The decision follows months of discussion, beginning with a March 11 meeting where the council explored ways to balance efficiency with public input
The Santa Monica City Council voted 6-1 on May 27 to adopt a resolution amending its Rules of Order and Procedure, discontinuing the practice of time donation for public comment and introducing new speaking time limits to enhance meeting efficiency. The changes took effect immediately.
Under the revised rules, members of the public are allotted a total of six minutes per meeting for public comment. Speakers addressing multiple agenda items can divide their time in one-minute increments, with a maximum of two minutes per item. Those speaking on a single item may use up to four minutes for that item. The previous practice of donating unused speaking time to other speakers was eliminated to address concerns about prolonged meetings and inequities in public participation.
The resolution also includes additional procedural updates: the mayor will now report on closed session matters involving the city manager, city attorney, and city clerk; agendas for special meetings must be delivered to council members at least 24 hours in advance; and quasi-judicial items are exempt from consolidated public comment periods. Other changes involve clarifying motion procedures and removing redundant rules on debate limits.
Council Member Ellis Raskin was the sole dissenter, expressing concerns over the elimination of time donations and the restructuring of public participation. The decision follows months of discussion, beginning with a March 11 meeting where the council explored ways to balance efficiency with public input. On May 13, the council approved initial amendments and directed staff to draft the final language.
