SB 967 - This act allows voters in any city, town, or village to propose ordinances via initiative petition. In order for a petition to be certified by the appropriate municipal official, it must be signed by at least ten percent of the municipality's registered voters voting at the last municipal election. Once the petition has been certified by the municipal official, the governing body of the municipality must either pass the ordinance or submit the question of whether to pass the ordinance to the voters at the next municipal election, unless the petition has been signed by 25 percent or more of the registered voters, in which case the governing body must immediately submit the question. The ordinance is enacted if it receives approval from a majority of the voters. Ordinances enacted via initiative petition cannot be repealed or amended except by a vote of the people. This act also provides a procedure for voters in any city, town, or village to protest the passage of ordinances. Under this act, most ordinances do not take effect for ten days after passage. During that ten-day period, voters may submit a petition signed by at least 25 percent of the registered voters of the municipality to the governing body in protest against the passage of the ordinance. If a petition is submitted, the ordinance is suspended from taking effect and the governing body must reconsider the ordinance. If the ordinance is not entirely repealed, the governing body must submit the ordinance to a vote and the ordinance only takes effect upon receiving approval from a majority of the voters.
This act is similar to SB 764 (2014).
MEGHAN LUECKE