REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS AND RULES
To the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge A.F. & A. M. of Minnesota:
Your committee recommends that the business of this Annual Communication be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Article I, of the General Regulations of this Grand Lodge, as amended, further, the order of business for this Communication shall be that as set forth in Article I, Section G1.04, except as shown in the printed program for this Annual Communication, or as may be revised by the Grand Master, at his discretion, to expedite the business and procedure of the Grand Lodge.
We further recommend:
A) Anyone speaking on any motion, resolution, or committee report shall do so from the main floor or from the platform of the auditorium, or as directed by the Grand Master. Prior to speaking the Brother shall state his name, office, and the Lodge he represents.
B) The address of the Grand Orator shall be given at such time as shall be determined by the Grand Master, to expedite the business of the Grand Lodge.
C) The ballot shall be declared closed at 5:00 p.m., April 12, 2024, and that the Tellers begin the canvas of the vote promptly thereafter.
D) To facilitate voting and the work of the Tellers, the provisions of Paragraph 22 of Section G1.04, Article I of the General Regulations are suspended for this Annual Communication.
E) The Grand Master shall decide all questions of order and procedure without debate.
F) No brother shall speak more than twice on any motion, resolution, or committee report, without first obtaining permission from the Grand Master. If more than one brother rises at the same time, the Grand Master shall decide who shall speak first.
G) When any motion, resolution or committee report is under debate, no motion shall be made or received, except to amend or lay on the table the matter being debated.
H) A motion to amend shall, until decided, preclude all other amendments to the main question.
I) While any motion, resolution, committee report or any amendment thereto is being debated, no motion to lay the matter under consideration on the table shall be made or received without permission from the Grand Master.
J) The proponents of any motion, resolution or committee report shall be given the right to open presentation. Those opposing shall then be heard and the proponents shall then have the opportunity to be heard again, whereupon the debate shall end unless the Grand Master orders otherwise.
K) No new motion shall be received or entertained which changes the subject matter on which the original motion was made.
L) Any motion or resolution passed by the Grand Lodge may not be reconsidered during the same Communication.
M) That the provisions hereof be in force and effect at once, and that they remain in effect until the next Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge, in April 2024.
N) All cell phones or other electronic communications devices shall be in silent or vibrate mode. Any cell phone going off otherwise shall subject the holder to a $50 penalty, payable to Minnesota Masonic Charities. You will leave the lodge hall before speaking on a communication device. All business conducted in the tyled meetings of the Grand Lodge Annual Communication may not, during the tyled communication, be communicated outside such meeting without express permission from the Grand Lodge.
Fraternally submitted,
W. Bro. Lee Dorholt (160-277),
Grand Marshal, Chairman
W. Bro. Kenneth Friese (157-126) Gr. Standard Bearer
W. Bro. Garrett Aalfs (326) Grand Pursuivant
Delegates at the Grand Lodge Annual Communication are reminded of the Masonic Code for Procedures at Grand Lodge for Motions:
SECTION G1.07 All motions, except such as are merely formal, and all resolutions shall be prepared using the following procedure:
(a) The resolution shall be signed by the Brother sponsoring and intending to introduce it, together with his Lodge name and number.
(b) The resolution is then presented to the Grand Secretary where a number will be
assigned to it.
(c) The sponsor will address the Grand Master at his earliest convenience and, when
recognized by the Grand Master, will read the resolution to the Grand Lodge. It shall not be necessary, however, to read any resolution which has been on the first day of the Annual Communication distributed in printed form to all who are present and entitled to vote in the Grand Lodge.
(d) The Grand Master will refer all resolutions to the proper committees for action, prior to a vote by Grand Lodge.
(e) The committee or committees to which the resolution has been referred will act upon it and return it to the Grand Secretary.
(f) The Grand Master, at first opportunity, will call the sponsor to the East for a second
reading to the Grand Lodge and move its adoption. The Grand Master will notify the Committee on Jurisprudence if such Committee has proposed a modification of the resolution or expressed a desire to be heard.
(g) After the motion for adoption has been seconded, the Grand Master will call for
discussion. When the discussion has been finished he will put the motion to a vote.
(h) After the vote the resolution shall be included in the printed proceedings.