Title
AN ORDINANCE relating to council rules and order of business; amending 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 9, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.24.085, Ordinance 11683, Section 16, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.24.155, and Ordinance 11683, Section 26, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.24.255; and declaring an emergency.
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BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Findings:
A. Section 220.40 of the King County Charter requires the council to adopt by ordinance rules of the procedure governing the time, place and conduct of 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 of procedure and the organizational motion have been amended from time to time to reflect changes desired by the council.
D. Because the council is reorganizing the council and its committees by Motion 16929, effective December 9, 2025, including modifying committees, committee chair, and vice-chair positions and duties, this ordinance must be enacted as an emergency ordinance in order to be effective and ensure that the regular meeting times of the council's committees are effective at the same time as the reorganization of the council.
SECTION 2. Ordinance 11683, Section 4, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.24.035 are hereby amended to read as follows:
A.1.a. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the time of regular meetings of the council is 1:30 p.m. on the first, second, third, and fourth Tuesdays of each month. However, the regular meetings of the council shall not take place: from April ((7, 2025)) 13, 2026, through April ((11, 2025)) 17, 2026; from August ((4, 2025)) 3, 2026, through August ((15, 2025)) 14, 2026; and from December ((10, 2025)) 9, 2026, through January ((2, 2026)) 1, 2027. All regular or special meetings of council committees shall be regular or special council meetings, in accordance with subsection F. of this rule.
b. A committee chair may call a special committee meeting with either the prior written consent of the council chair or the consent of a majority of the members of the committee. 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 budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal period, 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 employment and administration committee meetings, 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 meetings 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 rule, the times for regular and special committee meetings are as follows:
a. Budget and fiscal management committee: the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 9:30 a.m.;
b. Committee of the whole: the fourth Tuesday of each month at 9:30 a.m. ((except that, for October 6, 2025, through November 3, 2025, the regular committee meeting shall occur on the first and third Mondays of each month at 9:30 a.m.));
c. Employment and administration committee: the first Tuesday of each month at 2:00 p.m.;
d. Government accountability and oversight committee: the second Tuesday of each month at 9:30 a.m.;
e. Health, housing, and human services committee: the first Tuesday of each month at 9:30 a.m.;
f. Law and justice committee: the first Wednesday of each month at 9:30 a.m.;
g. Local services and land use committee: the third Wednesday of each month at 9:30 a.m.;
h. Regional policy committee: the second Wednesday of each month at 3:00 p.m.;
i. Regional transit committee: the third Wednesday of each month at 3:00 p.m.;
j. Regional water quality committee: the first Wednesday of each month at 3:00 p.m.; and
k. Transportation, economy, and environment committee: the third Tuesday of each month at 9:30 a.m.
2. The regular meetings of the committees shall not take place during the times when the council meeting does not take place, as prescribed in subsection A. of this rule.
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.
F.1. A legal analysis of the Open Public Meetings Act by the office of the Attorney General, 2010 AGO No. 9, has advised that when a committee meeting is attended by a quorum of the governing body it must be noticed not only as a committee meeting but also as a meeting of the governing body. For this reason, all meetings of council committees shall be noticed both as committee meetings and as council meetings whose agenda is limited to the committee business.
2. In all committee meetings, which are council meetings in accordance with subsection F.1. of this rule, only the rules and procedures applicable to committees apply, and not those rules and procedures applicable to full council meetings. This includes, but is not limited to:
a. only those members who serve on the committee have the right to exercise parliamentary rights in the meeting, including, but not limited to, raising points of order, making motions, and voting;
b. attendance shall be recorded only for members serving on the committee, and the quorum for the meeting shall be the committee quorum; and
c. committee meetings shall be chaired by the committee chair.
SECTION 3. Ordinance 11683, Section 5, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.24.045 are hereby amended to read as follows:
A. Council business must be disposed of in the following order, or in an order the chair deems appropriate, subject to ((appeal)) objection as provided in subsection C. of this ((R))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. General public comment when scheduled in accordance with Rule 10, K.C.C. 1.24.095;
7. Hearing and second reading of ordinances from standing committees and regional committees, and of ordinances related to collective bargaining;
8. First reading of and action on emergency ordinances without referral to committee;
9. Consent agenda on hearing examiner recommendations;
10. Motions, from standing committees, regional committees and motions related to collective bargaining, for council action;
11. Other reports and recommended actions from the employment and administration committee;
12. First reading of and action on motions without referral to committee;
13. Consent agenda on reappointments to boards and commissions;
14. First reading and referral of ordinances;
15. First reading and referral of motions;
16. Reports from members serving on special and outside committees;
17. Extra items;
18. Messages from the county executive and other county officials, the judiciary, the regional committees and other agencies;
19. Other business; and
20. Adjournment.
B. Legislation or other items for placement on the council meeting agenda must be submitted electronically 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;
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; and
b. legislation, together with an introduction slip from the sponsor, must be electronically delivered to the clerk by 10:00 a.m. on the day of the council meeting; and
3. upon receipt of the legislation delivered to the clerk under subsection B.2.b. of this rule, the clerk shall expeditiously electronically distribute the legislation to all members, the chief of staff, chief legal counsel and the chief policy officer.
C. 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 4. Ordinance 11683, Section 9, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.24.085 are hereby amended to read as follows:
A. All legislative proposals submitted to the King County council by the executive shall be accompanied by a completed Legislative Review Form in the form of Attachment A to Ordinance 19651, which may be amended in accordance with this section. Amendments to Attachment A to Ordinance 19651 shall be made by the clerk of the council, in consultation with the office of the executive's chief of staff. The clerk of the council shall retain an electronic copy and provide an electronic copy to all councilmembers, the council chief of staff, and the council chief policy officer. In addition, all legislative proposals involving the collective bargaining or appropriations ordinances limited solely to the costs associated with the implementation of collective bargaining shall be accompanied by a summary of the legislation that includes the current costs and five-year implementation costs as well as changes to working conditions and any other substantive changes compared to prior agreements.
B. Upon the electronic receipt of proposed legislation from the executive, the assessor, the presiding judge, the prosecuting attorney, the director of elections or a councilmember, or, in accordance with Rule 7.L., K.C.C. 1.24.065.L., a regional committee, the clerk of the council shall assign a proposed number to the legislation. The clerk may make formatting and nonsubstantive revisions in form and style to proposed legislation before first reading and shall indicate on the revised legislation that the legislation is revised by the clerk and the date of the revision.
C. Upon electronically filing with the clerk of the council sponsorship of legislation, by at least one councilmember in a form prescribed by the clerk of the council, or upon receipt by the council of a proposed ordinance submitted as an institutional initiative under Section 230.50.10 of the King County Charter, the proposed legislation is introduced and must be placed on the agenda for first reading and referral. Receipt of an institutional initiative may be received in paper form or electronically. Legislation may be introduced with the title only, but the text of the legislation must be filed with the clerk by first reading. In accordance with Rule 2.E., K.C.C. 1.24.015.E., the chair of the council shall refer both the title and the subsequently filed text of the legislation to committee if the legislation was introduced with the title only. If the text of the legislation is not timely filed, the legislation is to be removed from the agenda and is not to be referred to committee.
D. A member may add the member’s own name to sponsorship of legislation at any time before passage of the legislation by electronically informing the clerk of the council. The first member listed on the first introduction slip filed for legislation may not remove that member’s own name from sponsorship of the legislation. However, any other sponsor of legislation may remove that sponsor's own name from sponsorship of the legislation by electronically informing the clerk of the council.
E. First reading of legislation shall consist of either:
1. Printing the number and title of the proposed legislation on the published agenda; or
2. Adding the proposed legislation to the agenda under Rule 5, K.C.C. 1.24.045.B.2. or 3. and including this information in the council's minutes.
F. After the first reading, proposed legislation must be referred to an appropriate committee or committees by the chair of the council, except for motions confirming executive reappointments to boards or commissions, which may be referred directly to a council consent agenda, or legislation related to collective bargaining, including appropriation ordinances limited solely to the costs associated with implementation of a collective bargaining agreement. Proposed legislation referred to more than one committee must be considered consecutively by the committees in the order set forth on the marked published agenda or as specified by the chair during the meeting and reflected in the council's minutes.
G. Upon being reported out of committee with a recommendation, proposed legislation must be placed upon an agenda for appropriate action, after consideration of public hearing notice requirements ((for)), at a regular council meeting occurring not less than thirteen days but not more than fifteen days after the committee meeting, unless the committee chair decides and states on the record at the committee meeting that the item be ((council)) expedited to an agenda for a regular council meeting occurring not less than two days after the committee meeting. Notwithstanding the foregoing, proposed legislation reported out of committee in the week before a period when a regular council meeting shall not take place under Rule 4.A.1., K.C.C. 1.24.035.A.1., shall, after consideration of public hearing notice requirements, be placed on the agenda of the first regular council meeting following the period. The clerk of the council may make formatting and nonsubstantive revisions in form to proposed legislation after the legislation is reported out of the committee and before the legislation is placed on the agenda for second reading and shall indicate on the revised legislation that the legislation is revised by the clerk and the date of the revision.
H. Proposed legislation related to collective bargaining, including appropriation ordinances limited solely to the costs associated with implementation of collective bargaining agreements must be placed on the agenda for appropriate action, after consideration of public hearing notice requirements, at the next council meeting at least one week after its first reading.
SECTION 5. Ordinance 11683, Section 16, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.24.155 are hereby amended to read as follows:
A member may sponsor 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 H. of this rule, an amendment must:
1. Be in writing;
2. Bear the name of the member who sponsors it as well as the page and line number of the proposed legislation to be amended; and
3. Be electronically distributed to each member at the time the legislation is before the council or standing committee;
B. 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;
C. Except as otherwise provided in this rule, for amendments to be drafted by legislative services staff, and reviewed by clerk of the council staff and legal counsel, members shall provide direction to staff to draft amendments in accordance with the following deadlines:
1. For standing committees and the council:
a. Except as otherwise provided in subsection C.1.d. of this rule, if a member desires a striking amendment be prepared, the member shall provide such direction to staff no later than the end of the fifth business day before the day the legislation is expected to be considered by the council or a standing committee. For example, for legislation expected to be considered at a Tuesday council or standing committee meeting, a member shall provide direction to staff to prepare a striking amendment no later than the end of the preceding Tuesday;
b. Except as otherwise provided in subsection C.1.d. of this rule, staff shall prepare a striking amendment and the sponsor shall distribute the striking amendment to all members of the council or standing committee no later than the end of the third business day before the day the legislation will be considered. For example, for legislation expected to be considered at a Tuesday council or standing committee meeting, a striking amendment shall be prepared and distributed no later than the end of the preceding Thursday;
c. Except as otherwise provided in subsection C.1.d. of this rule, if a member desires a line amendment be prepared, the member shall provide such direction to staff no later than the end of the second business day before the day that legislation is expected to be considered by the council or a standing committee. For example, for legislation expected to be considered at a Tuesday council or standing committee meeting, a member shall provide direction to staff to draft a line amendment no later than the end of the preceding Friday; and
d. The chair of the standing committee may select alternate deadlines for striking amendments and line amendments, provided that such alternate deadlines are distributed to all members of the council no later than the end of the day three business days after the date of introduction and referral of the legislation;
2. For legislation that is referred to a regional committee in accordance with Rule 7, subsection D., K.C.C. 1.24.065.D., the chairs of such regional committee and the standing committee shall jointly select deadlines for striking amendments and line amendments and shall distribute such deadlines to all members of the regional committee and the council no later than the end of the day three business days after the date of introduction and referral of the legislation;
3. During a meeting and while the legislation is being considered, if a member proposes an amendment concept for which no amendment has been written and the chair determines:
a. it is appropriate to be considered as an oral amendment, subsection H. Of this rule shall apply; or
b. that the amendment is too complex for consideration as an oral amendment, the chair may direct that a written amendment be prepared by legislative staff. If a written amendment is prepared, it shall be considered before the committee's vote on recommending the legislation or the council considering the legislation on final passage; and
4. To promote efficiency:
a. Until proposed legislation is before the council for action, ((I))if the chair of a standing committee desires to change the deadlines established in subsection C.1. of this rule, that chair, in consultation with legislative services staff, shall establish a new schedule of deadlines and expeditiously distribute such schedule to all members of the committee; ((and))
b. Until proposed legislation is before the council for action, ((I))if the chairs of a regional committee and a standing committee jointly desire to change the deadlines established in subsection C.2. of this rule, such chairs, in consultation with legislative services staff, shall establish a new schedule of deadlines and expeditiously distribute such schedule to all members of the regional committee and the council; and
c For proposed legislation that either is referred directly to the council or is before the council for action, the chair of the council may, in consultation with legislative services staff, establish a schedule of deadlines for amendments to proposed legislation and expeditiously distribute the schedule to all members of the council;
D. As a courtesy to the clerk, amendments should be electronically filed with the clerk by 10:00 a.m. the day of the council meeting;
E.1. For the purposes of this subsection E.:
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 moved in succession if a question already decided is not raised again.
5. Title amendments must be considered after the amendments to the proposed legislation;
F.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 move 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;
G. 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; and
H. To promote efficiency, the council chair, or the chair of a committee at the committee's meeting, may accept for consideration an oral amendment that is easily understood.
SECTION 6. Ordinance 11683, Section 26, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.24.255 are hereby amended to read as follows:
A parliamentary decision of the chair may be appealed by two members. A member may not speak on the appeal more than once unless permitted by the council.
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 any two members who object under Rule 5.C., K.C.C. 1.24.045.C.
SECTION 7. The county council finds as a fact and declares that an emergency
exists and that this ordinance is necessary for the immediate preservation of public peace, health or safety or for the support of county government and its existing public institutions.