Amendment of Municipal Code Titles 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14A, 15, 17 regarding management, structure, powers and functions of various departments and agencies (2026 Municipal Code Management Ordinance)
- Record number: SO2025-0021100
- Type: Ordinance; category: Municipal Code Amendments
- Status: Final
- Sponsor: Dept./Agency
- Committee: Committee on Budget and Government Operations
- Introduced: Nov 17, 2025
- Final action: Dec 20, 2025
- Official record: Office of the City Clerk
Roll call: Passed Dec 20, 2025
29 yea, 20 nay, 1 absent. This was a divided vote. On motion of Alderperson Ervin, and unsuccessful motion to reconsider by Alderperson Mitchell, the matter was Passed. Voted at the City Council meeting of Dec 20, 2025.
Nay (17): Daniel La Spata (1), Lamont J. Robinson (4), Desmon C. Yancy (5), William E. Hall (6), Julia M. Ramirez (12), Jeanette B. Taylor (20), Michael D. Rodriguez (22), Jessica L. Fuentes (26), Walter R. Burnett (27), Jason C. Ervin (28), Chris Taliaferro (29), Anthony J. Quezada (35), Andre Vasquez Jr. (40), Angela Clay (46), Matthew J. Martin (47), Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48), Maria E. Hadden (49)
Yea (29): Brian Hopkins (2), Pat Dowell (3), Gregory I. Mitchell (7), Michelle A. Harris (8), Anthony Beale (9), Peter Chico (10), Nicole T. Lee (11), Marty Quinn (13), Raymond A. Lopez (15), Stephanie D. Coleman (16), David H. Moore (17), Derrick G. Curtis (18), Matthew J. O'Shea (19), Ronnie L. Mosley (21), Silvana Tabares (23), Monique L. Scott (24), Ruth Cruz (30), Felix Cardona Jr. (31), Scott Waguespack (32), William Conway (34), Gilbert Villegas (36), Emma Mitts (37), Nicholas Sposato (38), Samantha Nugent (39), Anthony V. Napolitano (41), Brendan Reilly (42), Timothy R. Knudsen (43), Bennett R. Lawson (44), James M. Gardiner (45)
Absent (1): Debra L. Silverstein (50)
Former members who voted: Jeylu B. Gutierrez (Nay), Byron Sigcho-Lopez (Nay), Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez (Nay)
Plain-language summary
Written by AI (@cf/openai/gpt-oss-120b) from the ordinance text only: SO2025-0021100 Substitute Ordinance.pdf. AI can make mistakes; the official document always wins.
The ordinance updates many city rules, including stricter rules for vehicle registration plates and a two-year pilot program for smart street parking enforcement. It changes how water meters are billed, sets new reporting requirements for city budgets and pensions, and creates programs for advertising on city assets. It also directs the Comptroller to seek large-scale debt sales and adds procedures for capital projects and other city services.
- Vehicle owners must keep registration plates visible and unaltered; violations are fined per Section 9-100-020.
- The Smart Streets Pilot Program for automated parking enforcement will end two years after the first violation notice on Dec. 21, 2026.
- City water bills will be based on meter readings, with estimates used only when meters fail or are unreadable.
- The Budget Director must submit a mid-year report with cost-benefit analyses of large events and pension contribution forecasts.
- The Comptroller must solicit bids to securitize at least $89.6 million of city debt and propose a plan for $1 billion in debt sales.
Money
- $89,600,000 – minimum compensation to be generated from the securitization, assignment, or sale of outstanding city debt
- $1,000,000,000 – minimum amount of outstanding city debt for which a securitization or sale program must be proposed
Who: The ordinance affects Chicago vehicle owners, water-meter customers, city employees, the Comptroller, Budget Director, and any businesses or advertisers using city assets.
Where: Chicago
Timeline
- Dec 17, 2025: Substituted, Committee on Budget and Government Operations
- Dec 17, 2025: Recommended to Pass, Committee on Budget and Government Operations
- Dec 19, 2025: Deferred and Published, City Council
- Dec 20, 2025: Passed, City Council
Documents
- O2025-0021100 Management Ordinance UPDATED 11.19.2025.pdf (Legislation)
- SO2025-0021100 Substitute Ordinance.pdf (Legislation)
- O2025-0021100 Management Ordinance UPDATED 12.17.2025.pdf (Legislation)
- O2025-0021100 Transmittal.pdf (Miscellaneous)
- O2025-0021100 Management Ordinance.pdf (Legislation)
- SO2025-0021100 Substitute Management Ordinance FINAL_12.19.2025.pdf (Legislation)