<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<baltimore-city-law heading="Chapter 2 – Meetings; Quorum">
  <section prefix="Rule" num="2-1" heading="Opening Day">
    <para num="(a)">Roll Call to open. At the start of each elective term of the Council, the Reading Clerk calls the roll.</para>
    <para num="(b)">Election of Vice President. The members of the City Council shall elect a Vice President by a majority vote of its members pursuant to Article III, § 10(b) {“Procedures; Council officers – Vice-President — in general”} of the Charter.</para>
    <para num="(c)">Appointment of Committee on Legislative Investigations. The Council President shall nominate, and the City Council by affirmative vote of a majority of all Councilmembers (8) shall approve or reject, the 5 members, Chair, and Vice-Chair of the Committee on Legislative Investigations as per Baltimore City Code Article 1, § 1-4 (b).</para>
  </section>
  <section prefix="Rule" num="2-2" heading="Regular meetings – Days held">
    <para num="(a)">First meeting of year. In each year of a Council term, the City Council first meets on the Thursday after the 1st Monday in December pursuant to Article III, § 8 {“Sessions”} of the Charter.</para>
    <para num="(b)">Subsequent meetings.<para num="(1)">Except as provided in paragraph (2), regular meetings are then held on Mondays.</para>
      <para num="(2)">The schedule of regular Council meetings is established by the Council President for the following calendar year and shared with all members and staff no later than November 30.</para>
      <para num="(2)">Regular meetings are not held:<para num="(i)">on legal holidays; or</para>
        <para num="(ii)">during any recess scheduled by the President or the Council.</para>
      </para>
    </para>
  </section>
  <section prefix="Rule" num="2-3" heading="Regular meetings – Starting time">
    <text>Each regular meeting starts at 5 p.m., unless another time:</text>
    <para num="(1)">was specified when the previous meeting recessed or adjourned; or</para>
    <para num="(2)">is set by the President.</para>
  </section>
  <section prefix="Rule" num="2-4" heading="Regular meetings – Recess and adjournment">
    <text>By the affirmative vote of a majority of all Councilmembers (8), the Council may recess or adjourn a regular meeting to a specified time.</text>
  </section>
  <section prefix="Rule" num="2-5" heading="Special meetings">
    <para num="(a)">In general. As outlined in Article III, § 8 {“Sessions”} of the Charter, special meetings may be convened by:<para num="(1)">the Mayor;</para>
      <para num="(2)">the President of the City Council; or</para>
      <para num="(3)">the City Council, on written request of 2/3 of all Councilmembers (10) if:<para num="(i)">the Councilmembers submit a written petition to the Office of Council Services; and</para>
        <para num="(ii)">the written petition is in the form as required by the President.</para>
      </para>
    </para>
  </section>
  <section prefix="Rule" num="2-6" heading="Quorum – Number required">
    <text>A majority of all Councilmembers (8) constitutes a quorum.</text>
  </section>
  <section prefix="Rule" num="2-7" heading="Quorum – When not available">
    <text>If a quorum is not present at a regular or special meeting:</text>
    <para num="(1)">the President may order the absent Councilmembers to report to the Council Chamber; and</para>
    <para num="(2)">the Councilmembers shall assemble from day to day until a quorum is present.</para>
  </section>
  <section prefix="Rule" num="2-8" heading="Required attendance">
    <text>If any Councilmember suggests that a quorum is lacking, the President:</text>
    <para num="(1)">shall cause the roll to be called; and</para>
    <para num="(2)">if a quorum is lacking, may direct that absent Councilmembers be notified of their required presence in the Council Chamber.</para>
  </section>
</baltimore-city-law>
