PROCEDURE AND DECORUM

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code tit. I, ch. 151, art. IV

in effect

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 151-41 Presiding officer.

Sec. 151-41. - Presiding officer. The president shall be the presiding officer of the city-county council and each special service district council. In the absence of the president, the vice president shall preside. In the absence of both the president and vice president, the majority leader and then the chairpersons of the standing committees in the order listed in section 151-25 shall be entitled to preside, unless another shall be designated to preside by the president before surrendering the gavel. (G.O. 68, 1988, § 6; G.O. 144, 1993, § 1)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 151-42 Powers of the presiding officer generally.

Sec. 151-42. - Powers of the presiding officer generally. The presiding officer of the council shall have all the powers of the president thereof with respect to the conduct of the business before the meeting while presiding, but only the president or vice president with respect to matters adopted while presiding shall have the authority to sign ordinances or resolutions adopted by a council or to exercise other powers conferred on the president by state statute, this Code or other ordinance. (G.O. 68, 1988, § 6)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 151-43 Convening council; roll call.

Sec. 151-43. - Convening council; roll call. The president shall take the chair at the hour designated for convening a council for any regular, special or statutory meeting. The president shall call the council to order and instruct the clerk to call the roll. If the roll call establishes that a quorum is present, the president shall proceed in the manner and order prescribed by these rules. A majority of the members elected, qualified and serving as members of the council shall constitute a quorum. (G.O. 68, 1988, § 6)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 151-44 Procedure upon absence of a quorum.

Sec. 151-44. - Procedure upon absence of a quorum. If the roll call taken pursuant to this article does not establish that a quorum of a council is present, the president shall recess the council for three (3) successive fifteen-minute periods and shall have the roll called at the end of each such recess until a quorum is present. If a quorum is not present at the end of the third recess, the council shall not meet until the next regular or special meeting is duly convened. (G.O. 68, 1988, § 6; G.O. 144, 1993, § 1)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 151-45 Preservation of order and decorum.

Sec. 151-45. - Preservation of order and decorum. The president of the council shall preserve order and decorum and, in the case of a disturbance or disorderly conduct in the chamber or in the adjacent lobbies, may cause the areas to be cleared. The president may appoint a sergeant-at-arms to assist in maintaining order and decorum at council meetings. The president may require the county sheriff, a deputy sheriff or an officer of the Indianapolis metropolitan police department to be present to assist in preserving order. (G.O. 68, 1988, § 6; G.O. 144, 1993, § 1; G.O. 110, 2005, § 4; G.O. 47, 2009, § 2)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 151-46 Council chamber floor described; admittance.

Sec. 151-46. - Council chamber floor described; admittance. The floor of the council chamber shall consist of that portion of the chamber from beyond the last seats of members of the council to the front of the room. No person shall be permitted on the floor of the council chamber while the council is in order other than the members thereof, its staff and accredited reporters of the news media. The mayor and other city or county officials may be admitted upon permission from the presiding officer or by a majority vote of the council. Any person who is entitled under this chapter to address the council shall be admitted to the floor during the time such person is permitted to speak. (G.O. 68, 1988, § 6; G.O. 144, 1993, § 1)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 151-47 Addresses to the council by others than members.

Sec. 151-47. - Addresses to the council by others than members. (a) No person other than a member or officer of a council shall be permitted to address a council during its meeting except as provided in this rule as follows: (1) The president may recognize any distinguished guest under "introduction and recognition of guests and visitors" and permit a two-minute response to the introduction; (2) The president may permit any city or county officer or employee to address the council in response to a question or request for information by a member of the council; such person's response shall be limited to two (2) minutes; (3) Any member of a council desiring that someone be heard that is denied the floor by these rules or the president, may move to allow such person to address the council. The motion shall state the person to be heard, the subject to which the discussion will be limited and the time to be granted the speaker. The motion shall require a second; it shall be privileged and immediately put to vote without debate. The motion shall be carried only if receiving a vote of a majority of the members of the council. If the motion is carried, the person shall be permitted to address the council in accordance with the motion; (4) If an item of business before a council is one for which a notice of public hearing has been given, the president shall inquire before stating the question whether members of the public desire to be heard on that item. If any person indicates a desire to be heard, the president shall recognize such person. The committee of the whole council may, by majority vote, impose reasonable limits upon the time and number of persons to be allowed to speak. (b) Any member of the public having been properly granted the privilege of the council floor for purposes of offering comment or testimony on a particular proposal or issue before the council must speak to that issue. Any member of the council, having been recognized by the president, may question the relevancy of comment or testimony being given by members of the public by asking the president to rule on the germaneness of such comment or testimony. The president may also rule on germaneness without request. All such decisions of the president may be challenged and sustained or overruled by a simple majority vote. (G.O. 68, 1988, § 6; G.O. 144, 1993, § 1)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 151-48 Permission for member to leave before adjournment.

Sec. 151-48. - Permission for member to leave before adjournment. After a meeting of a council shall have been called to order, a member thereof shall remain in attendance until adjournment unless excused by the presiding officer. If the presiding officer refuses to grant an excuse, the member seeking to be excused shall have the right to appeal to a vote of the council upon the request to be excused, and the affirmative vote of a majority of the members present shall be sufficient to excuse such member from further attendance at that meeting of the council. The question upon excusing a member, notwithstanding the refusal of the presiding officer to do so, shall be a question of privilege and shall be immediately put to vote by the presiding officer, taking precedence over all other questions and motions that may be before the council at that time. When any member shall be excused in accordance with the provisions of this rule, the clerk shall note in the journal that the leave was granted, showing whether leave was granted by the presiding officer or by vote of the council. (G.O. 68, 1988, § 6; G.O. 144, 1993, § 1)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 151-49 Calling members to order for violation of rules.

Sec. 151-49. - Calling members to order for violation of rules. If any member of a council, in speaking or otherwise, transgresses the rules of the council, the presiding officer shall, or any member may, call such member to order, in which case such member shall immediately surrender the floor, unless permitted on motion of another member to explain, and the council shall, if appealed to, decide the case without debate. If the decision is in favor of the member called to order, such member shall be at liberty to proceed, but not otherwise, and if the case requires it, such member shall be liable to such censure or such punishment as the council may deem proper or the law may provide. (G.O. 68, 1988, § 6; G.O. 144, 1993, § 1)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 151-50 Procedure when exception is taken to spoken words.

Sec. 151-50. - Procedure when exception is taken to spoken words. If a member of a council is called to order for words spoken in debate, the member calling such member to order shall indicate the words excepted to and the words shall be taken down in writing at the clerk's desk and read aloud to the council; however, the member shall not be held to answer, nor be subject to the censure of the council therefor, if further debate or other business shall have intervened. (G.O. 68, 1988, § 6; G.O. 144, 1993, § 1)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 151-51 Time limit on speaking.

Sec. 151-51. - Time limit on speaking. (a) No member of a council shall speak more than twice, nor for more than five (5) minutes on each occasion, upon any one (1) question in debate during the same session or meeting, without leave therefor of the council, except in explanation, unless such member is the mover, proposer or introducer of the matter pending, in which case such member shall be permitted to speak in reply, but not until every other member desiring to speak shall have spoken. (b) After the president has called for the vote on final adoption of a proposal and after the vote count has been announced, a councilor may be granted up to one (1) minute to explain the vote such councilor has cast, which explanation shall be limited to the subject matter of that proposal. (G.O. 68, 1988, § 6; G.O. 144, 1993, § 1; G.O. 72, 1998, § 1; G.O. 55, 2023, § 1)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 151-52 Roll call votes.

Sec. 151-52. - Roll call votes. (a) Recorded votes. All votes upon the final adoption of proposals for ordinances or general resolutions, motions to reconsider or motions to suspend the rules, shall be by roll call vote. If electronic or mechanical voting systems are installed for use by the council, the recording of the vote by such methods shall be the same as a vote by calling the roll and may be used for the roll call at the opening of a meeting and to determine a quorum. All ordinances or resolutions shall be adopted solely upon the affirmative vote of a majority of all members of the council. All members present shall vote on all roll call votes unless under section 151-1121 a member is permitted to abstain or is disqualified. (b) Challenges. Whenever the propriety of voting of a councilor on any matter is challenged by another councilor and such councilor refuses to abstain, a motion shall be in order to disqualify such councilor. Such motion shall be decided by majority vote of those present, including the councilor challenged. If the motion to disqualify carries, the vote of such member shall not be counted on the matter with respect to which the councilor was disqualified. Unless the propriety of a councilor's vote is challenged under this subsection prior to the call for the vote by the presiding officer, the right of the councilor to vote shall not thereafter be challenged. (G.O. 68, 1988, § 6; G.O. 144, 1993, § 1; G.O. 28, 1998, § 1; G.O. 45, 2009, § 2; G.O. 55, 2023, § 1)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 151-53 Motions entertained during debate.

Sec. 151-53. - Motions entertained during debate. When a question is under debate, no motion shall be considered except one (1) of the following, which motions shall take precedence in the order stated: (1) To recess or adjourn; (2) For the previous question; (3) To postpone to a time certain; (4) To recommit to a committee; (5) To amend; (6) To postpone indefinitely or to strike a proposal. When a question is under consideration, a motion to amend and a motion to amend that amendment shall be in order, but no further motion to amend shall be in order until the disposition of that motion. (G.O. 68, 1988, § 6; G.O. 144, 1993, § 1)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 151-54 Previous question.

Sec. 151-54. - Previous question. The form of the previous question shall be: "Shall the debate now close?" The motion for the previous question shall require a majority of those voting and shall be decided without debate. All incidental questions of order arising after a motion is made for a previous question and pending the motion shall be decided, whether on appeal or otherwise, without debate. When the previous question has been ordered on a proposition under debate, the proponent of the question shall have two (2) minutes to close the debate, immediately following which the previous question shall be decided. (G.O. 68, 1988, § 6)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 151-55 Motion to adjourn or recess.

Sec. 151-55. - Motion to adjourn or recess. (a) A motion to adjourn or recess shall be in order, except as follows: (1) When a member is speaking; (2) While the same item of business is pending during which such a previous motion was defeated; (3) During a roll call. (b) A motion to recess shall take precedence over a motion to adjourn. (G.O. 68, 1988, § 6)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 151-56 Suspension of these rules.

Sec. 151-56. - Suspension of these rules. These rules (except where required by statute) may be suspended by a two-thirds vote of the elected and qualified members of the council. If a rule is suspended, a majority of the members present shall decide the procedure to follow in lieu of the suspended rule. The power to suspend these rules shall not apply to rules which are required by statutory or constitutional law. (G.O. 68, 1988, § 6)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 151-57 Amendment of rules.

Sec. 151-57. - Amendment of rules. These rules, as set forth in this chapter, may be amended only by adopting an amending ordinance in accordance with these rules, except that the approval of the mayor shall not be required with respect to an ordinance amending these rules. (G.O. 68, 1988, § 6)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 151-58 Parliamentary authority.

Sec. 151-58. - Parliamentary authority. All meetings of a council and its committees shall be conducted in accordance with the procedures set forth in "Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised," except where a different procedure is required by state law, this Code or other ordinances of the city-county council. A majority of the members of the council shall decide all matters of procedure not covered by the authorities stated in this section. (G.O. 68, 1988, § 6)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 151-59 General counsel to act as parliamentarian.

Sec. 151-59. - General counsel to act as parliamentarian. The general counsel shall attend all council meetings and advise the president as the parliamentarian. With permission of the presiding officer, the general counsel may address the council with respect to any point of order or law arising during a meeting of the council. (G.O. 68, 1988, § 6)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 151-60 Reserved.

Source: Consolidated City of Indianapolis and Marion County, Revised Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/in/indianapolis_-_marion_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIORAD_CH151CIUNCO_ARTIVPRDEFetched: 10/27/2026