Los Angeles Municipal Code Ch. 28 Charter Reform Commission

Section 8.330 Commission Establishment and Purpose. 8.331 Commission Organization, Powers, and Duties. 8.332 Commissioner Selection and Removal. 8.333 Commission Administration, Personnel, and Outreach. 8.334 Commission Recommendations. 8.335 Commission Term and Periodic Review. 8.336 Ex Parte Communications.

(a) There shall be in the City of Los Angeles a Charter Reform Commission (the “Commission”) that shall have the power, duties, and responsibilities set forth in this Chapter.

(b) The purpose of the Commission is to review the City Charter and develop recommendations for amendments and revisions to the Charter for the consideration of the City Council and Mayor.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 188,303, Eff. 8-12-24.

(a) The Commission shall consist of 13 members appointed as provided in Section 8.332.

(b) The Commission shall have the authority to review the entire City Charter. The Commission shall review specific issues and provisions of the City Charter referred to the Commission by the City Council.

(c) The Commission shall solicit input from a wide variety of individuals and organizations, including members of the public, City officials and departments, experts, academics, and others as part of its review process.

(d) The Commission shall develop recommendations regarding amendments and revisions to the City Charter and submit its recommendations to the City Council and Mayor for review and consideration. Any amendment or revision to the City Charter requires the approval of the voters in order to be adopted.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 188,303, Eff. 8-12-24.

(a) The Mayor shall appoint four members of the Commission, the President of the City Council shall appoint two members of the Commission, and the President Pro Tempore of the City Council shall appoint two members of the Commission, all subject to the approval of the City Council. The result of this process shall be the appointment of the initial eight members of the Commission.

(b) The initial eight members of the Commission shall establish an application process and develop criteria for the appointment of five additional members of the Commission. These appointments shall be made at a public meeting by a two-thirds vote of the eight initial commissioners and shall be subject to the approval of the City Council. The Commission shall endeavor to ensure that the Commission reflects the City’s overall diversity, including its racial, ethnic, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, income, professional, and geographic diversity. However, formulas and ratios shall not be applied for this purpose.

(c) A person shall not be eligible to serve on the Commission if the person:

(1) is a registered lobbyist;

(2) has contributed to their appointing authority in the four years immediately preceding the person’s appointment;

(3) is the spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, sibling, or in-law of any appointing or confirming authority;

(4) has an ownership interest in a business (other than stock in a publicly traded company) that contracts with or seeks discretionary approvals from the City, or personally provides compensated services to the City under a contract; or

(5) serves in an elective City office (service on the board of a Neighborhood Council shall not disqualify a person from serving on the Commission).

(d) A member of the Commission who is appointed by the Mayor, Council President, or Council President Pro Tempore under Subsection (a) may be removed by the appointing authority with Council approval. A member of the Commission who is appointed under Subsection (b) may be removed by a two-thirds vote of the Commission with Council approval.

(e) A vacancy on the Commission shall be filled by the same appointing authority who appointed the previous holder of the vacated position, and the appointment shall be subject to the approval of the City Council.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 188,303, Eff. 8-12-24.

(a) A majority of the Commission shall constitute a quorum.

(b) The Commission shall select one commissioner to serve as the Chair of the Commission. The Commission may designate other officers from its membership.

(c) The Commission shall have an Executive Director who shall be appointed by the Mayor and President of the City Council, subject to the approval of the City Council.

(d) The Commission shall be assisted by the offices of the Chief Legislative Analyst, City Administrative Officer, City Clerk, and City Attorney as needed.

(e) The Commission shall comply with the Ralph M. Brown Act and other applicable open meeting laws.

(f) Prior to the commencement of its review of the City Charter, the Commission shall develop and transmit to the City Council an Outreach and Engagement Plan to ensure the participation of a wide variety of individuals and organizations in the Commission’s review of the City Charter, including community-based organizations, labor organizations, business advocacy organizations, community councils, parent centers, faith-based community groups, local non-profit organizations, and other community groups. The Outreach and Engagement Plan should include a plan for some meetings to be held in the evening after 6 p.m. and for some meetings to be held on the weekend, provide

guidelines for live translation in certain languages, and require notice five days prior to a meeting to the extent practicable. The Outreach and Engagement Plan shall include a town hall event in each Council District and provide outreach and presentation materials available in multiple languages. The City Council may provide direction to the Commission regarding the elements of the Outreach and Engagement Plan.

(g) The Commission’s Outreach and Engagement Plan also shall include a dedicated engagement process for the participation of the City’s Neighborhood Councils, with the goal of soliciting and receiving Community Impact Statements from at least 60% of Neighborhood Councils.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 188,303, Eff. 8-12-24.

(a) The Commission’s recommendations for amendments and revisions to the City Charter shall specify the language that is to be added and removed from the City Charter and a report describing the Commission’s proposals.

(b) The Commission shall transmit its recommendations and report to the City Council and Mayor as soon as practicable and no later than 215 days before the date of the election at which the Commission is recommending the amendment or revision be submitted to the voters. For any Charter proposals intended for the City’s primary nominating election to be held on June 2, 2026, that deadline is October 30, 2025. For any Charter proposals intended for the City’s general municipal election to be held on November 3, 2026, that deadline is April 2, 2026.

(c) The City Clerk shall post the Commission’s recommendations and report on the City’s website.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 188,303, Eff. 8-12-24.

(a) The Commission shall be dissolved, and commissioners shall have no further authority or responsibilities, 60 days after the Commission transmits its final recommendations for the November 2026 election, unless the term of the Commission is extended by ordinance.

(b) A new Charter Review Commission shall be established no less frequently than every ten years. Appointments to the Commission shall be made no later than in every year ending in the number four so that the Commission may develop Charter proposals in time to be submitted to the voters at an election held in a year ending in the number six. The City Council shall have the authority to direct the Commission to conduct a full review or a limited review of the City Charter. Prior to the commencement of any full or limited review, the Commission shall develop and transmit to the City Council, for the City Council’s approval, an updated Outreach and Engagement Plan as described in Section 8.333.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 188,303, Eff. 8-12-24.

(a) An ex parte communication is a communication between any member of the Charter Reform Commission and any elected City officer or member of any elected City officer’s staff regarding a matter pending before the Commission. An ex parte communication does not include any communication that takes place on the record during an official public meeting.

(b) The requirements of this Section do not apply to communications between Commission members and members of the City Attorney’s Office providing legal counsel.

(c) Commissioners shall disclose any ex parte communication at the next Commission meeting following the communication. Disclosure shall include the time and date of the communication, the identity of the persons who participated in the communication, and a summary of the content of the communication. The Commission may establish procedures to implement this disclosure requirement.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 188,813, Eff. 3-5-26.