How much time does Chicago City Council spend on honorary resolutions and non-binding matters?

ByJose Baltierra III WLS logo
Saturday, May 18, 2024
How much time does city council spend on honorary resolutions?
Chicago is the largest American city with no limits on the number, time, or placement of honorary matters during city council meetings.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- In the year since the election, current Chicago City Council members have spent 32% of their time in session on honorary resolutions and other non-binding matters.

That compares to 36% of total floor time during the Lori Lightfoot administration.

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Despite the slight decrease in overall percentage, the city council is meeting far more often, meaning more time total spent on honorary resolutions.

This council has met 30 times in the past year compared to an average of 19 times per year when Lightfoot was mayor.

SEE ALSO | Chicago City Council sessions off to slower start in 2023, BGA finds

This council appears to have nearly the same appetite for speech-making as the previous body. Both averaged roughly one hour and 12 minutes of honorary speeches at sessions where non-binding matters were heard.

Other major cities limit the number of honorary items that can be heard at a session, the amount of speaking time that can be devoted to them, and/or their placement on the agenda.

Chicago is the largest American city with no limits on the number, time, or placement of honorary matters.

You can read more about this on the Better Government Association website.