A privileged motion is the highest-ranking motion because it interrupts business to take care of urgent issues. It calls a halt to what is going on in a meeting to take a recess or to adjourn or to raise a question. When a privileged motion is made, it doesn't have anything to do with any motion that's pending. If there's a motion on the floor to consider an issue, the privileged motion won't have anything to do with the content of that pending motion. But you will be interrupting what's being considered to raise your privileged motion.

The Privileged Motions

This chapter gives you an overview of the motions, from the highest ranked (most important) to the lowest ranked (least important). However, what really makes a motion important and valuable to you is what goal you use it to achieve — to adjourn early if there's a need, to ask for a recess in a long and stressful meeting, or to speak up in an urgent situation.

The motions, from highest ranked to lowest ranked, are:

• Fix the time to which to adjourn/Fix the time at which to adjourn

• Adjourn

• Recess

• Question of privilege

• Call for orders of the day

Tap into the Power

It's important to remember that meetings run by Robert's Rules are run democratically. When meetings are run without regard to the comfort of all members, go for long periods of time without a break, or ignore the times set for votes and other important matters, members are likely to feel that they and their needs are not being taken seriously. Becoming familiar with privileged motions and using them to be fair and courteous while conducting group or organization business will go a long way toward making members feel privileged to be a part of it!