GENERAL PROVISIONS RELATED TO OFFICERS

Los Angeles City Charter tit. I, art. II, pt. GENERAL PROVISIONS RELATED TO OFFICERS

in effect

Los Angeles City Charter § 200 City Officers.

Sec. 200. City Officers. All officers of the City, both elected and appointed, shall be subject to recall as provided in Article IV. The officers of the City shall be: A Mayor The Members of the Council A City Attorney A City Clerk A Controller A Treasurer The members of the boards or commissions of the departments and the chief administrative officer of each department and office An Executive Director of the Board of Police Commissioners Other officers as prescribed by ordinance

Los Angeles City Charter § 201 City Offices.

Sec. 201. City Offices. The City Offices shall be: Office of the Mayor Office of the City Council Office of the City Attorney Office of the Controller Office of the City Administrative Officer Office of the City Clerk Office of Finance SECTION HISTORY Amended by: Charter Amendment II, approved November 5, 2024, effective January 8, 2025.

Los Angeles City Charter § 202 Election of Officers at Large.

Sec. 202. Election of Officers at Large. The following officers of the City shall be elected by the electors of the City, at large: Mayor City Attorney Controller

Los Angeles City Charter § 203 Appointment and Removal of Officers.

Sec. 203. Appointment and Removal of Officers. Except as otherwise provided in the Charter, City officers shall be appointed by the Mayor, subject to confirmation by the Council. Except as otherwise provided in the Charter, the appointing power shall have the power of removal.

Los Angeles City Charter § 204 Election of City Council Members; Redistricting. SECTION HISTORY Amended by: Charter Amendment 1, approved March 3, 2015, effective April 2, 2015; Subsec. (c), Charter Amendment E, approved November 6, 2018, effective December 14, 2018. Repealed by Charter Amendment DD, approved November 5, 2024, effective January 8, 2025.

Los Angeles City Charter § 205 Term of Office.

Sec. 205. Term of Office. (a) The Mayor, City Attorney, Controller and members of the Council shall hold their offices for a term of four years except as provided in subsection (b). (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Charter, in order to transition to new election dates starting in 2020, members of the Council elected in 2015 shall be elected for a term expiring in December 2020 and the Mayor, City Attorney, Controller and members of the Council elected in the year 2017 shall be elected for a term expiring in December 2022. (c) The terms of office for those members of the Council from even-numbered districts shall commence during each fourth anniversary of the year 2020. The terms of office for the Mayor, City Attorney, Controller and those members of the Council elected from odd-numbered districts shall commence during each fourth anniversary of the year 2022. The term of an official elected to City office shall commence on the second Monday in December next following his or her election. (d) Except where a vacancy in office is created pursuant to Section 207, the incumbents of the elected and appointed offices shall hold office until their successors have qualified. SECTION HISTORY Amended by: Charter Amendment 1, approved March 3, 2015, effective April 2, 2015; Charter Amendment DD, approved November 5, 2024, effective January 8, 2025.

Los Angeles City Charter § 206 Term Limits.

Sec. 206. Term Limits. No person may serve more than two terms of office as Mayor. No person may serve more than two terms of office as City Attorney. No person may serve more than two terms of office as Controller. No person may serve more than three terms of office as member of the City Council. These limitations on the number of terms of office shall apply only to terms of office that began on or after July 1, 1993. These limitations on the number of terms of office shall not apply to any unexpired term to which a person is elected or appointed if the remainder of the term is less than one-half of the full term of office. For purposes of this Section, the term of office of officials elected in 2015 and 2017 as described in Section 205(b) shall count as one term. SECTION HISTORY Amended by: Charter Amendment, approved November 7, 2006, effective December 13, 2006; Charter Amendment 1, approved March 3, 2015, effective April 2, 2015.

Los Angeles City Charter § 207 Vacancy in City Offices.

Sec. 207. Vacancy in City Offices. An office becomes vacant when: (a) the incumbent dies, retires, resigns, is adjudged insane, pleads guilty or no contest to or is convicted of a felony, is removed from office or fails to qualify within ten days from the time he or she receives his or her certificate of election or appointment; (b) the incumbent ceases to be a registered voter or resident of the City, where being a registered voter or City residency is a qualification for the office; (c) the incumbent is convicted of an offense involving a violation of official duties, including, without limitation, a violation of the conflict of interest and government ethics provisions of the Charter or City ordinances. However, removal from office for violating conflict of interest or governmental ethics provisions shall be required only if a court determines that the seriousness of the offense and degree of culpability of the officer so warrant; (d) the incumbent has been absent from the City without the consent of the Council for more than 60 consecutive days. Absence from the City of the incumbent of an elected office shall be deemed to be with the consent of the Council if the absence was caused by illness, injury or other reason, and if the incumbent could not reasonably have been expected to have returned to the City under the circumstances; (e) the incumbent of an elected office, or the Chief of Police has ceased to discharge the duties of the office for 90 consecutive days, except when prevented by illness, injury, or other reasonable cause; or (f) the incumbent of an elected office, or the Chief of Police is found by a court to be incapacitated according to the criteria contained in Section 208.

Los Angeles City Charter § 208 Determination of Incapacity.

Sec. 208. Determination of Incapacity. (a) For purposes of Section 207(f), an elected office and the office of Chief of Police become vacant when, in a quo warranto action or other applicable proceeding as may be established by state law, a court has found that: (1) the incumbent is physically or mentally incapacitated due to illness, injury or other reason such that he or she cannot perform the duties of the office; (2) the incumbent was so incapacitated for at least 90 consecutive days prior to the filing of the application with the Office of the California Attorney General for leave to sue in quo warranto or, if the application was not legally required, any other act commencing litigation under this subsection; and (3) there is reasonable cause to believe that the incumbent will not be able to perform the duties of the office for the remainder of the term of office. (b) If the City Clerk, after investigation, has reason to believe that all of the conditions set forth in subsection (a) exist, the City Clerk, on behalf of the City, shall initiate, or cause to be initiated, litigation by filing an application for leave to sue in quo warranto with the Office of the California Attorney General or by following any other applicable procedure as may be established by state law. Litigation under this section, in quo warranto or as otherwise provided by state law, may also be brought by any person authorized to do so by state law.

Los Angeles City Charter § 209 Code of Conduct of Elected Officials; Censure.

Sec. 209. Code of Conduct of Elected Officials; Censure. All elected officials of the City are expected to conform to the highest standards of personal and professional conduct. The Council shall have the power to adopt, by a two-thirds vote, a resolution of censure with respect to any member of the Council whose actions constitute a gross failure to meet such high standards, even if the action does not constitute a ground for removal from office under the Charter.

Los Angeles City Charter § 210 Acting Incumbency in City Offices.

Sec. 210. Acting Incumbency in City Offices. The City Controller, City Attorney, Treasurer, City Clerk and City Administrative Officer shall each designate an assistant or deputy, who shall become the acting incumbent in case of any vacancy in the office. The designation of acting incumbent shall be made in writing filed with the City Clerk, and may be changed from time to time. Upon a vacancy, the acting incumbent shall serve until the office is filled in accordance with Sections 409, 508(b) or 508(c). Any person so designated must possess the qualifications prescribed for the office and shall take the oath prescribed by the Charter before assuming his or her duties as acting incumbent. If a vacancy in the office occurs, and no acting incumbent has been designated, or if the designated acting incumbent is unable to serve, the Council may designate the acting incumbent for the office. SECTION HISTORY Amended by: Charter Amendment II, approved November 5, 2024, effective January 8, 2025.

Los Angeles City Charter § 211 Suspension Pending Trial.

Sec. 211. Suspension Pending Trial. Pending trial, the Council may suspend any elected officer, and the appointing power may suspend any appointed officer, against whom felony criminal proceedings, or criminal misdemeanor proceedings related to a violation of official duties as described in Section 207(c). The temporary vacancy shall be filled in accordance with the Charter.

Los Angeles City Charter § 212 Prohibition on Council Member Serving in Other Capacity.

Sec. 212. Prohibition on Council Member Serving in Other Capacity. No member of the Council shall, during the term for which he or she has been elected, serve in any other office, if the position is appointed by or subject to confirmation by the Council. This section shall not apply to prohibit a member of the Council from serving on the board of a joint powers authority if the member receives no compensation for the service. SECTION HISTORY Amended by: Charter Amendment HH, approved November 5, 2024, effective January 8, 2025.

Los Angeles City Charter § 213 Additional Powers and Duties of Officers and Employees.

Sec. 213. Additional Powers and Duties of Officers and Employees. In addition to the powers and duties prescribed by the Charter, the officers, employees, and boards of the City shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the laws of the State of California, or by ordinance, not in conflict with the Charter, or by resolution adopted by the Council, not in conflict with the provisions of the Charter or ordinance.

Los Angeles City Charter § 214 Creation of Additional Departments and Officers.

Sec. 214. Creation of Additional Departments and Officers. The Council may by ordinance create additional departments, offices and boards, and consistent with the Charter, provide for the election or appointment of officers other than those designated in the Charter, whenever the public necessity or convenience may require. The Council may by ordinance prescribe the duties of those officers, provided that those duties shall not include any of the duties of any officer designated in the Charter, except as authorized under Section 514.

Los Angeles City Charter § 215 Oath of Office.

Sec. 215. Oath of Office. Every officer provided for in the Charter shall, before entering upon the discharge of the duties of office, take the following oath or affirmation: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California and the Charter of the City of Los Angeles, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of (here inserting the name of the office) according to the best of my ability.”

Los Angeles City Charter § 216 Annual Report.

Sec. 216. Annual Report. Every officer or board of the City government shall make and present to the Mayor and Council an annual report relating to their work, and any other reports as may be required by the Charter or by the Council, by ordinance.

Los Angeles City Charter § 217 Investigations and Proceedings.

Sec. 217. Investigations and Proceedings. (a) Administration of Oaths. The Mayor, Controller, Treasurer, the Zoning Administrator, and each member of the Council and of each board provided for in the Charter, and the secretary of each of those boards, shall have the power to administer oaths and affirmations in any investigation or proceeding pending before any of those officers or bodies, or concerning any demand on the City Treasury, and the City Clerk shall have the power to administer all oaths and affirmations required by the Charter. (b) Witnesses and Subpoenas. The Mayor, Controller, Treasurer, the Zoning Administrator, Council, and each board provided for in the Charter shall have the power and authority to examine witnesses under oath and compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of evidence before them. Upon the request of the Mayor, Controller, Treasurer, President of the Council, or the presiding officer of any board, the City Clerk shall issue subpoenas in the name of the City, attested with the corporate seal, requiring the attendance and testimony of the witness or production of documents at a specified time and place before the Mayor, Controller, Treasurer, Council, or board requesting the subpoena. Nothing in this section shall require Council, any board or officer, or the Zoning Administrator to provide for examination of witnesses under oath in any particular proceeding. (c) Penalties and Procedure. The Chief of Police, or other officer designated by ordinance, shall cause all such subpoenas to be served. The Council shall prescribe by ordinance suitable penalties for disobedience of subpoenas, and the refusal of witnesses to testify or produce evidence. (d) Board Examiners. Under procedures prescribed by ordinance: (1) Each board of commissioners may appoint one or more examiners, or may designate one or more of its members to serve as examiners, whenever, under the Charter or by any law, a right of appeal or protest to the board is given, or where it is required to conduct any investigation or hearing; (2) Each board may adopt, reject or modify the report of any examiner in whole or in part, or may reconsider the matter in whole or in part; (3) Each examiner shall have power to administer oaths and require the City Clerk to issue subpoenas; and (4) Reference to an examiner shall not extend or curtail the time within which the action of any board must be taken, as required by the Charter, any other law or by ordinance.

Los Angeles City Charter § 218 Compensation of Elected Officers and Limitation on Outside Activities.

Sec. 218. Compensation of Elected Officers and Limitation on Outside Activities. (a) Compensation. The Mayor, City Attorney, Controller and members of the Council shall receive compensation for their services only as provided in this section and shall not receive any other compensation for those services. (1) Salaries. Members of the City Council shall be paid a salary equal to that prescribed by law for judges of the Municipal Court of the Los Angeles Judicial District or its successor in the event that court is dissolved or reconstituted. The Controller shall be paid a salary that is 10% more than that of a Council member. The City Attorney shall be paid a salary that is 20% more than that of a Council member. The Mayor shall be paid a salary that is 30% more than that of a Council member. The Controller shall be responsible for ascertaining the salary of Municipal Court judges and for setting and adjusting the salaries of elected officers in accordance with this section. Salaries shall be paid in bi-weekly increments unless the Council, by ordinance, prescribes otherwise. (2) Other Benefits. The Council may, by ordinance, subject to referendum as specified in Article IV of the Charter, confer benefits other than salary upon elected officers as additional compensation for their services. However, benefits from the Los Angeles City Employees’ Retirement System may not be provided for elected officers that would exceed benefits generally provided to members of the System who are non-represented officers or employees of the City or, if there are no non-represented officers or employees, that would exceed benefits generally provided to other members of the System. (3) Operative Date of Changes in Salaries. The salaries of elected officers shall be adjusted in the manner provided in this section upon the effective date of any change in the salaries of Municipal Court judges. (b) Restrictions on Outside Activities. The Mayor, City Attorney, Controller, and members of the Council shall devote their entire time to duties related to their offices. They shall not receive any compensation, including honoraria, for their services other than that provided in this section, except that which may be provided for their serving on governmental entities where payment is authorized for other governmental officers or employees serving in that capacity.

Los Angeles City Charter § 219 Salary Setting.

Sec. 219. Salary Setting. The Council shall set salaries for all officers and employees of the City, including those officers and employees provided for in departments having control of their own definite revenues and funds, except for salaries specifically set or otherwise provided for by the Charter. Salaries shall be set by ordinance, unless otherwise set through collective bargaining agreements approved by the Council and entered into in accordance with the provisions of state law. Collective bargaining shall be conducted in accordance with procedures established by ordinance; provided, however, the ordinance shall provide an opportunity for the Mayor to participate in a committee established to give advice and instructions with respect to the City’s bargaining position in the meet and confer process. This committee shall also advise with respect to salaries set by ordinance.

Los Angeles City Charter § 220 Restrictions on Compensation of Officers.

Sec. 220. Restrictions on Compensation of Officers. No officer of the City shall be compensated by fees or commissions. No officer of the City shall retain any fee, recompense or compensation received by him or her for the discharge of any duty of office from any person other than the City, but shall immediately pay over to the Treasurer all money received.

Los Angeles City Charter § 221 Surety Bonds.

Sec. 221. Surety Bonds. The Council shall by ordinance fix the amounts and terms of the official bonds of all officers and employees of the City who are required by the Charter or by ordinance to give a bond. These bonds shall be approved by the City Attorney as to form, and shall be filed with and remain in the keeping of the Office of the City Clerk. The City shall pay the premium on any official bond required by the Charter or ordinance.

Los Angeles City Charter § 222 Conflicts of Interest; Board of Referred Powers.

Sec. 222. Conflicts of Interest; Board of Referred Powers. (a) City Attorney Opinion. Any board, board member, officer or employee of the City may request the City Attorney to render an opinion concerning the obligation of the board, board member, officer (other than a member of the Council), or employee under applicable laws to refrain from voting or acting upon any matter, contract, sale or transaction to which the board, board member, officer or employee may be a party, or concerning any situation where it would violate state law or where it may not be in the public interest for the board, board member, officer or employee to act in a particular matter, contract, sale or transaction. Likewise, any elected City officer may request an opinion with respect to any board member. If the City Attorney receives such a request, the City Attorney shall render a written opinion. If the request is made by an elected City officer concerning a board member, the opinion shall be rendered within ten days of the City Attorney’s receipt of the request; provided, however, that if the City Attorney determines that the request does not contain sufficient information upon which to render an opinion, the City Attorney shall notify the person making the request, and the time within which the City Attorney must render the opinion shall not commence until that information has been provided to the City Attorney. (b) Transfer to the Board of Referred Powers. If the City Attorney renders an opinion concluding that the board, board member, officer or employee is disqualified from acting under applicable law, or that it is not in the public interest for the board, board member, officer or employee to act in the matter, contract, sale or transaction involved, the board, board member, officer or employee shall be disqualified from acting on or in any way attempting to influence action on the matter. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the matter shall be transferred for action to the Board of Referred Powers, which is hereby created. In the event that one or more members of a board, but less than a quorum, are disqualified from acting pursuant to the opinion of the City Attorney, the member or members so disqualified shall not act on the matter, but the matter shall not be transferred to the Board of Referred Powers. If state law makes it unlawful for the board to act in the matter by reason of the disqualification of one or more members, the matter shall be transferred for action to the Board of Referred Powers. Unless a transfer is prohibited by applicable state law, the Board of Referred Powers is vested with the same power to act upon any matter, contract, sale or transaction transferred to it with the same force and effect as if acted upon by the board, officer or employee from whom the matter, contract, sale or transaction was transferred. The Council shall provide by ordinance for all matters relating to number of members, appointment and functioning of the Board of Referred Powers and the procedure applicable in referring matters to it for its determination.

Source: City of Los Angeles, Charter and Codes (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/los_angeles/latest/laac/0-0-0-361Fetched: 10/24/2026