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: The Council President
At the request of: The Administration (Mayor’s Office)
A Resolution Entitled
A Resolution of the Mayor and City Council concerning
title
Charter Amendment - City Council Modernization and Re-Structuring Act
For the purpose of reducing the size of the City Council; requiring that the City Council Vice-President be elected by the voters of Baltimore City; specifying that in the case of a vacancy in the position of City Council President, the Vice-President shall become President; conforming and clarifying related provisions; 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, 2, 4, 10
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.
(a) Legislative Department.
The Legislative Department of the City shall be the City Council, which shall consist of a single chamber.
(b) Qualifications.
Members of the City Council, except the President whose qualifications are provided for in Section 3 and the Vice-President whose qualifications are provided for in Section 10, shall be citizens of the United States, at least 18 years old, and registered voters of Baltimore City. They also shall be residents of the districts the members have been chosen to represent for at least 1 year next preceding their election, except as provided in Section 7(e), and during their term of office.
(c) Salaries.
The salary of each member shall be set as provided in Article VII, §§ 117 through 125 of this Charter.
§ 2. Members.
(a) Election and term.
(1) The voters shall elect the members of the City Council on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November 2016, and on the same day and month in every succeeding fourth year.
(2) Their term of office shall commence on the Thursday next after the first Monday in December succeeding their election and shall continue for 4 years.
(b) Number.
The Council shall consist of [fourteen] 5 members in addition to the President and Vice-President. There shall be [fourteen] 5 districts with one member elected from each district.
(c) Districts.
The election of members shall be held by council districts, and no person is entitled to vote for any member of the City Council other than member for the district in which the voter is registered.
§ 4. Vacancy in presidency.
If it becomes necessary for the President of the City Council 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 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] Vice-President shall become the new President for the unexpired term.
§ 10. Procedures; Council officers.
(a) Attendance of members.
The City Council may compel the attendance of absent members in [such] a manner and under [such] any penalties [as it may provide] provided by ordinance.
(b) Vice-President - in general.
[The City Council, by a majority vote of its members, shall appoint from its members a] The voters shall elect from Baltimore City at large a person to be the Vice-President, who in the absence, sickness, or temporary disqualification of the President shall preside at all its meetings. The Vice-President also shall be an acting member of the Board of Estimates in the absence, sickness, or temporary disqualification of the President.
(c) Vice-President - qualifications.
The Vice-President shall possess the qualifications required for Mayor of the City.
(d) [(c)] Vice-President - as acting Mayor.
In case of, and during, necessary absence, sickness or the temporary disqualification of both the Mayor and the President of the City Council, the Vice-President shall be acting Mayor.
(e) [(d)] Judge of member qualifications; Discipline.
The City Council shall be judge of the election and qualifications of its members, subject to appeal by petition of the party aggrieved as provided by law. With the concurrence of three-fourths of its members, the City Council may expel any member for disorderly behavior or misconduct in office, but not a second time for the same offense.
(f) [(e)] Rules of procedure; Officers.
The City Council shall adopt rules of procedure not inconsistent with the Charter, appoint its own officers, regulate their respective compensation, not to exceed in the aggregate the amount appropriated therefor in the Ordinance of Estimates, and remove them at pleasure.
(g) [(f)] Journal of proceedings; Public deliberations.
The City Council shall keep a journal of its proceedings and enter yeas and nays on any question, resolution or ordinance at the request of any member, and the deliberations of the City Council shall be public.
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.