This chapter shall apply to any petition from the City to the
General Court pursuant to Section 8 of Article II of the Articles
of Amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
as amended from time to time, and any other provisions of Massachusetts
law referring to petitions from the City of Taunton to the State Legislature
(hereinafter "home rule petition").
No home rule petition shall be forwarded to the General Court
unless it shall have received the affirmative votes of at least five
members of the Municipal Council and the written approval of the Mayor.
It shall be the responsibility of the City Clerk to ensure that an
approved home rule petition is actually forwarded to the General Court.
A. Within one
business day of the Municipal Council's affirmative vote on any home
rule petition, the City Clerk shall cause the same to be presented
to the Mayor. The Mayor may either approve or disapprove said petition.
Unless the Mayor shall affirmatively approve said petition by signing
his name thereon within 10 days of its presentation, it shall be deemed
disapproved by the Mayor.
B. Prior to
forwarding to the General Court, the City Clerk shall ensure that,
on the face of the document, the home rule petition contains:
(1) The
date on which the Municipal Council voted to approve said petition;
(2) The
number of Councilors present when the vote thereon was taken and the
number of Councilors voting in favor thereof;
(3) The
signature in ink and printed name of the Mayor;
(4) The
date on which the Mayor approved said petition; and
(5) The
Official Seal of the City of Taunton and the City Clerk's signature.