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Motion of the Council of Allegheny County amending Article IV, Rule B.2. of the Rules of Council for Allegheny County Council, entitled “Legislative Action” in order to provide a more efficient, transparent, and equitable rule relating to the votes necessary in order to approve legislative items.
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Whereas, as currently drafted, Article IV, Rule B.2. of the Rules of Council requires that any motion, resolution or ordinance introduced to Council for a final vote may only be passed by an affirmative vote of a majority of the seated Members of Council, regardless of how many Members of Council are actually present for such a vote; and
Whereas, this requirement establishes a system in which bills can be approved by a majority of the Members of Council present but still be deemed to have failed; and
Whereas, by way of example, at a meeting attended by only 10 Members of Council, a bill could receive 7 affirmative votes and only 3 negative votes, but still be deemed to have failed because it did not receive affirmative votes from at least 8 of the 15 seated Members of Council; and
Whereas, this construct is inherently confusing to the public, insofar as the most common understanding of the democratic process is that the majority rules; and
Whereas, the existing rule is also potentially inefficient and unduly burdensome, as bills defeated as a result of the counterintuitive rule may not necessarily even be subject to re-introduction, depending upon whether such re-introduction is deemed to be dilatory and/or out of order; and
Whereas, it is accordingly the judgment of Council that the rule governing passage of legislative items should be changed in order to reflect the fundamental conception of American democracy: that the majority, rather than arcane procedural requirements, rules;
NOW THEREFORE, IT IS MOVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY,
That this Council hereby amends Article IV, Rule B.2. of the Rules of Council as follows:
B. Legisl...
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