appropriate appeals from his decision; (4) he ignores proper points of order; (5) he disobeys the bylaws and the rules of order; (6) he disobeys the assembly's will and substitutes his own; (7) he denies to members the proper exercise of their constitutional or parliamentary rights. | ” |
More serious disciplinary procedures may involve fine, suspension, or expulsion. In some cases, the assembly may declare the chair vacant and elect a new chair; or a motion can be made to rescind the election of an officer.[5]
[edit] Procedure
If the motion is made to censure the presiding officer, then he must relinquish the chair to the vice-president until the motion is disposed of;[6] but during this time, the vice-president is still referred to as "Mr. Vice President" in debate, since a censure is merely a warning and not a proceeding that removes the president from the chair.[7] An officer being censured is not referred to by name in the motion, but simply as "the president," "the treasurer," etc.
After a motion to censure is passed, the chair (or the vice-president, if the presiding officer is being censured) addresses the censured member by name. He may say something to the effect of, "Brother F, you have been censured by vote of the assembly. A censure indicates the assembly's resentment of your conduct at meetings. A censure is a warning. It is the warning voice of suspension or expulsion. Please take due notice thereof and govern yourself accordingly." Or, if the chair is being censured, the vice-president may say, "Mr. Mean, you have been censured by the assembly for the reasons contained in the resolution. I now return to you the presidingship."[8]
[edit] References
- ^ Robert, Henry M. (2000). Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, 10th ed., p. 642 (RONR)
- ^ a b Demeter, George (1969). Demeter's Manual of Parliamentary Law and Procedure, Blue Book, p. 260 (Demeter)
- ^ RONR, p. 333
- ^ Demeter, p. 261
- ^ RONR, pp. 642-643
- ^ RONR, p. 436
- ^ Demeter, p. 263
- ^ Demeter, p. 264
