Local elections: charters and charter proposals.

Existing law requires a charter or charter amendment proposed by a charter commission for a city or city and county to be submitted to the voters at an established statewide general, statewide primary, or regularly scheduled municipal election, provided there are at least 95 days before the election. Existing law requires specified city or city and county charter proposals to be submitted to the voters at an established statewide general, statewide primary, or regularly scheduled municipal election, provided there are at least 88 days before the election. Existing law also authorizes the governing body of any city or city and county to propose a charter and submit the proposal to the voters for adoption at the next established statewide general, statewide primary, or regularly scheduled municipal election, provided there are at least 88 days before the election. This bill would eliminate the option of submitting a city or city and county charter or a proposal to amend or repeal a charter to the voters at a statewide primary or regularly scheduled municipal election, except for city or city and county charter proposals to amend or repeal a charter that are proposed by voter petitions, as specified, which the bill would require to be submitted to the voters at the next regularly scheduled general municipal election or at any established statewide general or statewide primary election occurring not less than 88 days after the date of the order of election. The bill would require a charter, charter amendment, or charter proposal not excepted to be submitted to the voters at a statewide general election, provided there are at least 95 or 88 days, as applicable, before the election. The bill would authorize the governing body of a city or city and county to direct that a charter proposal that proposes to amend a charter in a manner that does not alter any procedural or substantive protection, right, benefit, or employment status of any local government employee or retiree or of any local government employee organization, or that proposes to amend a charter solely to comply with a court injunction or consent decree or with federal or state voting rights laws, be submitted to the voters at the next regularly scheduled general municipal election or at any established statewide general or statewide primary election occurring not less than 88 days after the date of the order of election. The bill also would make conforming changes.