Felt’s Parliamentary Procedure/Reports of Committees

by Orson B. Felt

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REPORTS OF COMMITTEES

63. There is a wide difference between the reception and the adoption of the report of a committee. The reception of a committee's report only brings it before the assembly for its adoption, rejection, or modification, and it becomes the subject of action like any other business; it may be amended, and it is subject to all proper motions. The fact that the report has been read shows that it has been received; the question then before the asesmbly is on the adoption on rejection of the report. A vote to accept a report is equivalent to adopting it.

When a committee's report is adopted, accepted, or agreed to, it becomes the action of the assembly the same as if done by the assembly without the intervention of a committee.

64. When no time is fixed for the report, the proper procedure is: when the committee or some member reports that the committee is ready to report, the assembly may by vote receive the report then, or at some future time; when said report is read then take steps toward the adoption of rejection of such report; the fact that the assembly has voted to receive the report only indicates that the assembly is willing to take up its consideration. Should the committee recommends amendments, the amendments so recommended should be first voted on, because they are in fact offered by the assembly itself, which created the committee and gave it power to act. When the report is merely explanatory of advisory it is read solely for the information of the assembly, and action is had on the main question, which is the subject of procedure.

65. When a special committee (54) has reported in full to the assembly, said committee is thereby discharged without further action of the assembly and the committee can act no more unless revived by a vote to recommit. When the report is only a partial one the reception of the report does not discharge the committee. If, however, the committee has made but a partial report or reported progress, it would be in order to move that the committee be discharged from further consideration of the subject.

On the other hand, if the report when offered to the assembly is not received, the committee is not thereby discharged, but must await a more favorable time.

After a standing committee (54) has made a full report, while it continues to exist, it has no further control of the matter reported on the new reference. 66. Sometimes the members of a committee do not agree upon a report. In this case the majority of the members determine the report of the committee, which is sometimes erroneously called the majority report. The other members of the committee may desire to present their views in opposition, which they do collectively or individually by consent of the assembly in a report known as the minority report.

It is customary to receive the minority report immediately after receiving the report of the committee, so when the committee's report is presented the minority may by courtesy be permitted to submit their report—this permission is seldom refused—but said minority report has simply the standing of a substitute (141) except that it is known to be backed by certain members of the committee who have been investing the subject and are therefore competent to instruct the assembly on the subject; but said minority report can only be acted upon by first voting to substitute it for the report of the committee.