California Senate Bill SB493 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 493AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 20, 2015 INTRODUCED BY Senator Cannella FEBRUARY 26, 2015 An act to add Section  34873.5   34885  to the Government Code, relating to elections. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 493, as amended, Cannella. Elections in cities: by or from districts. 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. This bill would authorize the legislative body of a  general law  city to  amend   adopt  an ordinance  providing for   that requires  the  election of  members of the legislative body  from district, as defined, to provide for the election of members of the legislative body by district, as defined,   to be elected by district or by district with an elective mayor  without  submitting the amendment to the registered   being required to submit the   ordinance to the  voters for approval.  The bill would prohibit the amendment of the ordinance, as described above, from changing whether the general law city has an elective mayor.  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 34885 is added to the   Government Code   , to read:   34885. Notwithstanding Section 34871 or any other law, the legislative body of a city 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.   SECTION 1.   Section 34873.5 is added to the Government Code, to read: 34873.5. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, including, but not limited to, Section 34873, if an ordinance provides for the legislative body of a general law city to be elected from district, as defined by Section 34871, the legislative body of the general law city may amend the ordinance to provide for the legislative body of the general law city to be elected by district, as defined by Section 34871, without submitting the amendment to the registered voters for approval. (b) An amendment of the ordinance pursuant to subdivision (a) shall not change whether the general law city has an elective mayor.