Athens City Charter

Section 1. Be it further enacted, That ordinances shall begin, "Be it ordained by the City of Athens as follows:"

Section 2. Be it further enacted, That every ordinance enacted by the Council shall be presented to the Council and passed by a majority of the Council members present on two (2) separate days, the second presentation to be not less than fourteen (14) days following the first presentation unless a majority of the entire Council shall by recorded vote waive this time requirement. Upon each presentation the caption of the ordinance shall be read or its substance stated, and upon request of any member of the Council, or upon the request of any resident or taxpayer of the municipality an ordinance shall be read in full before final passage. Except in the ordinance adopting the budget, no material or substantial amendment may be made on second or final passage unless such amendment is passed in the same manner as an amendment to an existing ordinance. Every ordinance shall be effective upon final passage unless by its terms the effective date is deferred.

An emergency ordinance may become effective upon the day of its final passage, provided that it shall contain the statement that an emergency exists and shall specify with distinctness the facts and reasons constituting such an emergency.

No ordinance making a grant, renewal, or extension of a franchise or other special privilege shall ever be passed as an emergency ordinance. No ordinance shall be amended except by a new ordinance. [As amended by Priv. Acts 1987, ch. 56, § 2; Priv. Acts 1990, ch. 213, § 1; and Priv. Acts 2000, ch. 83, § 3]

Section 3. Be it further enacted, That in all cases under the preceding section, the vote shall be determined by yeas and nays; the names of the members voting for or against an ordinance shall be entered upon the journal.

Section 4. Be it further enacted, That every ordinance shall be immediately taken charge of by the City Manager and by him numbered, copied in an ordinance book, filed and preserved in his office.

Section 5. Deleted. [As deleted by Priv. Acts 2004, ch. 92, § 2]