A subsidiary motion, in parliamentary procedure

Parliamentary procedure

Parliamentary procedure is the body of rules, ethics, and customs governing meetings and other operations of clubs, organizations, legislative bodies, and other deliberative assemblies...

, is a type of motion

Motion (parliamentary procedure)

In parliamentary procedure, a motion is a formal proposal by a member of a deliberative assembly that the assembly take certain action. In a parliament, this is also called a parliamentary motion and includes legislative motions, budgetary motions, supplementary budgetary motions, and petitionary...

 by which a deliberative assembly deals directly with a main motion

Motion (parliamentary procedure)

In parliamentary procedure, a motion is a formal proposal by a member of a deliberative assembly that the assembly take certain action. In a parliament, this is also called a parliamentary motion and includes legislative motions, budgetary motions, supplementary budgetary motions, and petitionary...

 prior to (or instead of) voting on the main motion itself.

Explanation

Some of the subsidiary motions may also be applied to certain other subsidiary motions, incidental motions and privileged motions.

Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR)

Robert's Rules of Order

Robert's Rules of Order

Robert's Rules of Order is the short title of a book containing rules of order intended to be adopted as a parliamentary authority for use by a deliberative assembly written by Brig. Gen...

 recognizes seven subsidiary motions. Ranked lowest to highest in order of precedence, they are the motions to:

1. Postpone indefinitely
   Postpone indefinitely
   The motion to postpone indefinitely, in parliamentary procedure, is a subsidiary motion used to kill a main motion without taking a direct vote on it.-Explanation and Use:-Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised :...
   
    -- to end consideration of the main motion for the balance of that session, without a direct vote on the main motion.
2. Amend
   Amend (motion)
   -Explanation and Use:-Main Motions:Any main motion and any motion to amend may be amended. However, a motion to amend a motion to amend may not be amended, due to the overly complex parliamentary situation that would frequently result.-Secondary Motions:...
   
   -- to change the main motion. (May also be applied to certain other motions).
3. Commit or Refer
   Commit (motion)
   The motion to commit , in parliamentary procedure, is used to refer another motion—usually a main motion -- to a committee.-Explanation and Use:...
   
    -- to send the main motion and any pending subsidiary motions to a committee for consideration.
4. Postpone to a certain time
   Postpone to a certain time
   In parliamentary procedure, a postponing to a certain time or postponing to a time certain is an act of the deliberative assembly, generally implemented as a motion...
   
    (or Postpone Definitely, or Postpone) -- to delay consideration of the main motion and any pending subsidiary motions.
5. Limit or extend limits of debate
   Limit or extend limits of debate
   -Explanation and Use:-Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised:The default norm is allowing each member of a deliberative assembly to make two ten-minute speeches, with a requirement that a member wait for other members who have not spoken on the question to speak before making his second speech.-The...
   
    -- to change limitations on number or length of speeches from those previously adopted.
6. Previous Question
   Previous question
   Previous question, in parliamentary procedure is a motion to end debate, and the moving of amendments, on any debatable or amendable motion and bring that motion to an immediate vote.-Explanation and Use:It is often invoked by a member saying, "I call [for] the...
   
    -- to close debate, preclude any further amendments and vote immediately. (May apply to any motion or pending series of motions.)
7. Lay on the Table
   Table (parliamentary)
   In parliamentary procedure, a motion to table has two different and contradictory meanings:*In the United States, table usually means the motion to lay on the table or motion to postpone consideration; a proposal to suspend consideration of a pending motion...
   
    (or Table) -- to suspend consideration of the main motion and any pending subsidiary motions to allow for immediate consideration of more urgent business.

Motions 1, 2, 3 and 4 are debatable and require a majority vote for adoption. Motions 5 and 6 are undebatable and require a two-thirds vote for adoption. Motion 7 is undebatable and requires a majority vote for adoption. Each subsidiary motion ranks higher than the main motion and lower than the privileged motions

Privileged motion

A privileged motion is a motion in parliamentary procedure that is granted precedence over ordinary business because it concerns matters of great importance or urgency...

, and also yields to applicable incidental motions

Incidental motion

An incidental motion, in parliamentary procedure, is one of a category of motions that relate in varying ways to the main motion and other parliamentary motions.-Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised :...

.

The Standard Code (TSC)

The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure

The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure

The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure is a book of rules of order. It is the second most popular parliamentary authority in the United States after Robert's Rules of Order. It was first published in 1950...

differs as follows:

• The motion to Postpone Indefinitely is omitted. The motion to Table (or Postpone Temporarily) is used instead, a usage prohibited by Robert's but in fact used in many organizations.
• The motion for the Previous Question is regarded as outdated, confusing terminology, and is instead called the motion to Close Debate.
• The motion to Table is also called the motion to Postpone Temporarily, and unlike in Robert's, may be used to kill a motion without a direct vote and without debate, but in this case a two-thirds vote is required.