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AN ORDINANCE relating to council rules and order of business; and amending Ordinance 16362, Section 3, and K.C.C. 1.24.017, Ordinance 11683, Section 3, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.24.025, Ordinance 11683, Section 4, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.24.035, Ordinance 11683, Section 5, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.24.045, Ordinance 11683, Section 6, as amended, and 1.24.055, Ordinance 11683, Section 7, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.24.065, Ordinance 11683, Section 10, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.24.095, Ordinance 11683, Section 16, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.24.155 and Ordinance 11683, Section 31, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.24.305.
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BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Findings.
A. King County Charter Section 220.40 requires the council to adopt by ordinance rules of procedure governing the time, place and conduct of its meetings.
B. Consistent with the county charter, the council adopted by ordinance rules of procedure, which are codified in K.C.C. chapter 1.24, and passed motions related to the organization and administration of the council.
C. The rules ordinance and the organizational motion have been amended from time to time to reflect desired changes in the council's rules of procedure and organization.
SECTION 2. Ordinance 16362, Section 3, and K.C.C. 1.24.017 are each hereby amended to read as follows:
Rule 2.2: Succession - council chair. In the event of the inability of the council chair to serve in that capacity, the following order of succession shall be observed:
A. Vice chair ((of policy));
B. ((Vice-chair of administration and finance;
C.)) Remaining councilmembers in order of their seniority of service cumulatively in county elective office and state legislative office.
SECTION 3. Ordinance 11683, Section 3, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.24.025 are each hereby amended to read as follows:
Rule 3: Powers and duties of the vice-chair - acting chair in absence of chair and vice-chair.
A. ((There shall be two vice-chairs: the vice-chair of policy and the vice-chair of administration and finance. For the purposes of this chapter, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, "vice-chair" means the vice-chair of policy and, in the absence of the vice-chair of policy, "vice-chair" means the vice-chair of administration and finance.
B.))The vice-chair ((of policy)) shall exercise the duties, powers and prerogatives of the council chair in the event of the chair's absence.
((C.)) B. If the chair and the vice-chair ((of policy)) are both absent at a meeting of the council, the ((vice-chair of administration and finance)) remaining councilmember present with the greatest seniority of service in county elective office shall preside as acting chair. In the event more than one member has equal greatest seniority based on service in county elective office, the member with the greatest cumulative seniority in county elective office and state legislative office shall preside as acting chair.
((D.)) C. If, after recommendation by the employment and administration committee, the chair is the subject of a motion that proposes to censure a councilmember for violating the council's antiharassment policy, the vice-chair ((of policy)) shall introduce the motion.
SECTION 4. Ordinance 11683, Section 4, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.24.035 are each hereby amended to read as follows:
Rule 4: Meetings.
A.1.a. The time of regular meetings of the council is 11:00 a.m. on Monday of each week, or Tuesday if Monday is a state or county holiday or is a legislative branch furlough day due to a county emergency budget crisis, unless otherwise ordered by the chair or a majority of the council, except that the time is 1:30 p.m. from September 21 through December 31. However, the regular meetings of the council shall not take place on the first and second Mondays in August and the third and fourth Mondays in December.
b. Each Wednesday from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. shall be reserved for special standing committee meetings and each fourth and fifth Wednesday of each month from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. shall be reserved for special regional committee meetings as needed. In order to allow each member sufficient time to review legislation and to meet with constituents, staff and officials of other jurisdictions, no special committee meeting may be called for any other time without the prior written consent of the council chair or the consent of a majority of the members of the committee. If a special meeting for more than one committee is called for the same time and location, the meeting for which the agenda was first filed with the council clerk shall have precedence for use of the meeting location. This subsection A.1.b. does not apply to special meetings of the budget and fiscal management committee for purposes of considering the county executive's 2011 budget proposal, which shall be called by the chair of the budget and fiscal management committee.
2.a. All regular meetings of the King County council and the council's committees, except for the employment and administration committee, shall be held in the council chambers on the tenth floor of the King County Courthouse in Seattle, Washington. All regular meetings of the employment and administration committee shall be held in the southwest conference room on the twelfth floor of the King County Courthouse in Seattle, Washington.
b. Whenever, due to an emergency, as defined in K.C.C. 12.52.010, it is imprudent, inexpedient or impossible to conduct the affairs of the council at the regular or usual place or places, the council may meet at any place within or without the territorial limits of the county on the call of the chair or any two members of the council. After an emergency relocation, the affairs of the council shall be lawfully conducted at the emergency location for the duration of the emergency.
B.1. Except as provided in subsection B.2. of this section, ((T))the times for regular committee meetings are as follows, unless the council is meeting at that time because the preceding Monday was a state or county holiday:
((1.)) a. Committee of the whole: Wednesday of each week at 9:30 a.m. January 1 through September 16; thereafter through December 31, Monday of each week at 9:30 a.m.;
((2.)) b. Budget and fiscal management committee: the first and third Tuesday of each month at 1:30 p.m.;
((3.)) c. Employment and administration committee: the first and third Mondays of each month at 9:30 a.m. January 1 through September 7; thereafter through December 31 on the first and third Mondays of each month at 3:00 p.m.;
((4.)) d. Environment and transportation committee: the second and fourth, and fifth if one occurs, Tuesdays of each month at 9:30 a.m.;
e. Government accountability and oversight committee: the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 9:30 a.m.;
((5.)) f. Law, justice, health and human services committee: the second and fourth, and fifth if one occurs, Tuesdays of each month at 1:30 p.m.;
((6. Physical environment committee: the second and fourth, and fifth if one occurs, Tuesdays of each month at 9:30 a.m.;
7.)) g. Regional policy committee: the second Wednesday of each month at 3:00 p.m.;
((8.)) h. Regional transit committee: the third Wednesday of each month at 3:00 p.m.; and
((9.)) i. Regional water quality committee: the first Wednesday of each month at 3:00 p.m.
2. The regular meetings of the committees shall not take place during the first and second weeks in August and the third and fourth weeks in December.
C. Council and committee meetings must be held in accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act of 1971, chapter 42.30 RCW.
D. A meeting may be continued, in accordance with chapter 42.30 RCW, to another date and does not conclude until adjourned in accordance with these rules.
E.1. An executive session may be held during a council or committee meeting if one of the specific grounds under chapter 42.30 RCW for an executive session exists.
2. Before convening in executive session, the chair of the council or committee shall publicly announce the purpose for excluding the public from the meeting place and the time when the executive session will be concluded. The executive session may be extended to a stated later time by announcement of the chair.
3. Only members of the council or committee, special invitees and those employees or staff members the council or committee determines to be necessary are allowed to remain in the room. Persons attending an executive session shall maintain the confidentiality of the proceedings.
SECTION 5. Ordinance 11683, Section 5, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.24.045 are each hereby amended to read as follows:
Rule 5: Agenda.
A. Council business must be disposed of in the following order, or in an order the chair deems appropriate, subject to appeal as provided in Rule 5.D, K.C.C. 1.24.045.D:
1. Roll call;
2. Flag salute and Pledge of Allegiance, the leading of which must be offered by a member of the council and which must rotate among all members of the council;
3. Approval of minutes;
4. Additions to the council agenda;
5. Special items;
6. ((Reports from members serving on special and outside committees;
7.)) Plat tracings;
((8.)) 7. Motions, from standing committees and regional committees, for council action;
((9.)) 8. First reading of and action on motions without referral to committee;
((10.)) 9. Consent agenda on reappointments to boards and commissions;
((11.)) 10. Consent agenda on reports and recommended actions from the employment and administration committee;
((12.)) 11. Other reports and recommended actions from the employment and administration committee;
((13.)) 12. Consent agenda on hearing examiner recommendations;
((14.)) 13. First reading and referral of ordinances;
((15.)) 14. First reading and referral of motions;
15. Reports from members serving on special and outside committees;
16. Recess;
17. Hearing and second reading of ordinances from standing committees and regional committees;
18. First reading of and action on emergency ordinances without referral to committee;
19. Extra items;
20. Messages from the county executive and other county officials, the judiciary, the regional committees and other agencies;
21. Other business; and
22. Adjournment.
B. Required public hearings and second readings of ordinances on the council's agenda shall begin at 1:30 p.m., unless notice of a different hearing time has been given;
C. Legislation or other items for placement on the council meeting agenda must be submitted to the clerk of the council by 10:00 a.m. Thursday of the week before the next scheduled meeting, except that:
1. If directed by the chair, the clerk may place an item on the council agenda with a note that the item is contingent on being voted out of committee before the council meeting; and
2. Legislation or other items needing action by the full council may be added at the discretion of the chair of the council at a regularly scheduled council meeting. The chair shall apply the following criteria for the additions:
a. the legislation is particularly time-sensitive and delay in action either:
(1) might impair the effectiveness of the county's responses to emergencies such as natural or human-made disasters, or other circumstances seriously affecting the public health, safety or welfare or the support of county government and its existing public institutions; or
(2) might impair timely performance under deadlines of a statute, ordinance, contract, interlocal agreement, real property instrument or other provision requiring immediate action;
b. legislation should be delivered to [the] clerk before the beginning of the council meeting. The original should be provided to the clerk, together with an introduction slip from the sponsor; and
c. the sponsor should provide a brief written description to the chair of the reason for the need to expedite the legislation without regular committee review.
D. The chair shall notify the members present of proposed changes to the agenda. If two members object to a change, a majority of the members present shall decide whether to change the agenda.
SECTION 6. Ordinance 11683, Section 6, as amended, and 1.24.055 are each hereby amended to read as follows:
Rule 6: Standing committees. The standing committees shall operate as follows:
A. A majority of a committee constitutes a quorum ((except for a committee with an even number of members, in which case one half of the committee constitutes a quorum)). A committee is considered to have a quorum present unless the question is raised by a member of the committee. If a member objects to proceeding because of the lack of a quorum, the committee may not conduct official business, except to conduct a hearing. The appointment or use of alternate members is not allowed for a standing committee.
B. During its consideration of a vote on legislation, the deliberations of a committee must be open to the public.
C. A vote to report legislation out of committee must be taken by the "ayes" and "nos," with the committee clerk recording the names of the members voting for and against, as well as the names of the members absent. On any matter, including but not limited to an amendment, a vote must be taken by oral roll call if requested by a member of the committee. A standing committee may not vote by secret ballot on an issue. Except for a regional committee, legislation may be reported out of committee by less than a quorum of the committee, subject to signature by a majority of the members of the committee, unless a member present requests a vote on the recommendation by a quorum of the committee. If a member so requests, the legislation may not be reported out of the committee at that meeting without an affirmative vote by a majority of the quorum of the committee. The committee's recommendation on legislation reported out of committee subject to signature by a majority of the members of the committee is not effective unless signed by a majority of the committee and delivered to the clerk by the close of the second business day after the committee action. A vote in a committee must be recorded and the vote must be preserved as prescribed by the clerk of the council.
D. Legislation reported to the council from a standing committee must have a majority recommendation report, which must be prepared upon a printed standing committee report form and must be signed by a majority of the committee with one of the following recommendations:
1. Do pass;
2. Do pass -- consent;
3. Do pass substitute;
4. Do pass substitute -- consent;
5. Do not pass;
6. Postpone indefinitely;
7. Pass out of committee with no recommendation; or
8. Refer to another committee.
E. The rules and procedures contained in this chapter must be observed, when applicable, in all proceedings of a standing or special committee of the council.
F. The chair of the committee shall set the agenda for the committee, including whether and when to include on a specific agenda for action proposed legislation referred to the committee by the council chair. A change to the last distributed and posted agenda made at a meeting must be announced by the chair and is subject to appeal to the full committee present by any two members of the committee. A majority of the members present shall decide an appeal under this subsection.
G. Notice of a special meeting must be made in compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act of 1971, chapter 42.30 RCW. The committee chair may call up to six special meetings per calendar year. An additional special meeting may be called only upon the request of the chair and the written consent of either the vice-chair of the committee or the chair of the council before the meeting. A special meeting may be called only when:
1. There is time-sensitive legislation or information that cannot be presented and considered in the ordinary committee meeting schedule;
2. A joint meeting of two or more committees is necessary to consider a matter; or
3. An unusual and extreme workload of a committee does not allow its full consideration during the ordinary committee meeting schedule.
H. A committee may not recess a meeting for longer than eight hours unless consent is given consistent with Rule 6.G, K.C.C. 1.24.055.G. Such a recess constitutes a special meeting solely for the purpose of counting the six discretionary special meetings provided for in this rule. If recess is until the next day but less than twenty-four hours, then the maximum possible notice must be given. If recess is for greater than twenty-four hours, then at least twenty-four hours' notice must be given.
SECTION 7. Ordinance 11683, Section 7, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.24.065 are each hereby amended to read as follows:
Rule 7: Regional committees.
A. Establishment. Three regional, standing committees are established as provided under the King County Charter to develop, recommend and review regional policies and plans for consideration by the council: the regional transit committee, the regional water quality committee and the regional policies committee.
B. Membership.
1. Composition of committees.
a. The regional policies committee and regional transit committee are to each have nine voting members. Three members of each committee, including the chair of each, must be county councilmembers appointed by the chair of the council and must include councilmembers from districts with unincorporated residents. Each county councilmember vote shall be weighted as two votes. The chair of the county council shall also appoint the chair ((and vice-chair))of each committee. The remaining members of each committee must be local elected city officials appointed from and in proportion to the relative populations of the city of Seattle and the other cities and towns in the county. Cities and towns other than the city of Seattle may appoint two persons for each of their allocated memberships in each committee, each person with one-half vote. A vice-chair of each committee shall be elected by majority vote of the committee members who are not county councilmembers.
b. The regional water quality committee is to have nine voting members. Three members of the committee, including the chair, must be county councilmembers appointed by the chair of the council, and must include councilmembers from districts with unincorporated residents. The chair of the county council shall also appoint the chair ((and vice-chair)) of the committee. Each county councilmember vote shall be weighted as two votes. The remaining members of the committee must be local elected city officials appointed from and in proportion to the relative populations of the city of Seattle and the other cities and towns in the county, and two members from special purpose districts providing sewer service in King County. Cities and towns other than the city of Seattle may appoint two persons for each of their allocated memberships, each person with one-half vote. Special purpose districts located outside of the county that receive sewerage treatment services from the county may jointly designate one nonvoting representative to serve on the committee. A vice-chair of the committee shall be elected by majority vote of the committee members who are not county councilmembers.
2. Alternating memberships. Each appointing authority may alternate members in accordance with the procedures established by the authority. The appointments must be announced at the beginning of each regional committee meeting to the committee chair or vice-chair and committee secretary by a person authorized by the appointing authority. Each appointing authority shall identify those members to receive mailings and notices of meetings.
3. Powers and duties of the chair. The chair of the committee has the following powers and duties:
a. The chair shall:
(1) call the committee to order at the hour appointed for meeting and, if a quorum is present, shall cause the minutes of the previous meeting to be approved;
(2) proceed with the order of business; and
(3) adjourn the committee upon a motion to adjourn approved by a majority of members present;
b. The chair shall preserve order and decorum and in the interest of efficiency may impose time and subject matter limits for testimony and comment given by the public and members of the committee;
c. The chair shall promote efficient operation of the committee. The chair's act of adding to, removing from or taking out of order an item on a distributed and posted agenda may be appealed to the full body by members whose cumulative voting power is at least two votes. The chair shall discourage activities that are dilatory or disruptive. The chair shall endeavor to facilitate the will of the majority of members present at all times;
d. The chair may speak to points of order, inquiry or information in preference to other members. Upon a ruling of the chair on a point of order, the chair shall allow any members whose cumulative voting power is at least two votes to immediately request that the decision be placed before the body. If a majority of votes present agrees to the ruling of the chair, the business of the committee must proceed without further debate. If a majority of the votes present does not support the ruling of the chair, the chair shall immediately allow a procedural motion to dispense with the issue in question, proceeding until a decision of the committee is secured and the business of the committee is allowed to proceed; and
e. The chair shall provide copies to all committee members of all official communications and requests for committee action addressed to the chair.
4. Powers and duties of the vice-chair.
a. There shall be one vice-chair of each committee.
b. At committee meetings, the vice-chair shall exercise the duties, powers and prerogatives of the committee chair in the chair's absence.
5. Chair actions, vice-chair consultation.
a. The chair shall consult with the vice-chair in:
(1) developing a draft work program for consideration by the full committee;
(2) setting a schedule for carrying out the committee's work program; and
(3) cancelling or changing the date, time or place of committee meeting.
b. If the vice-chair disagrees with a chair's proposed decision regarding the matters under subsection B.5.a. of this rule, the chair shall not take unilateral action and shall refer the matters to the full committee.
C. Quorum, notice and voting. Members representing six and one-half votes constitute a quorum of a regional committee. In the absence of a quorum, the committee may perform all committee functions except for voting on legislation or a work program. Notice of all regular and special meetings must be provided as specified in the Open Public Meetings Act of 1971, chapter 42.30 RCW, and notice must be given to members of the committees, including members who at any time during the calendar year have served on the committee or have been designated by their appointing authority to receive notice. All recommendations of a regional committee on council-referred ordinances or motions must be approved by a majority of the members present and voting, with no fewer than three and one-half affirmative votes. All recommendations must be signed only by members who were present and voting on the matter and be made on a committee report form supplied by the council. There may not be voting by proxy.
D.1.a. Referral to the regional transit committee. The chair of the council shall refer to the regional transit committee countywide policies and plans related to the transit services formerly provided by the municipality of metropolitan Seattle. If a standing committee of the council is considering an issue that, upon the standing committee's subsequent review, the standing committee believes should be considered as a countywide policy or plan related to transit, then the standing committee shall so inform the chair of the council. The chair of the council may then determine whether the policy or plan is to be referred to a regional committee.
b. Referral to the regional water quality committee. The chair of the council shall refer to the regional water quality committee countywide policies and plans related to the water quality services formerly provided by the municipality of metropolitan Seattle. If a standing committee of the council is considering an issue that, upon the standing committee's subsequent review, the standing committee believes should be considered as a countywide policy or plan related to water quality, then the standing committee shall so inform the chair of the council. The chair of the council may then determine whether the policy or plan is to be referred to a regional committee.
2. Regional policies committee work program. The regional policies committee shall establish its subject matter through a work program adopted by a majority of those committee members present and voting, with no fewer than three and one-half affirmative votes, though the work program shall be limited as provided by charter or ordinance, including but not limited to, subsection K. of this rule. Once the work program is adopted, all regional policies and plans related to the subject matter must be referred to the committee by the council.
3. Provisions applicable to referrals by council chair and rereferrals. Referrals by the council chair or rereferrals are subject to the procedures, rights and constraints of Rules 13, 17 and 26, K.C.C. 1.24.125, 1.24.165 and 1.24.255.
E. Time for review -- committees. A regional committee shall review legislation referred to it by the county council within one hundred twenty days of the legislation's referral or such other time as is jointly established by the council and the committee, which shall be confirmed in the form of a motion adopted by the council. However, the committee may request, and the county council may grant by motion, additional time for review. If the committee fails to act upon the proposed policy or plan within the established time limit, the county council may adopt the proposed policy or plan upon six affirmative votes.
F. Time for review - council. The council shall amend, adopt or defeat the legislation referred to a regional committee within ninety days after receipt of an initial regional committee recommendation. However, upon receipt of the council chair's written request for an extension of the time limit, the committee may approve the request in writing by a majority vote at a special meeting or the next regular meeting of the committee.
G. Adoption.
1. A proposed policy or plan recommended by a regional committee may be adopted, without amendment, by the county council by five affirmative votes.
2. A proposed policy or plan that differs from the policy or plan recommended by a regional committee may be adopted by the county council by six affirmative votes after the regional committee has had the opportunity to review all county council amendments.
H. Amendments and rereferral.
1. If the county council votes before the final passage to amend a proposed policy or plan that has been reviewed or recommended by a regional committee, the proposed policy or plan, as amended, must be referred to the appropriate regional committee for further review and recommendation.
2. The timeline for the committee's review after rereferral may not be greater than sixty days. However, the committee may request, and the county council may grant by motion, additional time for review. The committee may concur in, dissent from or recommend additional amendments to the policy or plan.
3. The council shall amend, adopt or defeat the legislation within sixty days after receipt of a regional committee recommendation following rereferral by the council.
I. Regional committee consideration of other regional issues. The chair of the council may request that one or more regional committees examine and comment upon other pending issues that are not countywide policies or plans but would benefit from interjurisdictional discussion. The issues may include, but are not limited to, operational, organizational or implementation measures for countywide plans and policies. This type of regional committee analysis and comment is not subject to the mandatory procedural requirements of Section 270.30 of the King County Charter and the county council may need to act on such issues before comment from the regional committee.
J. The regional committee is governed by the King County Charter, the King County Code and, except to the extent expressly provided otherwise, the rules and procedures established for standing and special committees in this chapter.
K. Role of regional committees.
1. A regional committee shall focus on planning and policy setting in program areas where it has been determined that regional service or facility planning is required and in area where it is agreed the opportunity and need for the planning exist. A regional committee is not responsible for routine review and recommendation on operational and administrative matters such as contracts, budgets, appropriations, and fares and rates, formerly performed by the council of metropolitan Seattle. A regional committee may, however, deal with policies to develop fares and rates within the committee's subject matter area.
2. The regional transit committee shall develop, review and recommend countywide policies and plans related to the transportation services formerly provided by the municipality of metropolitan Seattle. Plans and policies that must be assigned to the committee include, but are not limited to, the long-range transit system and capital improvement plans, service design, development and allocation policies, financial policies, fare policies, facility siting policy and major facilities siting process, and review and comment upon Regional Transit Authority plans.
3. The regional water quality committee shall develop, review and recommend countywide policies and plans related to the water pollution control functions formerly provided by the municipality of metropolitan Seattle. Plans and policies that must be assigned to the committee include, but are not limited to, water quality comprehensive and long-range capital improvement plans, service area and extension policies, rate policies, and the facility siting policy and major facilities siting process.
4. The regional policies committee shall review and recommend regional policies and plans, other than transit and water quality plans, that are within the subject matter area for the committee. Also, the committee may develop proposed policies and plans on issues of countywide significance but, unless referred to the committee by the county council, the policies and plans are not subject to the procedural requirements of Section 270.30 of the King County Charter. Issues that may be referred to the committee or be the subject of the committee's policy development include, but are not limited to, public health, human services, open space, housing, solid waste management, regional services financial policies, criminal justice, jails and district court services, and regional facilities siting. In addition, the regional policies committee may consider major regional governance transition and consolidation issues, particularly those involving potential changes in organization and responsibilities with other county, city or regional organizations.
L. Policies or plans proposed by regional committees. A regional committee may develop and propose directly to the council, an ordinance or motion adopting, amending or repealing a countywide policy or plan regarding regional transit, water quality or other countywide policies and plans within the subject matter area of the committee. The proposals must be approved by a majority of the committee members present and voting, with no fewer than three and one-half affirmative votes. For purposes of this subsection, "the subject matter area" of the regional policies committee includes matters in the committee's adopted work program. Within one hundred twenty days of introduction by the committee, the council or a standing committee shall consider the proposed legislation and take such action on the proposed legislation as the council or standing committee deems appropriate, including approval, rejection, amendment and rereferral, postponement or any other action of record during a council or standing committee meeting. Within five calendar days following council or standing committee action, the clerk of the council or the standing committee shall notify the vice-chair of the committee of the action taken. If the council amends the proposed legislation, the procedures described in subsection H. of this rule shall be followed, except that the council's duty to act on the legislation under subsection H.3. of this rule shall be satisfied by approval, rejection, amendment and rereferral, postponement or any other action of record taken during a council or standing committee meeting within sixty days following receipt of the legislation from the regional committee.
M. To assist each regional committee in evaluating countywide policies and plans, the committee may conduct public meetings and hearings and request briefings and other information from citizens, county, state and local agencies, business entities and other organizations.
SECTION 8. Ordinance 11683, Section 10, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.24.095 are each hereby amended to read as follows:
Rule 10: Public hearing and second reading. At least seven days must elapse after ((first reading)) introduction of a proposed ordinance, other than an emergency ordinance, before the council may conduct the required public hearing on the proposed ordinance. ((This rule may be temporarily suspended for a special purpose by a vote of two-thirds of the members elected.)). The council must conduct a public hearing before adopting an ordinance. Public testimony at the hearing must be germane to the proposed ordinance and must be made in such a manner as to comply with the requirements imposed by the chair under Rule 2B, K.C.C. 1.24.015.B. The chair shall liberally construe this rule as it relates to public testimony.
SECTION 9. Ordinance 11683, Section 16, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.24.155 are each hereby amended to read as follows:
Rule 16: Amendments. A member may offer amendments to proposed legislation for consideration by the council or a standing committee, in accordance with the following:
A. The clerk of the council shall establish the proper form for an amendment. Except as provided in subsection F. of this rule, an amendment must:
1. Be in writing;
2. Bear the ((signature)) name of the member who offers it as well as the page and line number of the proposed legislation to be amended; and
3. Be distributed to each member at the time the legislation is before the council or standing committee.
B. As a courtesy to the clerk, amendments should be filed one-half hour before the beginning of the council meeting.
C. An amendment to proposed legislation may not change the scope and object of the proposed legislation. An amendment must be germane and must embrace the single subject contained within the proposed legislation.
D.1. For the purposes of this subsection D:
a. "line amendment" means an amendment that either adds or deletes, or both, material in a specified portion of legislation. A "specified portion of legislation" includes either or both the legislation's body and any substantive attachment incorporated as part of the legislation; and
b. "striking amendment" means an amendment that deletes the entire text of legislation and inserts new language.
2. Striking amendments should be considered before any line amendments. If a striking amendment is moved, all line amendments to the striking amendment, including amendments to the attachment, must be approved or rejected before the striking amendment is approved or rejected.
3. Line amendments should be considered section by section with perfecting amendments considered first.
4. Only one amendment and one amendment to the amendment are permitted at a time, but any number of each may be offered in succession if a question already decided is not raised again.
5. Title amendments must be considered after the amendments to the proposed legislation.
E.1. Substitute legislation may only come before the council after consideration by a standing committee. A member may demand a vote on the question of whether the committee substitute is to be substituted for the original proposed legislation. A substitute ordinance must be within the scope and object of the original proposed ordinance.
2. A member may offer proposed substitute legislation for a standing committee's consideration, but a member may demand a vote on the question of whether the standing committee is to consider the original legislation rather than the proposed substitute legislation. A proposed substitute ordinance must be within the scope and object of the original proposed ordinance.
F. In accordance with Rule 14.A, K.C.C. 1.24.135.A, proposed legislation on the consent agenda is not subject to amendment except as recommended in the committee report.
G. To promote efficiency, the council chair, or the chair of a standing committee at the committee's meeting, may accept for consideration an oral amendment that is easily understood.
SECTION 10. Ordinance 11683, Section 31, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.24.305 are each hereby amended to read as follows:
Rule 31: Legal signature. An official document issued by order of the council must be signed by the chair or in his or her absence the vice-chair((s)) as provided in Rule 3, K.C.C. 1.24.025, and attested by the clerk of the council or acting clerk of the council, except as otherwise provided by the King County Charter.