Do you like to participate in meetings…a lot? Are you the chair of a group or organization full of members who really get involved in debate? Then information on how often members can speak will be very important to you. No member wants to be stopped and told, “You can't speak on the question again today.” And the chair certainly doesn't want to be misinformed about the rules and either offend members by stopping them when they deserve another opportunity to speak, or be called to task because he let a member speak too many times.

Unless your bylaws say otherwise, members may speak twice and twice only to the same question on the same day, but that second time must not occur until after all members have spoken. This ensures that every member has a chance to speak. The rule about speaking twice applies to the same question, not to the entire meeting. Members have the right to speak twice about any amount of questions a day, just never more than twice about the same question. There may be a number of different motions related to the main motion. Each of these can be addressed a total of two times (once, then another time after all members have spoken). So, if, for example, there was a main motion, the member can speak twice, then again twice on a motion to amend the motion, and twice on postponing the motion and…well, you get the point!

Has a member asked a question? Made a suggestion? Timewise, these are not counted as the member speaking to the question.

If your group or organization decides to continue debate to another meeting and it's on the same day, members who spoke twice at the earlier meeting have effectively finished for the day. A meeting continued to another day gives members a renewed opportunity to speak more because it's a different day.