Yesterday I supported my colleagues on 3 motions in Council.

Two evaluate HHH, the 2016 bond measure to build homeless housing. The third makes LA’s homeless encampment cleanups safer and more collaborative.

City policies start with motions. But what happens next? (thread)

A motion has two parts.

A preamble, which provides important context for why the city should take action on a given issue, and a “moving clause,” the part that begins with “I THEREFORE MOVE” and instructs City government to do something.

Every motion requires at least one other councilmember to provide a “second” before it can be introduced.

Seconding a motion doesn't necessarily mean you support it -- just that you think it should be considered by the City Council.

After a motion is introduced, it’s usually referred to a committee.

The motions I co-presented with @kdeleon have been referred to Homelessness and Poverty.

The motion I co-presented with @mikebonin has been referred to Energy and Climate Change.

Just to get *really in the weeds*:

A CM can request a motion go directly to the next Council mtg instead of committee (Rule 16). Or the committee chair can waive consideration of the motion (Rule 17).

In these cases, a 2/3 vote is required for it to be considered by Council.

In most cases, however, the next step is for the committee chairman to schedule the motion for discussion.

Sometimes motions never get scheduled! It’s this discretion that gives each committee chair a considerable amount of power.

Once a motion is scheduled in committee, it is debated, amended, and -- after public comment -- voted upon.

This is why committees are so important. People who are interested in policy should definitely keep track of what happens in them.

If a motion receives a majority of votes in committee, there’s still one more step.

It must be placed on the regular Council agenda by the Council President.

The day a motion is scheduled for consideration by Council, it will be open to public comment.

Then it’s finally time to vote! Motions require a simple majority to pass.

You can read the agendas for meetings -- and watch them live -- here: https://www.lacity.org/government/follow-meetings/city-council-meetings

Thanks for going on this LA-centric Schoolhouse Rock journey with me.

I look forward to sharing each part of this process alongside you as we take on LA's most pressing issues and strive to build a better, healthier city out of this incredibly difficult moment.