RESOLUTION NO. 92
REQUIRING ADVANCED NOTICE OF ACTS OF THE LEGISLATURE
Introduced: 3/10/25
By: Grimm
WHEREAS, The Albany County Legislature is responsible for adoption of Resolutions, local laws, and the annual budget in which topics of great importance to residents are decided; and
WHEREAS, In the course of its business, the Legislature frequently decides issues of the greatest importance with less than forty-eight hours notice to members and the general public; and
WHEREAS, In order to fully consider the impact of these measures an aging process must be introduced so that members and their constituents are fully informed of the impact of these votes; and
WHEREAS, This change will ensure more thoughtful actions and greater public awareness and participation in shaping the policies of this body and the County government, now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, By the Albany County Legislature, that Rules 11 and 16 of the Legislative Rules of Order shall be amended to read as follows:
RULE 11 - LEGISLATION PROCEDURE
Each resolution shall be consecutively numbered and the title shall state concisely the subject matter thereof. All resolutions and local laws which are to be presented to the Legislature for its consideration shall be delivered to the office of the Clerk of the Legislature, County Attorney and Majority and Minority Counsels, by 12:00 noon on the second Wednesday preceding the date of the organizational meeting, annual meeting or each regular monthly meeting of the Legislature, and by 12:00 noon two (2) business days prior to any special meeting that may be called. The Clerk shall include all such resolutions and proposed local laws in the agenda to be distributed as herein set forth and make available to each legislator such agenda by 4:00 p.m. on the Tuesday preceding such meetings, exclusive of special meetings. The Clerk shall make the agenda for special meetings available one business day prior to the special meeting. Notwithstanding the preceding, all Resolutions, local laws, adoption of the budget or any amendments of such shall not be considered until they have been introduced and publicly available for at least forty-eight hours. Resolutions and local laws not contained in the printed agenda, but which require immediate attention, may be introduced with the unanimous consent of [the majority of] the Legislature with copies provided to members of the Legislature, the County Attorney, Majority and Minority Counsels and the Clerk of the Legislature prior to the start of the Legislative meeting at which the proposed Rule 11 is being offered. Legislation offered under Rule 11 should be of the type where timely passage is of the essence, and legislation offered under lesser circumstances may not be allowed.
Each resolution shall be numbered in consecutive order beginning with number one each year. A resolution shall retain its number throughout the legislative process. However, if a resolution is amended, the letter A for the first time amended, the letter B for the second time amended, and so on shall be added to the resolution number to signify each amendment(s).
Each local law shall be assigned a letter for introduction purposes in consecutive order beginning with the letter A each year. Once duly adopted, a local law shall be assigned a number and numbered in consecutive order starting with the number one beginning with the first local law adopted each year.
Each resolution or local law shall have a title which shall concisely state the subject matter thereof.
Resolutions and local laws not contained in the printed agenda may only be introduced after all other printed agenda items have been addressed, and only with the consent of the majority of the Legislature, and only if complete copies thereof are provided to each member, the County Attorney, Majority and Minority Counsels and the Legislative Clerk prior to the introduction of said proposed Legislation.
RULE 16 - VOTING PROCEDURE
Every member who shall be in the room when a question is stated by the Chair shall vote unless he or she abstains.
Voting shall be by a yes or no voice vote by the members present at the meeting, except when a roll call vote is required by law or by rule, then such member shall vote by a yes or no when they are identified during the roll call vote.
A member may [only] abstain from voting on a question (i) in which he or she has a direct personal or pecuniary/financial interest not common to other members of the Legislature or (ii) in the event the member was provided less than forty-eight (48) hours notice of any item on the agenda, as required by Rule 11. The member must announce their abstention prior to a vote and file with the Clerk the reason for their abstention. In such instances, the member shall remove themselves from any participation in discussion and/or debate on the subject. The names of members abstaining shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting.
Voting on any motion or resolution is concluded when the Chair announces the decision.
and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the County Legislature is directed to forward certified copies of this resolution to the appropriate County Officials.
Referred to Law and Review and Legislative Modernization Committees - 3/10/25
Negative Recommendation Law Committee - 3/26/25
Negative Recommendation Rules Review and Legislative Modernization Committee - 3/26/25