Madison, WI Header
File #: 45549    Version: 1 Name: Revising the term citizen to resident or person
Type: Ordinance Status: Passed
File created: 12/22/2016 In control: COMMON COUNCIL ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITTEE (ended 4/2017)
On agenda: 1/3/2017 Final action: 2/28/2017
Enactment date: 3/9/2017 Enactment #: ORD-17-00030
Title: Amending Section 2.05(4) of the Madison General Ordinances to revise the term citizen to resident or person, and to make similar changes in numerous sections of the MGO’s.
Sponsors: Shiva Bidar, Sara Eskrich, Amanda Hall, Marsha A. Rummel, Michael E. Verveer, Ledell Zellers, David Ahrens, Samba Baldeh, Sheri Carter, Maurice S. Cheeks, Mark Clear, Denise DeMarb, Tim Gruber, Barbara Harrington-McKinney, Rebecca Kemble, Steve King, Larry Palm, Matthew J. Phair, Paul E. Skidmore, Zach Wood
Attachments: 1. Body, 2. Table

Fiscal Note

No Fiscal Impact

Title

Amending Section 2.05(4) of the Madison General Ordinances to revise the term citizen to resident or person, and to make similar changes in numerous sections of the MGO’s.

Body

DRAFTER'S ANALYSIS:  The Madison General Ordinances are full of various references to “citizens” and the rights of citizens.  Citizen has an established legal meaning as a legal citizen of the state and of the United States.  It would exclude many persons who are residing in Madison, but cannot prove their legal status or are in fact citizens of other places. In many instances, what is intended is “resident” of Madison or in some cases, simply “person,” wherever they may reside. It is likely that, when many of these ordinances were drafted, the terms citizen and resident covered a much more equivalent population.

 

This ordinance makes many changes to various parts of the MGO to eliminate the use of citizen when some other meaning was intended.  In a few instances (Sec. 3.30(1), MGO, for example, as to elected officials), the word “citizen” is retained because it is a legal requirement beyond the City’s authority to change.

 

A list of each section affected by this ordinance is included as an attachment in Legistar.  The sections being changed are included in the ordinance so the Council can see the context of each change.

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The Common Council of the City of Madison do hereby ordain as follows:

                     Please see "Body" in Attachments.