HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 279 Draft 01 2014-2016OFFICE INFORMATION ONLY
Meeting: Council—October 7, 2015
Action: Postponed to call of Chair; never taken up again.
Re: Res. 279-15; Comm. 463; (2014-2016 term); Council (Rules)
-4 OF
COUNTY OF HAWAII STATE OF HAWAII
,rE OF.N'.I
RESOLUTION NO. 279 15
A RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE RULES OF PROCEDURE AND ORGANIZATION
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII BY AMENDING RULE NO. 24,
BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS.
WHEREAS, the Rules of Procedure and Organization of the Council of the County of
Hawaii ("the Rules") govern the affairs of the Council of the County of Hawaii ("Council");
and
WHEREAS, the Rules were duly adopted as provided in Resolution No. 4-14, Draft 2
during the initial convening of the Council on December 1, 2014; and
WHEREAS, the Council finds that the rules could be improved by amending Rule No.
24, Bills and Resolutions, as indicated in Ramseyer format in the attached Exhibit A; now
therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII that
Rule No. 24 of the Rules of Procedure and Organization of the Council of the County of
Hawaii, relating to Bills and Resolutions, is amended as indicated in the attached Exhibit A.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution shall not be construed as a negative
comment on the excellent assistance that the staff of the Legislative Review Branch has provided
over the years, and continues to provide.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the County Clerk shall provide to all appropriate
parties those pages of the Rules that have been amended to replace the pages of the Rules made
obsolete by the adoption of this resolution.
Dated at , Hawai'i, this _ day of _, 20
INPRODUCED BY:
CMNCIUMEMBER, OOUNTY Of HAWAII
COUNTY COUNCIL
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I heretic ccrlify that the foregoing IU'SOI.U'IION was by
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Reference: C-463/12otmeil
COUNTY CLERK CHAIRPERSON & PRESIDING OFFICER KESOLU"LION NO. 279 15
EXHIBIT A
RULE NO. 24
BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS
General Procedures.
(a) A bill or resolution may be introduced by any Council Member(s). The original
copy of any bill or resolution shall be in typewritten form, dated and signed by the
introducer(s) prior to consideration. The Legislative Research Branch shall review
bills and resolutions prior to filing with the Clerk, unless the introducer(s) state(s)
in writing to the Chairperson that such review shall be waived.
(b) In order to be considered for placement on the Council or Committee agenda, all
new bills, resolutions, petitions, and other communications shall be filed with the
Clerk by 12 noon of:
(1) The twelfth business day preceding the day of the Committee meeting; or
(2) The thirteenth business day preceding the day of the Council meeting.
New bills, resolutions, petitions, and communications received later than said
times shall be placed on the agenda of the next respective Committee or Council
meeting, as the case may be.
(c) Upon compliance with the mandated six (6) calendar day posting notice, bills,
resolutions and matters requiring Council action shall be placed on the Council
agenda within the next two Council meetings. Bills, resolutions and matters
requiring Council action shall be introduced on the Council floor by the
Committee Chairperson or the member introducing the legislation.
(d) Readings of bills or resolutions may be by title only, except that a full reading
may be required by one-third vote of the entire membership. (Sections 3-9 and 3-
10(a), Hawaii County Charter)
(e) A bill or resolution up for final reading that is amended on the floor shall not be
acted upon at the time of the floor amendment. Final action on such an amended
bill or resolution shall not be taken until the next regular meeting. This provision
shall not apply to:
(1) The annual budget bill, pursuant to Article 10 of the Hawaii County
Charter 2000, as amended,
(2) The correction of manifest clerical or typographical errors in numbering,
spelling, capitalization, punctuation, grammar and gender terms, provided
that the correction does not alter the meaning or effect of the underlying
bill or resolution.
(f) A bill or resolution that is amended shall be signed and transmitted by the
introducer of the bill or resolution. If the amended bill or resolution was
introduced by a Council Member who is no longer on the Council, the Council
Chairperson shall sign and transmit the amended bill or resolution.
2. Bills (Section 3-10, Hawaii County Charter).
(a) Ordinances shall be initiated as bills which shall be passed only after two readings
on separate days except as otherwise provided by law. Reading of bills may be by
title only.
(b) Every ordinance of the council shall embrace but one subject, which subject shall
be expressed in its title. If an ordinance embraces a subject not expressed in its
title, only that subject shall be void.
(c) Bills embracing:
(1) The fixing of special assessments for the cost of improvements,
(2) The appropriation of public funds or authorization of the issuance of
general obligation bonds or
(3) The imposition of a duty or penalty on any person, shall pass first reading
by a vote taken by ayes and noes, and digests of such bills shall be
advertised once in at least two daily newspapers of general circulation in
the County, with ayes and noes, at least three days before final reading by
the Council. Not less than three copies of such bills shall be filed for use
and examination by the public in the Office of the County Clerk at least
three days prior to the final reading thereof.
(d) A bill shall not be amended to change its original purpose. An amended bill shall,
upon a one-third vote of the entire membership, be laid over for at least one week
before final reading.
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(e) A motion to reconsider made at the time any bill fails to pass final reading shall
not be voted upon until after twenty-four hours.
(f) Ordinances shall become effective upon approval by the Mayor or at such later
date as may be specified therein.
(g) A bill may incorporate therein any standard technical code or portions thereof by
reference. The code, or portions, need not be published in the manner required
for ordinances, but not less than three copies thereof shall be filed for use and
examination by the public in the Office of the County Clerk, and notice of the
availability of said copies shall be published by the Clerk.
(h) After enactment, ordinances shall be published once in at least two daily
newspapers of general circulation in the County. Such publication shall be by
title only and shall specify the ayes and noes.
Emergency Ordinances (Section 3-11, Hawaii County Charter). The County Council
may adopt emergency ordinances to meet public emergencies affecting life, health or property.
Such ordinances may not be used to levy taxes, authorize the borrowing of money or to grant,
renew or extend franchises. Emergency appropriations may be made pursuant to Section 10-8,
Hawaii County Charter.
Emergency ordinances shall be plainly designated as such and shall contain a declaration
describing the emergency in clear and specific terms. Any emergency ordinance may be
considered and adopted after one reading, with or without amendment, or be rejected at the
meeting at which the same is introduced. The affirmative vote of all Council Members present
or by two-thirds of the entire membership shall be necessary for adoption of such ordinances.
Emergency ordinances shall be published in the same manner prescribed for other adopted
ordinances and shall become effective upon approval by the Mayor or at such later time,
preceding automatic repeal, as the same may specify.
Amendments to any emergency ordinance shall be adopted in the same manner
prescribed for adoption of emergency ordinances.
Every emergency ordinance, including any amendments made after adoption, shall
automatically stand repealed as of the sixty-first day following the date of adoption of the
original ordinance.
4. Submission of Bills to the Mayor (Section 3-12, Hawaii County Charter). Every bill
adopted by the Council shall be duly authenticated by the Clerk and the Chairperson and
thereupon presented to the Mayor for approval. Such bill shall become effective as an ordinance
upon its approval or such later date as specified therein. If the Mayor disapproves a bill, the
Mayor shall return the bill together with any objections in writing to the Clerk within ten days
(excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays) after receipt. If the Mayor does not act
within such ten-day period, the bill shall become effective as an ordinance as if the Mayor had
approved it. The objections of the Mayor shall be entered in the journal of the Council and the
Council may, after five and within thirty days after the bill has been so returned, reconsider the
vote upon the bill. If the bill, upon such reconsideration, is again passed by the affirmative vote
of two-thirds of the entire membership, the Chairperson shall verify that fact on the face of the
bill and such bill shall become effective as an ordinance with like effect as if approved by the
Mayor. A bill failing to pass upon such reconsideration shall be deemed lost.
If any appropriation bill is presented to the Mayor, the Mayor may veto any item or
portion thereof by striking out or reducing the same. The Mayor shall append any objections and
the reasons therefore to the bill at the time of signing, and the item or portion thereof so vetoed
shall not take effect unless the Council shall reconsider the vote on the bill and, upon such
reconsideration, the bill is again passed by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the entire
membership.
In the case of the annual operating budget, the Mayor shall return the bill to the Clerk
within ten (10) calendar days of receipt of the bill. (Section 10-5, Hawaii County Charter)
5. Resolutions. Resolutions are non -legislative acts of the Council and, except as otherwise
provided by law, no resolution shall have the force and effect of law. There shall be two basic
types of resolutions which may be processed:
(a) Formal Resolutions. This type of resolution represents an official Council
expression and, therefore, generally has considerable weight. There are three
categories of formal resolutions:
(1) Official Decision.
(A) Resolution organizing the Council and staff,
(B) Resolution delineating the Council's rules of procedure;
M
(C) Resolution calling for moratoriums on parking meter usage, traffic
(A) Resolution honoring retiring County elected officials; and
(B) Condolence resolution on the death of any incumbent County -
elected official.
(2) Optional. A Council Member may introduce the following kinds of
optional resolutions.
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control, etc.;
(D)
Resolution tendering assurance of participation for certification
requirements mandated by Federal or State agencies, e.g., HUD,
block grants;
(E)
Resolution approving multi-year leases, purchases, contracts, etc.;
(F)
Resolution amending the salary ordinance; and
(G)
Resolution transferring funds.
(2) Legislative
-Like.
(A)
Resolution establishing real property tax rates;
(B)
Resolution authorizing eminent domain proceedings;
(C)
Resolution revising County fuel tax rates;
(D)
Resolution relating to the abandonment or disposition of County
lands;
(E)
Resolution approving a development agreement;
(F)
Resolution on initiative and referendum proceedings; and
(G)
Resolution calling for the inclusion of charter amendment
proposals at the next general election.
(3) Official Request or Opinion.
(A)
Resolution requesting information or a study to be conducted;
(B)
Resolution calling for State or Federal action; and
(C)
Resolution to a department head requesting information or review
of a specific issue or item.
(b) Informal Resolutions.
Generally address subjects having less impact than formal
resolutions and are categorized as follows:
(1) Automatic.
(A) Resolution honoring retiring County elected officials; and
(B) Condolence resolution on the death of any incumbent County -
elected official.
(2) Optional. A Council Member may introduce the following kinds of
optional resolutions.
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(A) Condolence resolution on the death of former elected or top level
appointed office holders in the County, State or Federal
government, but not spouse of or relative thereof, and
(B) Condolence resolution on the death of any exceptional public
personality in or out of government who has contributed
significantly in some way to Hawaii County or the State of
Hawaii.
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