Question

Assume a member debates a main motion and then tells the chair that the portion of her unexpired time is to be yielded to another member. What would be the chair's ruling.

Answer 1

The chair would base their ruling on the specific rules of the Senate, which traditionally allows for unlimited debate and may informally permit the practice of yielding time to another member, even though it is not a formally codified procedure.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a member of a legislative body, such as the Senate, debates a main motion and wishes to yield their remaining time to another member, the rules and customs of the body typically dictate the chair's ruling. In the Senate, there is traditionally unlimited debate, and discussion ends only when no one else seeks recognition by the chair. However, the practice of yielding time to another member is not universally established and can vary based on the body's specific rules. As such, the chair would rule based on the Senate's adopted procedures, which may or may not formally allow the transfer of debate time. Considering the Senate's flexibility and tendency towards generous debate allowances, yielding time informally might be an accepted practice, but it is not a formally codified procedure.