California Assembly Bill AB2220 Introduced / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2220INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Members Cooper and Alejo FEBRUARY 18, 2016 An act to amend Section 34886 of the Government Code, relating to elections. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2220, as introduced, Cooper. Elections in cities: by or from district. Existing law generally requires all elective city offices, including the members of a city council, to be filled at large by the city electorate at a general municipal election. Existing law, at any municipal election or special election held for this purpose, authorizes the legislative body of a city to submit to the registered voters an ordinance providing for the election of members of the legislative body by district or from district, as defined, and with or without an elective mayor. Existing law also authorizes the legislative body of a city with a population of fewer than 100,000 people to adopt an ordinance that requires the members of the legislative body to be elected by district or by district with an elective mayor without being required to submit the ordinance to the voters for approval. This bill would delete the population limitation in that provision, thereby authorizing the legislative body of a city to adopt an ordinance that requires the members of the legislative body to be elected by district or by district with an elective mayor without being required to submit the ordinance to the voters for approval. The bill also would make a conforming change to these provisions. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 34886 of the Government Code is amended to read: 34886.  (a)    Notwithstanding Section 34871 or any other law, the legislative body of a city  with a population of fewer than 100,000 people  may adopt an ordinance that requires the members of the legislative body to be elected by district or by district with an elective mayor, as described in subdivisions (a) and (c) of Section 34871, without being required to submit the ordinance to the voters for approval. An ordinance adopted pursuant to this subdivision shall include a declaration that the change in the method of electing members of the legislative body is being made in furtherance of the purposes of the California Voting Rights Act of 2001 (Chapter 1.5 (commencing with Section 14025) of Division 14 of the Elections Code).  (b) For purposes of this section, the population of a city shall be determined by the most recent federal decennial census.