Amended in Assembly May 19, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 2220

Introduced by Assembly Member Cooper

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(Coauthor: Assembly Member Cristina Garcia)

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February 18, 2016

An act to amend Section 34886 of the Government Code, relating to elections.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2220, as amended, 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.  

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. An ordinance adopted
pursuant to this begin delete subdivision end delete begin insert section end insert 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).