Legal Definitions - consent agenda

A consent agenda is a meeting management tool used by groups, such as legislative bodies, corporate boards, or committees, to efficiently approve a collection of routine, non-controversial items with a single vote.

Instead of discussing and voting on each item individually, these matters are bundled together. Any member can request that a specific item be removed from the consent agenda and discussed separately if they believe it warrants individual attention or debate. Otherwise, all items on the consent agenda are approved collectively, saving valuable meeting time for more substantive discussions.

Examples:

• Imagine a city council meeting where the agenda includes approving the minutes from the previous meeting, accepting a routine report from the parks department, and authorizing a minor street repair permit. Instead of voting on each of these items individually, the council might place them all on a consent agenda. This allows the council members to quickly approve these non-controversial matters with one vote, freeing up time to debate more significant issues like a new zoning proposal or a major budget allocation.

• Consider the quarterly meeting of a company's board of directors. Items like the approval of the previous quarter's financial statements, the renewal of a standard software license, and minor updates to the employee handbook might be grouped onto a consent agenda. Unless a board member specifically requests to discuss one of these items in detail, they will all be passed with a single motion, streamlining the meeting and allowing the board to focus on strategic planning or major investment decisions.

• A non-profit organization's board meeting might use a consent agenda to approve routine operational matters. This could include accepting the monthly volunteer activity report, ratifying minor adjustments to the upcoming fundraising event's logistics, and approving the payment of standard utility bills. By bundling these items, the board can efficiently handle administrative tasks and dedicate more time to discussing the organization's mission, new programs, or significant donor relations.