Brief

Councilmember Monica Rodriguez introduced an ordinance amendment to Los Angeles Administrative Code Section 10.5 to carve out exceptions allowing the LA Public Library to negotiate and enter publishing agreements without following standard procurement rules. The Council adopted the measure 12-0-3 on April 24, 2026. A City Attorney report on the adopted ordinance was subsequently referred to committee in July, and the item was rereferred to Arts, Parks, and City Facilities Committee in August. A committee meeting is scheduled for September 16, 2026.

Full summary

This ordinance amendment, introduced by Councilmember Monica Rodriguez with Councilmember Ysabel Jurado as second, modifies the City's procurement rules to exempt Library Department publishing agreements from a specific contracting threshold under LAAC Section 10.5(a). Under existing law, City contracts with terms longer than three years generally require City Council approval, with certain carved-out exceptions. This measure adds a new Subdivision 10 to Section 10.5(a), making Library Department publishing agreements an additional exempt category and allowing the Library to enter such contracts without coming back to Council for approval on the basis of contract length alone. The practical effect is to streamline how the Library Department enters into longer-term publishing agreements — such as those with database providers, journal publishers, or content licensing vendors — by removing the requirement that each multi-year deal receive individual Council sign-off. The City Attorney's Office, under City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto, reviewed the draft ordinance and confirmed it was approved as to form and legality before transmitting it to Council in July 2026. The Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee approved the motion on April 14, 2026, and the full City Council adopted it 12-0-3 on April 24, with Council action finalized on April 28. The July 13 City Attorney report transmitting the draft ordinance was then referred to the same committee on July 14, meaning the formal ordinance language is now awaiting committee action before it can be introduced and passed as a binding code amendment. The earlier Council vote directed the City Attorney to prepare the ordinance; that draft has now been delivered and the file remains open pending the committee's next steps.

Activity (10)

• 2026-09-11 Arts, Parks, and City Facilities Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on September 16, 2026.
• 2026-08-28 City Clerk rereferred item to Arts, Parks, and City Facilities Committee, pursuant to Council File No. 26-2000.
• 2026-07-14 City Attorney document(s) referred to Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee.
• 2026-07-13 Document submitted by City Attorney, dated July 13, 2026.
• 2026-04-28 Council action final.
• 2026-04-24 Council adopted item forthwith.
• 2026-04-21 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on April 24, 2026.
• 2026-04-14 Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee approved item(s) .
• 2026-04-06 Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on April 14, 2026.
• 2026-03-25 Motion referred to Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee.

Documents (7)

• 2026-07-13 Report from City Attorney · report
• 2026-07-13 Attachment to Report dated 7-13-26 - Draft Ordinance · attachment
• 2026-04-24 Council Action · council_action
• 2026-04-24 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2026-04-14 Report from Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee · report
• 2026-04-14 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2026-03-25 Motion · motion

Council votes (1)

• 2026-04-24 Adopted Forthwith — 12-0-3 · Regular