In parliamentary procedure, when is an amendment out of order?

• A. When another member has the floor
• B. When the motion to amend has not been seconded
• C. When the main motion is on the floor
• D. When the presiding officer is not recognized

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that you may only propose an amendment when you have the floor and have been recognized by the chair. If another member is speaking, you cannot interrupt to offer an amendment, so the amendment is out of order. This rule keeps discussion orderly and ensures each point is heard before changes are proposed.

The other situations aren’t about being out of order: a motion to amend must be seconded to be acted on, but lack of a second simply prevents it from moving forward; having the main motion on the floor is exactly when amendments are appropriate; and not being recognized by the presiding officer signals you’re not yet in a position to speak, but the specific out-of-order condition described here is the interruption of a member who already has the floor.