Drafter
Clerk 10/03/2012
Title
AN ORDINANCE relating to the council rules; and amending Ordinance 11683, Section 2, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.24.015.
Body
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 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.
C. The council provides public hearing for public testimony on every proposed ordinance as required by the county charter. Recently a few individuals have urged the council to adopt a rule providing for the opportunity to give general public comment at council meetings, unrelated to pending legislation. In response, the council amended the council rules in Ordinance 17335 to provide for general public comment on matters relating to county government on the fourth Monday of each month.
D. Some of the individuals urging adoption of a new public comment rule repeatedly have signed up to testify about a proposed ordinance but have refused to confine their testimony to matters germane to proposed legislation. In these cases, the individuals have been ruled out of order by the chair of the council. After such a ruling, some of these individuals have refused to leave the speaking podium, have continued to argue with the chair after being ordered to leave the podium and have been required by security staff to leave the council chambers in order to stop the disruption to official council business.
E. To prevent continued future disruption of council meetings, it is appropriate to authorize the council chair to require that testimony by any person who within the prior 12 months has been ruled out order while testifying before the council must be submitted in writing rather than orally.
SECTION 2. Ordinance 11683, Section 2, as amended, and K...

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