BILL NUMBER: SB 493	AMENDED
	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.