City of Jacksonville

Rules Committee Process:

Sec. 18.107. Reference to Rules Committee; public hearings; report.
(a)      As soon as the plan is received by the Council Secretary, it shall be referred to the Rules Committee. The ordinance amending the Charter shall be introduced at the next regular Council meeting following its reception by the Council Secretary, but the Rules Committee may begin consideration of the ordinance as soon as it is referred. It shall not be in order at any time to move for the enactment of the ordinance as an emergency measure. It shall not be in order to move for withdrawal of the ordinance from the Rules Committee, less than 60 days after the ordinance has been referred to the Rules Committee. The ordinance shall be a priority item of business of the Rules Committee, and the Rules Committee shall consider and report the ordinance with all deliberate speed. The Redistricting Consultant shall provide all necessary information and support to the Rules Committee, and the Director shall advise the Rules Committee during its deliberations or provide it with knowledgeable staff personnel. 
(b)      The Rules Committee shall hold not less than three public hearings, at three separate places in the City, on the ordinance and the plan. The public hearings shall be advertised and held in accordance with the Council rules, and they shall be held after five p.m. and on any day except Sunday. Copies of the ordinance, the plan and the report of the Redistricting Consultant shall be made available to the public upon request and shall be available at the places where the public hearings are held. Written comments or views submitted by members of the public shall be made a part of the official record of the proceedings. The Rules Committee shall consider the testimony heard and evidence received at the public hearings, but it shall not be bound by them nor confined in its deliberations to them. These public hearings shall be completed not later than 45 days after the ordinance is referred to the Rules Committee. 
(c)      As soon as practicable, but not less than 15 days, after the public hearings have been completed, the Rules Committee shall report the ordinance to the Council. If the Council adopts amendments to the ordinance which substantially change the boundary lines of the proposed districts, the ordinance shall be recommitted to the Rules Committee and it shall hold additional public hearings to receive the comments and views of those persons who are or would be affected by the amendments. All such additional public hearings shall be completed not later than 75 days after the ordinance was originally referred to the Rules Committee, and the Rules Committee shall report the ordinance as amended as soon as practicable after the additional public hearings are completed. 
 

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