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City Council delays most commission confirmations, orders CLA report and forms ad hoc review committee
Summary
After extended debate over mayoral nominations and the council’s role under the new charter, the Los Angeles City Council continued most confirmations to allow a Chief Legislative Analyst report and created an ad hoc committee to vet future nominees.
The Los Angeles City Council on Aug. 2 voted to delay action on most commission confirmations and directed the Chief Legislative Analyst to prepare a report on commission appointment practices, while creating an ad hoc committee to vet future nominees.
The action followed a lengthy debate among council members over whether reappointments should be routinely approved, how much the council should scrutinize nominees under the recently adopted city charter and how to treat commissioners who had been asked to appear before the council but then told not to attend. "We really are not, as a group, certain what is the best way to proceed and carry out our responsibilities under the revised charter," the council president said during the discussion.
Why it matters: The new charter reduced the council’s role in removals, making confirmation the council’s primary formal check on commissioners. Members disagreed on whether confirmations had been a "rubber stamp," and whether reappointments with existing records should be approved promptly to avoid disrupting department continuity.
Key actions and timing: The council adopted a motion (vote: 12 ayes) to continue reappointments with an imminent deadline—items identified in the agenda as having Friday deadlines—to a hearing on Friday, Aug. 4, and to continue the remaining appointment items to Tuesday, Aug. 8. The Chief Legislative Analyst was directed to return with a report on commission selection and composition by that Tuesday. The council also voted (12 ayes) to create an ad hoc committee to conduct preliminary confirmation review going forward.
What council members said: Councilmember Antonio Hernandez (District mentioned in transcript) pressed for a review focused on geographic representation, saying he expected the CLA report would show "strong deficiencies in regards to the makeup of commissions in the city of Los Angeles." Councilmember Bernsen argued reappointments with a demonstrated track record should not be punished by delay: "We ought to appoint reappoint all of those whether they are up…" Several members, including Goldber and Misakowski in committee remarks, urged a more structured vetting process with profiles and staff work on each nominee.
Process notes: The CLA (Mr. Deaton) told the council he would provide the requested candidate profiles and a memo on policy criteria within the week. Members repeatedly emphasized the distinction between new appointments (which council members said deserve fuller vetting) and reappointments (where the council already has a performance record).
Next steps: Nominees whose confirmations would have lapsed on Friday were asked to return for the Aug. 4 session; the rest were continued to Aug. 8 to allow the CLA report to inform deliberations. The ad hoc committee will begin preliminary confirmations pending any reorganization of council committees.
Ending: Council members said they hoped the additional review and clearer procedures would reduce political removals and improve transparency around who serves on city commissions.
