AN ACT RELATIVE TO REFERENDUM PROCEDURES IN THE CITY KNOWN AS THE TOWN OF GREENFIELD.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 7-8 of the charter of the city known as the town of Greenfield, which is on file in the office of the archivist of the commonwealth, as provided in section 12 of chapter 43B of the General Laws, is hereby amended by striking out subsection (a) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-
(a) Petition, Effect on Final Vote - If, not later than 30 days after the date on which the town council or the school committee has voted to approve a petition which was addressed to the town council or to the school committee and signed by a number of voters equal to 10 per cent of the total number of voters voting in the most recent regular biennial town election, but not less than 2 ½ per cent of all registered voters as of the same date, the petition is filed with the town clerk, protesting against the measure or any part thereof then the effective date of such measure shall be temporarily suspended. Final approval under this section shall not be complete until the time for all remedies pursuant to section 3-7 has expired. The school committee or the town council shall reconsider its vote on the measure or any part thereof at the next regularly scheduled meeting of that body and, if the measure is not rescinded the town council, shall provide for the submission of the question for a determination by the voters either at a special election which it may call at its convenience, or within such time as may be requested by the school committee, or at the next regular town election; provided, however, that pending such submission and determination, the effect of the measure shall continue to be suspended.
SECTION 2. Said section 7-8 of said charter is hereby further amended by striking out subsection (c) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-
(c) If not placed before the voters at a regular biennial election, in order for the referendum to be binding upon the town, 25 per cent of the registered voters of the town shall vote on the measure or issue placed before the town by citizens' referendum procedure.
Approved, January 11, 2017