HB 331 Richmond, City of; amending charter, extensive updates, removing outdated provisions

About HB-331

Charter; City of Richmond. Makes extensive updates to the charter for the City of Richmond. Many changes in the bill have the effect of removing outdated or duplicative provisions and more closely aligning the city's powers with those set out in general law. Other changes include authorizing compensation to individual council members as may be set by the city council by resolution as compensation for attending meetings of standing committees or other meetings of the city council, in addition to the sums permitted by general law. In addition, the bill authorizes the city council to fix an additional sum to be paid to the president and vice president of the city council, notwithstanding the limitations set out in general law. The bill makes the city's chief administrative officer, rather than the mayor, responsible for making certain recommendations to the council concerning the personnel system. Further changes in the bill provide for additional protected classes to include all of the protected classes recognized under general law. The bill also removes the requirement that the mayor annually submit a capital budget program to the city council and authorizes the city's chief administrative officer, not the mayor, to make transfers between completed projects and projects that are incomplete. The bill contains numerous technical amendments.