Rockville council pulls proposed decorum rules after hours of public criticism

The Rockville Mayor and Council removed a proposed resolution establishing rules of decorum from the council agenda and delayed further action after hours of public comment protesting the measure.

The council voted during its agenda review to pull agenda item 11A — described in the agenda packet as “approval of resolution adopting rules of decorum and protocol” — and said the item will be considered at a later date. City staff had noted the item’s removal publicly at the start of the meeting. "We removed agenda item 11A, approval of resolution adopting rules of decorum and protocol," a staff member told the council and audience.

Why it matters: dozens of residents used the council’s community forum to criticize the proposal, saying decorum rules have historically been used to suppress dissent and that the draft would give the presiding officer unchecked power to limit speech. Speakers tied the issue to ongoing local fights over rent…