South Bend Common Council creates stricter rules for filing legislation

 

SOUTH BEND, Ind.-- A bill came to council Monday night with a favorable recommendation from the Rules Committee, outlining stricter rules for filing pieces of legislation for the city.

It ended up passing with all votes in favor except one.

The changes are to chapter 2, article 1 of the municipal code.

It updates the language used. For examples, instead of councilmen, it will say councilmembers.

Next, it requires a councilmember to meet the outlined deadline for filing resolutions— and to get it signed off by the chair of the standing committee.

District six councilwoman Sheila Niezgodski says it is an effort to improve camaraderie with and dialogue with council.

“There’s been discussion over what’s been stamped, ‘oh he was just a little late,’ ‘well the filing letter will come later.’ that has to stop,” she said. “This was designed in a way to be a clear process that everybody understands.”

Second District Councilman Henry Davis Jr., the sole “nay” vote, said the efforts presented make it harder to pass legislation, and seem to undermine council’s work by getting caught up in technicalities.