§ 9-201. Method of Amendment.

(1)

Except as provided in subparagraph 2 of this section, this Charter may be amended or replaced only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the qualified electors of the City voting upon such amendments or proposed Charters. Proposals to amend or replace this Charter by the affirmative vote of a majority of the qualified electors of the City voting thereon may originate only in the following manner:

(a)

By ordinance of the Council.

(b)

By petition of not less than ten percent or ten thousand, whichever is fewer, of the duly qualified registered voters of the City filed with the Council, setting forth the proposed amendments or substitute home rule Charter.

This method of amendment shall apply to the entirety or any portion of this Charter.

(2)

Except for the sections pertaining to the Mayor, the Administrative Office, and the Departments of Law, Police, Fire, Finance, and City Civil Service, amendments to Article IV of this Charter to rename or reassign powers or functions of departments or boards or to consolidate, subdivide, reorganize, or abolish departments or boards may be initiated by an executive order of the Mayor, which shall be published once in the official journal and submitted to the Council on or before the date of such publication for public review and comment. The Council shall hold a public hearing on the proposed amendment. The Council shall not alter the terms of the proposed amendment, but may vote to approve or disapprove the measure. If approved by a majority vote of the entire membership of the Council, the amendment shall become legally effective upon certification by the Clerk of the Council or at a later date if so specified in the executive order. If disapproved by a majority vote of the entire membership of the Council, the amendment shall not become legally effective. If the Council neither approves nor disapproves within sixty days of the date of publication of the executive order, the amendment shall become legally effective upon the expiration of such sixty days or at a later date if so specified in the executive order. Any amendment thus adopted shall be published promptly after its adoption in the official journal, and duly authenticated copies of the amendment shall be filed promptly by the City Attorney in the offices of the Secretary of State, the Recorder of Mortgages, and the Clerk of Council. This method of amendment may not be utilized during the last year of a term in office for the Mayor and members of the City Council.