COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20004

 

               

TO:                  Nyasha Smith, Secretary to the Council

              

FROM:            Phil Mendelson, Chairman

                                                     

DATE:             September 17, 2020

 

                               

               Please place the following measure on the agenda for the September 22, 2020 Additional Legislative Meeting:

 

§  Virtual Meeting Rules Amendment Resolution of 2020

 

               The purpose of the resolution is to amend the Council Rules with regard to submitting amendments at virtual Council meetings.  In order to provide timely notice of amendments to measures at legislative meetings, I propose setting a 6:00 p.m. deadline the day before a legislative meeting for any amendment to be in order.  To preserve flexibility in cases where the amendment is not controversial and necessary for inclusion, I propose a 2/3 supermajority waiver of the deadline which would be voted on before proceeding to the amendment.  If such a waiver is adopted, the amendment would be in order, however final reading on the underlying measure amended by a late amendment would be considered at the next legislative meeting (this would not apply to first readings because they must lay over until a subsequent meeting already).  The postponement could be waived by unanimous consent.

 

               My rationale is that we must minimize late amendments to give ourselves and staff adequate time to analyze amendments.  This proposal would ensure that any measure containing language from a late amendment either has the unanimous support of the Council or has an additional two weeks for Members to review.

 

A copy of the draft measure is attached.  Should you have any questions, please contact me or Evan Cash (724-7002) on my staff.

 

 

cc:          Members, Council of the District of Columbia

               Council Officers

 

 

Evan Cash

Committee and Legislative Director

Committee of the Whole

Chairman Phil Mendelson

 

John A. Wilson Building

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Suite 410

Washington, DC 20004

Tel: (202) 724-7002

http://www.chairmanmendelson.com/cow

 

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