Rule 10. Procedure during debate.

   (a)   Withdrawal. The maker of a motion may withdraw the motion at any time before a vote is taken unless another member objects.

   (b)   Written motions. Before a vote is taken, any Councilmember may direct the Council Clerk to state the motion in writing and distribute it to the Council.

   (c)   Committee recommendations. A recommendation from a Council committee that received the affirmative votes of a majority of members of that committee, or a recommendation that received the affirmative votes of a majority of the members of any joint committee, is a main motion that does not require a second.

   (d)   Motion to table; taking from the table. A motion to table is not in order at a meeting of a Council Committee, including a joint Committee meeting. A Councilmember may move to take a bill or resolution from the table if the Councilmember voted to lay the bill or resolution on the table, or was absent and not merely abstaining from the vote. A bill may be taken from the table at any time until it expires. A resolution may be taken from the table at any time before it expires.

   (e)   Reconsideration. A Councilmember may move to reconsider a matter already decided if:

      (1)   the matter is still in the possession of the Council;

      (2)   the motion to reconsider is made:

         (A)   at the same meeting; or

         (B)   at the later of:

            (i)   the next similar Council meeting; or

            (ii)   any similar Council meeting held within the next 7 days; and

      (3)   the Councilmember voted with the prevailing side or was absent, and not merely abstaining from the vote.

   The Council may postpone a vote on a motion to reconsider to a time certain, but not indefinitely.

   (f)   Effect of Motion to Reconsider. A motion to reconsider, properly made, suspends the action that is the subject of the motion until the motion is adopted or rejected. A motion to reconsider, properly adopted, voids the action that is the subject of the motion.

   (g)   Reconsideration of enactment. A motion to reconsider the enactment of any law, zoning text amendment, or subdivision regulation amendment, requires 6 votes for adoption. (Res. No. 11-54; Res. No. 12-83; Res. No. 13-49; Res. No. 14-53; Res. No. 17-40; Res. No. 18-49; Res. No. 19-1443.)

Rule 11. Vote requirements.

   (a)   Recording of votes. The Clerk must record in the Council minutes the vote of each Councilmember who votes on a matter, regardless of the method of voting used, such as a roll call vote, a hand vote, or a vote “without objection”.

   (b)   Voting – by consensus or “without objection”. Except as provided under subsection (d) of this Rule, the Council or a Committee may, at the discretion of the presiding officer, vote on amendments or Committee recommendations through consensus or “without objection” of the members present.

   (c)   Fractions under Robert’s Rules votes. If Robert’s Rules of Order apply under Rule 1(b) and prescribe a vote requirement of two-thirds, two-thirds of the 11-member Council must be 7 Councilmembers.

   (d)   Numbers and types of votes. The votes of the Council must comply with the requirements of the following chart. In the chart, RC means a roll-call vote, and HV means a vote by hand.

Action	Votes required	Type of Vote	Citation
Legislation
Regular legislation	6	RC	Charter § 111
Expedited legislation	7	RC	Charter § 111
Override of Executive veto	7	RC	Charter § 208
Law authorizing individual CIP project	6	RC	Charter § 302, paragraph 6
Law creating new department or agency	7	RC	Charter § 401
Law designating non-merit position	7	RC	Charter § 401
Extend expiration date of bill	Majority	HV	Rule 6(f)
Withdraw bill	Majority	RC	Rule 6(g)
Motion not to consider bill	Majority	HV	Rule 8(a)
Land Use
Zoning text amendment	6	RC	Code § 59-7.2.4
Subdivision regulation amendment	6	RC	Maryland Code, Land Use Article § 23-104
Subdivision regulation amendment – Executive veto override	8	RC	Maryland Code, Land Use Article § 23-104
Master Plan approval	Majority	HV	Code § 33A-8
Master plan – extend time for Council action	8 (or, if less than the full Council is voting, 2/3 of members voting)	HV	Code § 33A-8
Local map amendment	6	RC	Code § 59-7.2.1
Local map amendment if contrary to recommendation of municipality where where property is located or Planning Board does not recommend approval	8	RC	Code § 59-7.2.1
Sectional map amendment	6	RC	Code § 59-7.2.3
Sectional map amendment – if contrary to recommendation of municipality where property is located or Planning Board does not recommend approval	8	RC	Code § 59-7.2.3
Budget
Spending affordability guidelines Adoption Amendment	Majority Majority	HV HV	Charter § 305
Budget approval – in general	Majority	HV	Charter § 305
Budget approval – that has been increased above the CPI limit in the Charter	7	HV	Charter § 305
Budget approval – that exceeds spending affordability guidelines	8	HV	Charter § 305
Veto override – budget of Council, Fire & Rescue Commission, Fire Departments and Rescue Squads, Housing Opportunities Com’n, Montgomery College	6	HV	Charter § 306
Other veto budget override	7	HV	Charter § 306
Supplemental appropriation before January 1 – in general	7	HV	Charter § 307
Supplemental appropriation before January 1 to accept a grant or comply with a law or regulation	6	HV	Charter § 307
Supplemental appropriation after January 1	6	HV	Charter § 307
Special appropriation	7	HV	Charter § 308
Transfer appropriation	Majority	HV	Charter § 309
Six-year CIP program approval	6	HV	Charter § 302
CIP amendment	6	HV	Charter § 302
Emergency special capital improvement project that is not done through legislation	7	HV	Charter § 302, paragraph 6
Property tax rate that exceeds the limit under Charter § 305	All current councilmembers	HV	Charter § 305
Resolutions
Resolution – in general	Majority	HV	Rule 7
Motion not to consider resolution	Majority	HV	Rule 8
Motions
Suspend rules	7 (or, if there is a vacancy, 2/3 of Councilmembers in office)	HV	Rule 2
Appointment
Confirm Executive appointment	Majority	HV	Charter § 215
Council appointment	Majority	HV
Fill County Executive vacancy	6	HV	Charter § 205
Fill Councilmember vacancy	Majority	HV	Charter § 106
Removal from Office
Councilmember	7	HV	Charter § 118
Executive	7	HV	Charter § 206
Miscellaneous
Disapprove Executive reorganization plan	6	HV	Charter § 217
Close meeting under Open Meetings Act	6	HV (individual votes must be recorded, per Open Meetings Act)	Md. Code Ann., General Provisions Article, Title 3
Amend Council Rules during first 90 days of term	Majority	HV	Rule 2(c)
Amend Council Rules after 90 days	7 (or, if there is a vacancy, 2/3 of Councilmembers in office)	HV	Rule 2(c)

 

(Res. No. 20-35.)

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