Legal Definitions - old business

Old business refers to agenda items or topics that were introduced, discussed, or partially addressed in a previous meeting but were not fully resolved, completed, or acted upon. These matters are carried over to a subsequent meeting's agenda to ensure continuity and allow for further consideration, discussion, or a final decision.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Imagine a city council meeting where a proposal to install new streetlights in a particular neighborhood was debated. The council members discussed the budget and potential locations but decided they needed more information on the environmental impact before casting a final vote. At their next scheduled meeting, the topic of "new streetlights for Elm Street" would be listed under old business. This ensures the council picks up the discussion from where they left off, reviews the new environmental report, and can then proceed to a vote or further deliberation.

• Consider a school board meeting where the board began discussing a new curriculum proposal for high school science classes. They reviewed the initial plan but decided to table the discussion to allow for public comment and feedback from teachers. In the following month's meeting, the "high school science curriculum proposal" would be brought up as old business. The board would then review the collected feedback and continue their discussion towards approving, modifying, or rejecting the proposal.

• Think about a neighborhood watch committee meeting. In their last gathering, they started planning a community safety workshop but ran out of time before finalizing the date, venue, and speakers. At their next committee meeting, "planning for the community safety workshop" would be an item under old business. The committee would then resume their planning efforts, aiming to set a date, book a location, and invite speakers to move the project forward.