SECTION 1.  Chapter 3 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 8A the following section:-

8B. The general court shall have 180 days to enact a petition that has been filed or approved by the voters of a city or town, or the mayor and city council, or other legislative body, of a city, or the town meeting of a town, with respect to a law relating to that city or town, provided that the petition is submitted to the general court pursuant to the provisions of Section 8 of Article LXXXIX of the Amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth.  The 180-day period shall run from the date on which the petition was filed or approved by the city or town, inclusive of weekends and holidays.  If the general court fails to enact the petition within 180 days of that date, the petition shall expire at midnight on the 180th day and a new petition must be submitted to the general court pursuant to the provisions of Section 8 of Article LXXXIX of the Amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth prior to enactment.