(a) Filing.--A petition containing a proposal for referendum on the question of amending a home rule charter or an optional plan of government signed by electors comprising 10% of the number of electors voting for the office of Governor in the last gubernatorial general election in the municipality or an ordinance of the municipal governing body proposing amendment of a home rule charter or an optional plan shall be filed with the election officials not later than the 13th Tuesday prior to the next primary, municipal or general election. The petition and the proceedings therein shall be in the manner and subject to the provisions of the election laws which relate to the signing, filing and adjudication of nomination petitions insofar as such provisions are applicable, except that no referendum petition shall be signed or circulated prior to the 20th Tuesday before the election nor later than the 13th Tuesday before the election. The name and address of the person filing the petition shall be clearly stated on the petition.
(b) Review and disposition of petition.--The election officials shall review the initiative petition as to the number and qualifications of signers. If the petition appears to be defective, the election officials shall immediately notify the persons filing the petition of the defect. When the election officials find that the petition as submitted is in proper order, they shall send copies of the initiative petition without signatures thereon to the governing body and to the Department of Community and Economic Development. The initiative petition as submitted to the election officials, along with a list of signatories, shall be open to inspection in the office of the election officials.
(May 5, 1998, P.L.301, No.50, eff. 60 days)
1998 Amendment. Act 50 amended subsec. (b).
Cross References. Section 2943 is referred to in sections 3004, 3054, 3056, 3073, 3094, 3163, 3171 of this title.
Structure Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Title 53 - MUNICIPALITIES GENERALLY
Chapter 29 - General Provisions
Section 2901 - Short title and scope of subpart
Section 2911 - Submission of question for election of government study commission
Section 2912 - Election of members of commission
Section 2913 - Nomination of candidates
Section 2914 - Results of election
Section 2915 - Oath of office of members of commission
Section 2916 - First meeting of commission
Section 2918 - Function and duty of commission
Section 2919 - Compensation and personnel
Section 2920 - Hearings and public forums
Section 2921 - Report of findings and recommendations
Section 2922 - Discharge of petition and amended reports
Section 2923 - Types of action recommended
Section 2924 - Specificity of recommendations
Section 2925 - Form of question on form of government
Section 2926 - Submission of question on form of government
Section 2927 - Limitation on enactment of ordinance or filing of petition
Section 2928 - Time when change of form of government takes effect
Section 2929 - Limitation on changing new form of government
Section 2930 - Status of forms of government provided in subpart
Section 2941 - Procedure for amendment of charter or optional plan
Section 2942 - Initiation of amendment by electors or council
Section 2943 - Petition for referendum or ordinance proposing amendment
Section 2944 - Time and manner of submission of question
Section 2951 - Conduct and results of election
Section 2952 - Notice of election
Section 2961 - Scope of powers of home rule
Section 2962 - Limitation on municipal powers
Section 2963 - Exercise of municipal powers by home rule county
Section 2964 - General powers of municipalities
Section 2965 - Recording and filing of charter
Section 2966 - Continuation of office of existing elective officials
Section 2967 - Repeal of home rule charter
Section 2971 - Law applicable to optional plan
Section 2972 - Recording and filing of plan
Section 2973 - Scope of powers of optional plan
Section 2974 - Limitation on powers of optional plan
Section 2981 - Limitation on local municipality
Section 2982 - Retention of existing form of government
Section 2983 - Retention of existing form of government when electors disapprove proposal
Section 2984 - Assumption of functions previously assumed by other municipality