Rules Committee directs staff to draft language delaying waiver effect until end of meeting; agrees to revise testimonial and speaker rules

The Detroit City Council Rules Committee voted to direct Legislative Policy Division staff to draft rule language that would make approved waivers take effect only at the close of a formal session, rather than immediately after the body approves them.

The change was proposed to prevent the committee from being locked into votes when new information emerges during a meeting. Pro Tem James E. Tate Jr. moved the direction to staff; the committee approved the motion. Mr. Whitaker, who advised the committee on procedure, explained that currently "when the Council members requested a waiver be attached to an item, that waiver is attached to the item at the point the council, votes to have it attached. So once you have a waiver attached, there's no way to go back and change the results of that vote." He recommended letting the effect of waivers occur at the end of the meeting so members can correct votes if new information appears.

The committee also walked on two…