House File 2282 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE
BY COMMITTEE ON LOCAL
GOVERNMENT
(SUCCESSOR TO HF 2093)
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to the election of mayor and city council members
2 in a city governed by the council=manager=at=large form of
3 city government.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
5 TLSB 5004HV 81
6 sc/je/5
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. Section 372.6, Code 2005, is amended to read as
1 2 follows:
1 3 372.6 COUNCIL=MANAGER=AT=LARGE FORM.
1 4 1. A city governed by the council=manager=at=large form
1 5 has five council members elected at large for staggered four=
1 6 year terms. At the first meeting of the new term following
1 7 each city election, the council shall elect one of the council
1 8 members to serve as mayor, and one to serve as mayor pro tem.
1 9 The mayor is a member of the council and may vote on all
1 10 matters before the council. As soon as possible after the
1 11 beginning of the new term following each city election, the
1 12 council shall appoint a manager.
1 13 2. a. The city council of a city governed by the council=
1 14 manager=at=large form may adopt a resolution on its own
1 15 motion, or shall adopt a resolution if a petition valid under
1 16 section 362.4 is filed with the city clerk, proposing that the
1 17 city be governed by a mayor elected by the people for a four=
1 18 year term and four council members elected at large. After
1 19 adoption of the resolution, the council shall direct the
1 20 county commissioner of elections to put the proposal on the
1 21 ballot for the next general election or the next regular city
1 22 election, whichever occurs first. If the ballot proposal is
1 23 approved, the city council shall adopt an ordinance meeting
1 24 the requirements of paragraph "b", and the ordinance is
1 25 effective beginning with the next following regular city
1 26 election.
1 27 b. The ordinance shall provide that the mayor is a member
1 28 of the council and may vote on all matters before the council.
1 29 The ordinance shall provide that the term of office of the
1 30 mayor is four years and, after each regular city election, the
1 31 mayor shall appoint a council member as mayor pro tem. The
1 32 ordinance shall provide that the mayor is a member of the
1 33 council for purposes of maintaining staggered terms on the
1 34 council. A council member's term shall not be shortened or
1 35 lengthened as a means of initially implementing the ordinance.
2 1 c. An ordinance adopted and approved under this subsection
2 2 is not subject to repeal until the ordinance has been in
2 3 effect for at least six years. The question of repeal of the
2 4 ordinance is subject to the requirements of paragraph "a".
2 5 3. The council may by ordinance provide that the city will
2 6 be governed by council=manager=ward form. The ordinance must
2 7 provide for the election of the mayor and council members
2 8 required under council=manager=ward form at the next regular
2 9 city election.
2 10 EXPLANATION
2 11 Under current law, the council=manager=at=large form of
2 12 city government is required to have five city council members
2 13 who serve four=year terms. After each regular city election,
2 14 a mayor and mayor pro tem are chosen by the council from among
2 15 the council members.
2 16 This bill requires the city council of a city governed by
2 17 the council=manager=at=large form to adopt an ordinance
2 18 providing that the city be governed by a mayor elected by the
2 19 people to a four=year term and four council members elected at
2 20 large if such a proposal is approved at election. The bill
2 21 provides that the city council of such a city may on its
2 22 motion, or shall if petitioned for, adopt a resolution to put
2 23 the proposal on the ballot at the general election or the next
2 24 regular city election, whichever occurs first.
2 25 LSB 5004HV 81
2 26 sc:rj/je/5