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An Ordinance of the County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, amending the Administrative Code of Allegheny County, Article 311, entitled “Official Actions of County Council,” §5-311.04, entitled “Consideration,” in order to clarify the applicability of the law of Allegheny County as it relates to the consideration of ordinances and resolutions by County Council.
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WHEREAS, Allegheny County Council is designated as the legislative branch of the County’s government pursuant to the terms of Article IV of the Home Rule Charter of Allegheny County; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to its power and duty to enact an Administrative Code to govern the operations of the County, established within Article IV, §6 of the Home Rule Charter, Council enacted Article 311 of the Administrative Code in 2000; and
WHEREAS, amongst the provisions of Article 311 is §5-311.04.B., which requires that “County Council shall act on all Ordinances and Resolutions in either the affirmative or negative within 90 days of submittal unless otherwise provided in the Charter or this Administrative Code, or unless tabled by a 2/3 majority of the seated Members of Council;” and
WHEREAS, the Council has systematically ignored the statutory requirement that final votes take place within 90 days of introduction of ordinances and resolutions, insofar as 28 ordinances and 14 resolutions were left in committee for over 90 days without ever receiving final votes at the conclusion of 2013, with several more sitting in committee for longer than 90 days before they eventually did receive final votes in 2012 or 2013; and
WHEREAS, §5-311.04.B. as currently written does not contain any sanction for violating the 90 day rule, nor does it establish a mechanism to ensure compliance,
WHEREAS, it is therefore the judgment of Council that §5-311.04 should be amended in order to establish a mechanism for compliance with the 90 day rule;
The Council of the County of Allegheny hereby enacts as fo...
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