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<baltimore-city-law heading="Chapter 7 – Order and Decorum">
  <section prefix="Rule" num="7-1" heading="Order, etc., at meetings">
    <text>The President shall preserve order and decorum during all Council meetings.</text>
  </section>
  <section prefix="Rule" num="7-2" heading="Supervision of Chambers and adjacent areas">
    <para num="(a)">President to supervise. The President has general supervision over:<para num="(1)">the Council Chamber; and</para>
      <para num="(2)">the adjacent rooms, corridors, and lobbies.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(b)">Disturbances, etc.<para num="(1)">In case of any disturbance or disorderly conduct in any of these places, the President shall ask the person responsible to stop.</para>
      <para num="(2)">If the person persists, the President may:<para num="(i)">order the person to be removed;</para>
        <para num="(ii)">request police assistance to restore order; and</para>
        <para num="(iii)">until order is restored: (A) recess any meeting then in session; and (B) order the meeting place cleared.</para>
      </para>
    </para>
  </section>
  <section prefix="Rule" num="7-3" heading="Floor privileges">
    <para num="(a)">In general. No person other than a Councilmember may be given the floor except:<para num="(1)">by unanimous consent of the Councilmembers present; or</para>
      <para num="(2)">as otherwise provided by law or these Rules.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(b)">Agency representatives. At the President’s request, representatives of City agencies may present reports and opinions to the City Council or answer questions put to them by the Council.</para>
  </section>
  <section prefix="Rule" num="7-4" heading="Recording, broadcasting, etc">
    <para num="(a)">In general. A member of the public, including a representative of the news media, may record, photograph, videotape, broadcast, or televise the proceedings of an open meeting of the Council (including a meeting of any of its committees) if the device used for this purpose:<para num="(1)">does not create an excessive noise that disturbs Councilmembers or other individuals attending the meeting;</para>
      <para num="(2)">is operated without any excessively bright light that disturbs Councilmembers or other individuals attending the meeting; and</para>
      <para num="(3)">does not otherwise:<para num="(i)">disrupt the meeting; or</para>
        <para num="(ii)">interfere with the right of the public to attend and observe the meeting.</para>
      </para>
    </para>
    <para num="(b)">Presiding officer may restrict movement.<para num="(1)">Whenever necessary to maintain the orderly conduct of the meeting, the presiding officer may restrict the movement of the person who is using any recording device, camera, broadcasting equipment, or televising equipment.</para>
      <para num="(2)">If the person refuses to comply or otherwise persists in conduct prohibited by this or any other rule, the presiding officer may take the action described in Rule 7-2 of this chapter for dealing with a disturbance or public disorder.</para>
    </para>
  </section>
  <section prefix="Rule" num="7-5" heading="Personal communication devices, etc., prohibited">
    <text>During a Council meeting, no person in the Council Chamber may use any sound-producing personal communication device or other electronic device.</text>
  </section>
  <section prefix="Rule" num="7-6" heading="Order during debate">
    <text>During a Council meeting, no Councilmember may:</text>
    <para num="(1)">walk across the Council Chamber or converse privately while the President is addressing the City Council or putting any question; or</para>
    <para num="(2)">hold a private conversation in a manner that disturbs debate.</para>
  </section>
  <section prefix="Rule" num="7-7" heading="Personal references">
    <text>During debate, each Councilmember shall:</text>
    <para num="(1)">avoid personal references to any other member; and</para>
    <para num="(2)">refer to another member by some designation other than that member’s proper name.</para>
  </section>
</baltimore-city-law>
