CP CP Committees & Special Bodies 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An 'executive committee' typically has authority to:
- Amend the bylaws between board meetings
- Act on behalf of the board between regular board meetings (Correct answer)
- Remove elected officers without a vote
- Conduct elections without quorum
Correct answer: Act on behalf of the board between regular board meetings
An executive committee is a small subset of the board authorized to act on behalf of the full board between its regularly scheduled meetings.
Question 2: Under RONR, committee members deliberate under which rules?
- Identical rules to the full assembly
- More informal rules—no need for seconds, freer debate (Correct answer)
- Stricter rules due to smaller size
- Rules set entirely by the committee chair
Correct answer: More informal rules—no need for seconds, freer debate
Committees operate under more informal procedures: motions do not require seconds, members may speak multiple times, and debate is more relaxed.
Question 3: A 'minority report' may be presented when:
- The committee chair disagrees with the majority
- One or more committee members dissent from the majority recommendation (Correct answer)
- The committee failed to reach quorum
- The full assembly overrides the committee
Correct answer: One or more committee members dissent from the majority recommendation
A minority report, signed by one or more dissenting committee members, presents an alternative recommendation to the assembly.
Question 4: Which term describes a committee formed of the entire assembly to consider a matter informally?
- Executive committee
- Special committee
- Committee of the whole (Correct answer)
- Standing subcommittee
Correct answer: Committee of the whole
A committee of the whole is a procedural device that allows the entire assembly to act as a committee under relaxed rules.
Question 5: When can the assembly instruct a committee that is currently studying a matter?
- Only before the committee first meets
- At any time before the committee makes its final report (Correct answer)
- Only by a two-thirds vote
- Never—committees are independent once formed
Correct answer: At any time before the committee makes its final report
The assembly retains authority to give additional instructions to a committee at any time before the committee submits its final report.
Question 6: A committee is 'discharged' when:
- All committee members resign simultaneously
- The assembly votes to remove the matter from the committee (Correct answer)
- The committee submits its final report
- The committee chair rules the task completed
Correct answer: The assembly votes to remove the matter from the committee
Discharging a committee is an action by the assembly that removes the referred matter from the committee's jurisdiction and returns it to the full assembly.
CP CP Committees & Special Bodies 2
An 'executive committee' typically has authority to: