Explanation: Capitals indicate matter added to existing law.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
* Warning: This is an unofficial, introductory copy of the bill.
The official copy considered by the City Council is the first reader copy.
Introductory*
City of Baltimore
Council Bill
(Charter Amendment)
Introduced by: Councilmember Henry
A Resolution Entitled
A Resolution of the Mayor and City Council concerning
title
Charter Amendment - City Council - Reduction in Size
For the purpose of reducing the size of the City Council; providing for certain members to be elected at large; requiring that the President of the City Council, the Council Vice-President, and the Council’s representative to the Planning Commission be at-large members of the Council; clarifying, correcting, and conforming certain language; and submitting this amendment to the qualified voters of the City for adoption or rejection.
body
By proposing to amend
Article III - City Council
Section(s) 1(b), 2(b) and (c), 3(a), 4, and 10(b)
Baltimore City Charter
(1996 Edition)
By proposing to add
Article III - City Council
Section(s) 2(d)
Baltimore City Charter
(1996 Edition)
By proposing to amend
Article VII - Executive Departments
Section(s) 71(a)
Baltimore City Charter
(1996 Edition)
Section 1. Be it resolved by the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, That the City Charter is proposed to be amended to read as follows:
Baltimore City Charter
Article III. City Council
§ 1. Legislative Department; qualification and salary of members.
(b) Qualifications.
(1) [Members] Each member of the City Council[, except the President whose qualifications are provided for in Section 3, shall] must be [citizens] a citizen of the United States, at least 18 years old, [and] a registered [voters] voter of Baltimore City, and a resident of the City for at least 1 year immediately preceding the election and during the member’s term of office.
(2) [They] Each member elected from a district must also [shall] be [residents] a resident of the [districts the members have been chosen to represent] district from which the member is elected for at least 1 year [next] immediately preceding [their] the election, except as provided in Section 7(e), and during [their] the member’s term of office, except as provided in Section 7(d).
§ 2. Members.
(b) Number.
The Council [shall consist] consists of [fourteen] 9 members[, in addition to the President,] to be elected as follows:
(1) [There shall be fourteen districts with one] 1 member [elected] from each [district] of 6 districts; and
(2) 3 members from the City at large.
(c) Districts elections.
[The election of members shall be held by council districts, and no] No person is entitled to vote for any district member of the City Council [other than member for the] unless the person is a registered voter of that district [in which the voter is registered].
§ 3. President.
(a) Election, [qualifications,] duties, etc.
[At the same time that they elect the members, the voters shall elect from Baltimore City at large, a person to be the President of the City Council, who shall possess the qualifications required for the Mayor of the City. It shall be the President’s duty to preside over the City Council, vote on all questions and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by law. The salary of the President shall be set in the Ordinance of Estimates.]
At its first regular session in each calendar year, the City Council shall, by a majority vote of its members, appoint from the at-large members a President who shall preside at all meetings, vote on all questions, and perform other duties as prescribed by law.
§ 4. Vacancy in presidency.
If [it becomes necessary for] the President of the City Council is elected under Article IV, § 2(a) of this Charter to fill the unexpired term of the Mayor, or in case of the death, resignation, removal, or other disqualification of the President, the City Council, by a majority vote of its members, shall elect a councilmember to serve as a new president for the unexpired term. [The person so elected as President may, but need not, be, at the time of election, a member of the City Council.]
§ 10. Procedures; Council officers.
(b) Vice-President - In general.
(1) [The City Council, by] By a majority vote of its members, the City Council shall appoint a Council Vice-President from [its] the at-large members of the Council [a Vice-President,].
(2) [who in] In the absence, sickness, or temporary disqualification of the President, the Vice-President shall:
(i) preside at all [its] meetings of the Council[.]; and
(ii) [The Vice-President also shall be] serve as an acting member of the Board of Estimates [in the absence, sickness or temporary disqualification of the President].
(3) No member may serve as President of the City Council or as Council Vice-President and simultaneously as the Council’s representative to the Planning Commission.
Article VII. Executive Departments
Department of Planning
§ 71. Department of Planning: Commission - Composition, appointment, terms.
(a) In general.
(1) The Planning Commission [shall consist] consists of the following [nine] 9 members[,]:
(i) [one of whom shall be] the Director of Public Works, ex officio[,];
(ii) [one of whom shall be] the Mayor of [the] Baltimore City, ex officio[,]; [and]
(iii) [one of whom shall be a] an at-large member of the City Council [ex officio], other than the Council President or Vice-President, [who shall be] to be elected by [that body,] the City Council; and
(iv) [six of whom shall be] 6 members appointed[, must be] by the Mayor and confirmed[, and shall serve, pursuant to] by the City Council under Article IV, Section 6.
(2) The 6 appointed members serve for a term of 4 years. The terms of [three] 3 appointed members [shall] expire on the last day of the year in which the term of the Mayor begins [pursuant to Article IV, Section 1], and the [four year] terms of [three] the other 3 appointed members [shall] expire [two] 2 years [thereafter] later.
Section 2. And be it further resolved, That this proposed amendment to the City Charter be submitted to the legal and qualified voters of Baltimore City, for adoption or rejection, in accordance with Article XI-A, § 5 of the Maryland Constitution, in the form specified by the City Solicitor.