2014 -- H 7975 SUBSTITUTE A

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LC005225/SUB A

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO THE CHARTER OF NORTH PROVIDENCE

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Corvese, O'Brien, and Hull

     Date Introduced: March 20, 2014

     Referred To: House Municipal Government

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 2-2-2 of Chapter 237 of the 1973 Public Laws entitled 'An Act

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Incorporating the Town of North Providence', as amended is hereby further amended to read as

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follows:

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     2-2-2. Procedure.

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     (a) Ordinances and resolutions shall be introduced only in written or typed form.

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     (b) Ordinances and resolutions shall be introduced by a council member, council

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committee, the mayor, or on petition of at least twenty-five (25) qualified electors and its title and

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contents shall be read at such meeting.

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     (c) Upon majority vote of the council, a proposed ordinance shall be published by a paid

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advertisement in a newspaper of general circulation in the town within ten (10) days after its

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introduction.

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     (d) No ordinance, other than an emergency ordinance as defined in section ยง2-1-6(d) of

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this charter, shall be acted upon at the same regular or special meeting in which it is introduced,

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nor at a subsequent meeting held sooner than fifteen (15) days after its introduction. All

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ordinances and resolutions, including emergency ordinances and resolutions, must be

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accompanied by a fiscal impact note. Any ordinance or resolution that does not incur a monetary

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outlay does not require a fiscal impact note. A fiscal impact note will be prepared by the finance

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committee of the town council. The note will be submitted within thirty (30) days of introduction

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of any such ordinance and/or resolution. The finance committee, at its discretion, may request

 

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from the finance director data or any other pertinent information which that will assist the

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committee in the formation of said fiscal impact note.

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     (e) Every ordinance shall be reported at the next regular or special meeting held at least

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fifteen (15) days after its introduction with a recommendation as to action to be taken thereon.

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The council may defer action pending further study, but it shall provide that action shall be taken

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thereon for passage or rejection of the same, and such action shall be taken no later than the

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second subsequent regular meeting thereafter.

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     (f) All ordinances and resolutions, except the annual budget, general codifications, and

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revisions thereof, shall contain only one (1) subject clearly and adequately expressed and titled.

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     (g) No ordinance or resolution shall be as amended on passage as to change its original

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purpose.

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     (h) Ordinances for the annual budget and any supplemental appropriations shall be

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confined to the subject of appropriations.

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     (i) The town clerk shall number serially each ordinance upon introduction, and upon

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passage of the same, he shall make them available, together with any amendments thereto, in his

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office.

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     (j) The town clerk shall furnish to each council member, and to the mayor within seventy-

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two (72) hours after its introduction, a copy of each ordinance and resolution introduced.

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     (k) An emergency ordinance shall relate only to the emergency matter for which the

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emergency meeting is held, and such ordinance may be enacted at the same meeting in which it is

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introduced.

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     (l) No ordinance or resolution shall be passed until after it is read, unless a majority of the

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council members present vote to dispense with the reading, in which case only the title need be

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read along with a statement as to its contents.

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     (m) The council, or a committee thereof, shall hold at least one (1) public hearing on all

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non-budgetary ordinances, other than emergency ordinances, if at least twenty-five (25) qualified

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electors submit a petition to the town clerk at least forty-eight (48) hours before the passage of

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such ordinance to request the public hearing, and in such event, action thereon shall be deferred

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and public notice of the hearing shall be given in a newspaper of general circulation in the town at

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least one (1) once not less than three (3) calendar days prior to the holding of such hearing.

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     (n) No ordinance or resolution shall be enacted until and unless the solicitor approves the

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same as to form and legality.

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     (o) Not later than twenty-four (24) hours after its passage, the town clerk shall submit the

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ordinance or resolution to the mayor.

 

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     (p) Within seven (7) days after its passage, the mayor shall affix his signature to an

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ordinance or resolution and it shall thereupon, or at some other time fixed therein, become

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effective, or he shall return it to the council through the town clerk, within such period stating his

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objections thereto. Failure to take such action within the period of seven (7) days shall result in

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automatic approval with the same effect as if the mayor had affixed his signature thereto.

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     (q) In the event the mayor returns an ordinance or resolution to the council, action shall

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be taken thereon at the next regular or special meeting, and the veto thereof may be overridden by

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a vote of no less than a majority plus one (1) of the members of the council, and thereupon, or at

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the time fixed therein, it shall become effective.

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     (r) No ordinance affecting zoning and/or planning for usage of land, or the erection of

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public works of any kind, shall be enacted without first receiving an advisory opinion of the

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planning board.

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     (s) Upon enactment of any ordinance, the town clerk shall give notice to any office,

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department, or other agency charged with the enforcement, or with the implementation thereof,

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within twenty-four (24) hours of its final passage.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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