REGULAR MEETING OF THE 2024 CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION Thursday March 21, 2024, at 5:30 P.M. Austin City Hall, Boards & Commissions Rm 301 W 2nd St AUSTIN, TEXAS Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, please call Myrna Rios at 512- 974-2210 or email your request to myrna.rios@austintexas.gov. CURRENT COMMISSIONERS: Jessica Palvino, Chair Ryan Botkin Cynthia Van Maanen Julio Altamirano Randy Ortega Betsy Greenberg Alejandro Garcia, Vice Chair JC Dwyer Brian McGiverin Michael O Cowles Megan Lasch AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first 10 speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the 2024 Charter Review Commission regular meeting of March 7, 2024. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 2. Discussion and possible action on the review and adoption of the 2024 Charter Review Commission report to Council. 3. Discussion and possible action of future meetings and meeting location. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS The Commission may discuss and identify future agenda items, topics, or presentations. ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please call Myrna Rios at the Office of the City Clerk, at (512) 974-2210 or myrna.rios@austintexas.gov, for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the 2024 Charter Review Commission, please contact Myrna Rios at myrna.rios@austintexas.gov
2024 CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION MINUTES REGULAR MEETING March 7, 2024 The 2024 Charter Review Commission convened in a regular meeting on Thursday, March 7, 2024, Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second Street, Room 1029, Austin, Texas. Chair Palvino called the Commission Meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. Commissioner Cowles Commissioner Lasch Commissioner Van Maanen Commissioner Ortega Commissioner Greenberg Commission Members in Attendance: Chair Palvino Vice Chair Garcia Commissioner Botkin Commissioner Dwyer Commissioner McGivern Commission Altamirano Staff in Attendance: Myrna Rios, City Clerk’s Office Erika Brady, City Clerk’s Office Neal Falgoust, Law Department Wajiha Rizvi, Law Department PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Joe Riddell PUBLIC HEARING 1. Conduct a public hearing to receive feedback regarding proposed amendments to the City Charter recommended by the 2024 Charter Review Commission. Speakers: Kathy Mitchell, Joe Riddell, and Ed Espinoza. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 2. Approve the minutes of the 2024 Charter Review Commission regular meeting of February 15, 2024, and meeting of February 29, 2024. The motion to approve the minutes of the February 15, 2024, meeting, and February 29, 2024 meeting were approved on Commissioner Greenberg’s motion, Commissioner Cowles second on an 11-0 vote. 1 DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 3. Discussion and possible action on the Petition Process Working Groups initial recommendation report on revisions to the petition process. (Commissioners Cowles, Dwyer, and McGiverin) The motion to renew and approve the “3.5% signature threshold” was made by Commissioner Botkin, seconded by Commissioner Dwyer on a 6-5 vote. Those voting aye: Chair Palvino, Vice Chair Garcia, Commissioners Botkin, Dwyer, Lasch, and Altamirano. Those voting no: Commissioners Greenberg, McGiverin, Van Maanen, Cowles, and Ortega. 4. Discussion and possible action regarding community engagement of the Charter Review process from the Outreach Work Group. No further action required. 5. Discussion and possible action on the review and finalization of the draft report to Council. The overview of the draft report was made by Wajiha Rizvi, Law Department. No action was taken. 6. Discussion and possible action of future meetings and meeting location. The motion to approve a special called meeting on March 21, 2024, was made by Commissioner Van Maanen, seconded by Commissioner Lasch on a 10-0 vote. Commissioner Greenberg abstained. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS The Commission may discuss and identify future agenda items, topics, or presentations. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned without objection at 6:23 p.m. 2
2024 CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION MINUTES REGULAR MEETING March 21, 2024 The 2024 Charter Review Commission convened in a regular meeting on Thursday, March 21, 2024, Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second Street, Room 1029, Austin, Texas. Chair Palvino called the Commission Meeting to order at 5:32 p.m. Commissioner Cowles Commissioner Lasch Commissioner Van Maanen Commissioner Ortega Commissioner Greenberg Commission Members in Attendance: Chair Palvino Vice Chair Garcia Commissioner Botkin Commissioner Dwyer Commissioner McGivern Commission Altamirano Staff in Attendance: Myrna Rios, City Clerk’s Office Erika Brady, City Clerk’s Office Neal Falgoust, Law Department Wajiha Rizvi, Law Department PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Joe Riddell APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the 2024 Charter Review Commission regular meeting of March 7, 2024. The motion to approve the minutes of the March 7, 2024 meeting were approved on Commissioner Van Maanen’s motion, Commissioner Botkin’s second on an 11-0 vote. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 2. Discussion and possible action on the review and adoption of the 2024 Charter Review Commission report to Council. The overview of version two of the draft report to council was made by Wajiha Rizvi, Law Department. The motion to approve version two of the draft report to council was approved on Commissioner Altamirano, Commissioner Botkin’s second on an 11-0 vote. 1 3. Discussion and possible action of future meetings and meeting location. No Action FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS The Commission may discuss and identify future agenda items, topics, or presentations. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 6:09 p.m. without objection. 2
2024 Charter Review Commission Report March 21, 2024 Contents 2024 Charter Review Executive Summary ..................................................................................1 2024 Charter Review Commission Overview ..............................................................................3 Recommendation No. 1: Alphabet Rotation for Proposition Lettering ....................................5 Recommendation No. 2: 3.5% Signature Threshold for Petitions ............................................7 Recommendation No. 3: Signature, Form, and Notice of Intent for Petitions .......................12 Recommendation No. 4: Elections for Citizen-Initiated Charter Changes & Initiatives held on Municipal General Election Dates ....................................................................17 Recommendation No. 5: Conflicting Ballot Initiatives .............................................................21 Recommendation No. 6: Disclosure & Contribution Limits for Recall Petitions ..................23 Recommendation No. 7: Recall Signature Threshold ..............................................................26 Recommendation No. 8: Ratification of City Attorney Appointment ....................................29 Recommendation No. 9: Designated Assistant City Attorney .................................................30 Appendix A: Suggested Future Topics ......................................................................................31 Appendix B: Meeting Dates ........................................................................................................35 Appendix C: Outreach Survey Results .....................................................................................36 2024 Charter Review Executive Summary The 2024 Charter Revisions Commission (CRC) makes the following recommendations to the Austin City Council: 1. Alphabetic Rotation for Proposition Lettering: this recommendation requires ballot propositions to be labeled sequentially through the alphabet until its completion. The CRC adopted this recommendation by an 8-0 vote on 1/30/24 with two commissioners off the dais and one commissioner absent. 2. 3.5% Signature Threshold for Petitions: his recommendation sets a durable signature threshold for the approval of citizen initiative and referendum petitions at 3.5% of qualified Austin voters. On 2/29/24, this motion failed by a 5-5 vote with one commissioner absent. A renewed motion was made on 3/7/24 and it was adopted by a 6-5 vote. 3. Signature, Form, and Notice of Intent for Petitions: this recommendation addresses signature validity and requires a notice of intent with a 90-day deadline. The CRC adopted this recommendation on 2/29/24 with a 10-0 vote with one commissioner absent. 4. Citizen-Initiated Petitions on Municipal General Election Dates: This recommendation requires council to select the earliest municipal general election date when it orders an election for Charter changes or citizen-initiated initiatives. The final recommendation was presented to the full Commission on 2/15/2024. It was adopted by a 8-1 vote with two commissioners absent. 5. Conflicting Ballot Initiatives: this recommendation requires the implementation of the provisions of the proposition receiving the highest number of votes. The final recommendation was presented to the full Commission on 1/18/2024. It was adopted by a 10-0 vote with one commissioner absent. 6. Disclosure & Contribution Limits for Recall Petitions: this recommendation requires public disclosure and campaign finance reporting for contributions and …
2024 Charter Review Commission Report March 21, 2024 Contents 2024 Charter Review Executive Summary ..................................................................................1 2024 Charter Review Commission Overview ..............................................................................3 Recommendation No. 1: Alphabet Rotation for Proposition Lettering ....................................5 Recommendation No. 2: 3.5% Signature Threshold for Petitions ............................................7 Recommendation No. 3: Signature, Form, and Notice of Intent for Petitions .......................12 Recommendation No. 4: Elections for Citizen-Initiated Charter Changes & Initiatives held on Municipal General Election Dates ....................................................................17 Recommendation No. 5: Conflicting Ballot Initiatives .............................................................21 Recommendation No. 6: Disclosure & Contribution Limits for Recall Petitions ..................23 Recommendation No. 7: Recall Signature Threshold ..............................................................26 Recommendation No. 8: Ratification of City Attorney Appointment ....................................29 Recommendation No. 9: Designated Assistant City Attorney .................................................30 Appendix A: Suggested Future Topics ......................................................................................31 Appendix B: Meeting Dates ........................................................................................................34 Appendix C: Outreach Survey Results .....................................................................................35 2024 Charter Review Executive Summary The 2024 Charter Revisions Commission (the “CRC” or “commission”) makes the following recommendations to the Austin City Council: 1. Alphabetic Rotation for Proposition Lettering: this recommendation requires ballot propositions to be labeled sequentially through the alphabet until its completion. The CRC adopted this recommendation by an 8-0 vote on 1/30/24 with two commissioners off the dais and one commissioner absent. 2. 3.5% Signature Threshold for Petitions: his recommendation sets a durable signature threshold for the approval of citizen initiative and referendum petitions at 3.5% of qualified Austin voters. On 2/29/24, this motion failed by a 5-5 vote with one commissioner absent. A renewed motion was made on 3/7/24 and it was adopted by a 6-5 vote. 3. Signature, Form, and Notice of Intent for Petitions: this recommendation addresses signature validity and requires a notice of intent with a 90-day deadline. The CRC adopted this recommendation on 2/29/24 with a 10-0 vote with one commissioner absent. 4. Citizen-Initiated Petitions on Municipal General Election Dates: This recommendation requires council to select the earliest municipal general election date when it orders an election for Charter changes or citizen-initiated initiatives. The final recommendation was presented to the full Commission on 2/15/2024. It was adopted by an 8-1 vote with two commissioners absent. 5. Conflicting Ballot Initiatives: this recommendation requires the implementation of the provisions of the proposition receiving the highest number of votes. The final recommendation was presented to the full Commission on 1/18/2024. It was adopted by a 10-0 vote with one commissioner absent. 6. Disclosure & Contribution Limits for Recall Petitions: this recommendation requires public disclosure and campaign finance reporting …
