Columbia Legislative Proceedings ordinance (Charter § 15)

A. In the transaction of legislative business, the council shall act by ordinance, and the following procedure shall be used: Every ordinance shall be by bill, which shall be in written or printed form, and the enacting clause shall be: "Be It Ordained by the Council of the City of Columbia." No bill, except those making appropriations and those codifying or rearranging existing ordinances, shall relate to more than one subject, which shall be clearly expressed in the title. Ordinances making appropriations shall be confined to the subject matter of the appropriation. All bills shall be read by title or council bill numbers three (3) times before passage, not more than two (2) of which readings shall be at the same legislative session; and at least one week shall elapse between introduction and final passage of any bill, except in the area of an emergency bill.

B. An ordinance may be passed as an emergency measure on the day of the introduction of the bill, provided that it contain[s] the statement that an emergency exists and specify [specifies] distinctly the facts and reasons constituting the emergency. No ordinance granting, enlarging or affecting any franchise shall be passed as an emergency measure. The emergency procedure shall be restricted to the following:

1. Bills concerning the immediate preservation of public peace, property, health, safety or morals.

2. An appropriation for payment of principal or interest of the public debt.

3. An appropriation for the payment of current expenses of city government.

4. Calling an election or providing for the submission of a proposal to the people. The vote of six-sevenths of the members of the council shall be required to pass an ordinance as an emergency measure.

C. Every bill introduced shall be filed with the city clerk on the day of its first reading and shall remain on file in the clerk's office for public inspection until it is finally adopted or fails of passage. Prior to the final passage of any bill, other than an emergency bill, all persons interested therein shall be given an

opportunity to be heard before the council, in accordance with such rules and regulations as the council may adopt. After the third reading of any bill and compliance with the other provisions herein, the council may finally pass the bill with or without amendment; except that if the council shall make an amendment which constitutes a change in substance, the bill, as amended, shall be filed in the office of the city clerk for one additional week, and an opportunity afforded for a further public hearing, after which final action may be taken thereon.

D. An ordinance, when passed by the council, shall be signed by the presiding officer and attested by the city clerk; shall be immediately filed and thereafter preserved in the office of the city clerk; and except as otherwise provided herein, shall be subject to the referendum as provided in Article XVII of this charter. Unless otherwise specified, every ordinance shall become effective twenty (20) days after its final passage. If an ordinance be submitted at a referendum election or as a result of an initiative petition, it shall become effective upon the certification of the election authority that it has received the favorable vote of a majority of those voting thereon.

(11-11-74; Ord. No. 15113, § 1, 1-16-97; Ord. No. 16744, § 1, 1-16-01, passed by voters 4-3-01)