Academy/Motions & Parliamentary Procedure
Rescinding previous action
How a board can cancel a decision it already made, and where the limits are
A motion to rescind cancels a decision the board already adopted, wiping it out entirely rather than tweaking it. It needs a vote of its own, the threshold set by your parliamentary authority or bylaws, not by whoever raises it. It cannot undo a contract already signed or work already done under the old decision.
What rescind actually does
Rescind targets something the board already finished voting on: a past resolution, a standing rule, an approval from an earlier meeting. It is different from an amendment, which changes the wording of something still on the floor. Rescind reaches backward, past meetings, and past votes, and removes the decision entirely.
If the board wants to change part of an old decision rather than erase it, that is a different question, one your bylaws or parliamentary authority will treat differently from a straight cancellation. Rescind is the tool for "undo this completely," not "adjust this."
What rescinding cannot undo
Robert's Rules sits at the bottom of a stack. Above it sit state statute, the association's declaration, its bylaws, and any board resolutions already adopted. A vote to rescind cancels the board's decision, but it cannot rewrite a contract the association already signed, unspend money already spent, or reverse work a vendor already started under the old approval. What obligations survive a rescinded decision depends on the contract terms and on state law, so check both before assuming a vote alone gets the association out.
"Most community association documents require the board to use parliamentary procedure at annual and special meetings."
Source: Parliamentary Procedure: Why Robert's Rules HOA Meetings, CAI / HOAresources
That means the documents, not Robert's Rules, usually decide whether the board even needs a parliamentary authority for this at all. Read your own bylaws before you assume the printed rulebook controls.
The vote you will need
The exact vote required to rescind, and whether advance notice to the board is required first, is set by whichever parliamentary authority your governing documents adopt, or by the bylaws directly. Check your bylaws and the parliamentary authority named there before you schedule the vote. Do not assume the same simple majority that passed the original decision is automatically what it takes to undo it.
The Robert's Rules Association's own quick reference guide lays out the mechanics motion by motion. It is copyrighted, so this page will not reproduce its chart, but it is the right place to check the specific threshold for your association's adopted edition.
Check yourself
Answer before you read the explanation, recalling it is what makes it stick.
At last month's meeting the board voted to spend $2,000 on new signage. This month, a director wants the board to cancel that decision entirely, no purchase, no signage. What is the correct tool?
The board votes on a motion to rescind a prior decision. Seven directors are present: three vote yes, two vote no, two abstain. Under the rule that abstentions are not votes, what gets counted toward the total?
The board rescinded last month's approval of a roofing contract, but the roofing company already started work under a signed agreement. What actually determines whether the association can walk away without consequence?
Sources
- Robert's Rules of Order, Official FAQ, The Robert's Rules Association
- Parliamentary Procedure: Why Robert's Rules HOA Meetings, CAI / HOAresources
- RONR 12th ed. Quick Reference Guide, The Robert's Rules Association
Motions & Parliamentary Procedure
Wondering whether you actually want reconsider instead of rescind? See reconsidering a vote.
This page is educational, not legal advice. Whether and how your board can rescind a past decision depends on your state's statutes and your association's own governing documents. Ask your attorney or a credentialed parliamentarian before relying on it.