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Motion of the Council of Allegheny County amending and supplementing the Rules of Council, Article I, Rule C.2.v., in order to establish a requirement that all minority parties having an elected member of Council be represented on Council’s committees.
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Whereas, Allegheny County Council does, from time to time, amend the Rules of Council by which it operates; and
Whereas, as currently written, Article , Rule C.2.v. of the Rules of Council establishes that the President of Council appoints the various committee chairs and designates members of all Council committees; and
Whereas, although it is customary for Council Presidents to include members of minority parties on Council’s committees, nothing presently within the Rules of Council actually requires this outcome; and
Whereas, it is accordingly the desire of Council to formalize the custom of including minority party representation on Council’s committees;
The Council of the County of Allegheny therefore hereby moves as follows:
For the reasons delineated herein, the Rules of Council, Article I, Rule C.2.v., is hereby amended as follows:
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C. Terms and Powers of the Council President
1. The President shall be elected by a majority of the seated members of Council and serves at the pleasure of the body. The election process will occur, but is not limited to, every January following the municipal election cycle.
2. The President shall have the following powers:
i. To preside at all meetings of Council;
ii. To refer all proposed legislation to the proper committee of Council and to sign all legislation passed by the Council;
ii.a. In the event that a bill is referred to a committee that has not been formed as of the date of referral or to a committee that ceases to exist before considering and issuing a recommendation on that bill, the President may, at his or her discretion and with written notice to the Chief Clerk, re-refer that bill to another committee.
iii. To appoint a Vice President;
iv. To establish and dissolve all committees of Council;
v. To appoint the chair and members of each committee, provided, however, that each committee shall have at least one member of each minority party holding at least one seat on the full Council;
vi. To enforce all rules adopted by Council for its operation;
vii. To perform such other duties and functions as Council may assign to the office.
3. In the event that the President is unable to exercise his or her duties, the Vice President shall exercise the powers of the President.
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