Your guide to Charter Amendment II: Updating Los Angeles city administrative procedures

The Los Angeles City Charter spells out the powers and duties of city departments, offices and elected officials, among other things. Voters have approved 29 changes to the charter since 2000, the last time a new charter went into effect. Just five ballot measures have failed to pass, according to city officials.

This year, city officials have put forward two grab-bag measures to amend the charter: City Charter Amendments II and HH. Charter Amendment II proposes changes intended to clarify and update some city administrative and operational practices. It needs a simple majority of votes to pass.

Among other things, Amendment II would clarify that the El Pueblo Monument and the Los Angeles Zoo are “park property”; that city departments can sell merchandise and food to support city operations; and that the Board of Airport Commissioners can establish fees, rules and regulations.

It also would allow the Los Angeles Unified School District and the city parks department to enter into joint agreements involving recreational space.

The changes proposed in Charter Amendment II and Charter Amendment HH were submitted by city departments and elected officials earlier this year as part of the City Council’s effort to enact charter reform. That effort includes appointing a charter reform commission to consider an array of sweeping proposals, such as expanding the size of the 15-member council, with the goal of putting those big-ticket items on the 2026 ballot.

California

Your guide to Charter Amendment HH: Clarifying L.A. city business

The measure would make an array of changes to the Los Angeles City Charter intended to strengthen the city’s powers, including clarifying the responsibilities of elected officials and commissioners.

Oct. 3, 2024

Rob Quan, an organizer with the good-government group Unrig L.A., told The Times that he views Amendment II and Amendment HH as doing “cleanup and maintenance” of the city charter. He believes that the council’s goal with these two ballot measures is to ease the work of the charter reform commission by asking voters to approve these items now.

City Councilmember Paul Krekorian signed the argument in support of the measure. The argument states that the charter amendment would provide technical updates to the charter and “tangible improvements in public services,” including more park space and more food and drink options at city functions.

No opponents are listed.