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Council debates social media conduct rule; solicitor warns of enforcement limits
Summary
Councilors spent substantial time debating a proposed rule to bar disrespectful references to other members (including on social media). The ordinance committee recommended denial, and Solicitor Bissonnette advised that First Amendment protections and charter limits make sanctions difficult; councilors discussed censure and other nonstatutory remedies.
A proposal to amend council rules to bar members from making "references to or about another member in respectful terms, whether inside or outside the city council chambers, including on social media" drew a lengthy debate on Feb. 17.
The Charter & Rules committee recommended denying the order on the grounds that "respectful" is difficult to define and enforcement would be…
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