Title
City Council Meetings - Order and Decorum - For the purpose of modifying the City Council Rules of Procedure to prohibit certain items in Council Chambers without prior approval; identifying certain unacceptable behavior in Council Chambers that would warrant removal of an individual; and generally related to maintaining order and decorum at City Council meetings.
Body
CITY COUNCIL OF THE
City of Annapolis
Ordinance 37-19
Introduced by: Alderman Paone
Referred to
Rules and City Government Committee
90 day Rule: 1/27/20
AN ORDINANCE concerning
City Council Meetings - Order and Decorum
FOR the purpose of modifying the City Council Rules of Procedure to prohibit certain items in Council Chambers without prior approval; identifying certain unacceptable behavior in Council Chambers that would warrant removal of an individual; and generally related to maintaining order and decorum at City Council meetings.
BY repealing and re-enacting with amendments the following portions of the Code of the City of Annapolis, 2020 Edition
2.16.040
2.16.045
SECTION I: BE IT ESTABLISHED AND ORDAINED BY THE ANNAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL that the Code of the City of Annapolis shall be amended to read as follows:
Title 2 - ADMINISTRATION
Chapter 2.16 - CITY COUNCIL
Article I - Rules of Procedure
Section 2.16.040 - ORDER AND DECORUM.
THE MAYOR OR THE PRESIDING OFFICER OF THE CITY COUNCIL SHALL PRESERVE ORDER AND DECORUM DURING EACH MEETING OR SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL. THE MAYOR OR THE PRESIDING OFFICER SHALL HAVE GENERAL SUPERVISION OF THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND OVER EACH CORRIDOR ADJACENT TO THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS. VISUAL DEMONSTRATIONS SUCH AS EXCESSIVE OR DANGEROUS WAVING OF PLACARDS, SIGNS, OR BANNERS, THAT ARE DESIGNED TO DISRUPT PROCEEDINGS AS OPPOSED TO SHOW SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION TO LEGISLATION OR OTHER INITIATIVES, ARE PROHIBITED IN THE CHAMBERS. ANY PERSON MAKING PERSONAL, DEFAMATORY, OR PROFANE REMARKS OR WHO WILLFULLY UTTERS LOUD, THREATENING, OR ABUSIVE LANGUAGE, WHICH DISTURBS THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF A SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL SHALL BE CALLED TO ORDER BY THE MAYOR OR THE PRESIDING OFFICER. THE MAYOR OR THE PRESIDING OFFICER MAY SEEK REMOVAL OF ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO REFUSES TO ABIDE BY THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION. IN CASE OF A DISTURBANCE OR DISORDERLY CONDUCT IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS THE MAYOR OR THE PRESIDING OFFICER MAY ORDER ANY SUCH PLACE TO BE CLEARED. SUCH AN ORDER MAY BE CHALLENGED IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 2.16.110 OF THE CITY CODE. THE RULES OF ORDER AND DECORUM SHALL BE PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED IN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
Section 2.16.0402.16.045 - Suspending order of business.
The order of business may be suspended at any time by a majority vote.
SECTION II: AND BE IT FURTHER ESTABLISHED AND ORDAINED BY THE ANNAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL that this ordinance shall take effect from the date of its passage.
Explanation:
UPPERCASE indicates matter added to existing law.
Strikethrough indicates matter stricken from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments.