00                             HOUSE BILL NO. 50                                                                          
01 "An Act relating to municipal initiative and referendum elections."                                                     
02 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
03    * Section 1.  AS 29.26.170(a) is amended to read:                                                                  
04            (a)  Unless substantially the same measure is adopted, when a petition seeks an                              
05       initiative vote, the clerk shall submit the matter to the voters at the next regular                          
06       election or, if already scheduled, special election occurring not [NO] sooner than 60                 
07       [45] days after certification of the petition.  If no [REGULAR] election is scheduled                         
08       to occur [OCCURS] within 75 days after the certification of a petition and the                            
09       governing body determines it is in the best interest of the municipality, the                                 
10       governing body may by ordinance order [SHALL HOLD] a special election to be                               
11       held within 75 days, but not sooner than 45 days after certification.                                         
12    * Sec. 2.  AS 29.26.170(b) is amended to read:                                                                     
13            (b)  If the governing body adopts substantially the same measure, the petition                               
14       is void, and the matter initiated may not be placed before the voters.                                    
15    * Sec. 3.  AS 29.26.180(a) is amended to read:                                                                     

01            (a)  Unless the ordinance or resolution is repealed, when a petition seeks a                                 
02       referendum vote, the clerk shall submit the matter to the voters at the next regular                      
03       election or, if already scheduled, special election occurring not [NO] sooner than 60                 
04       [45] days after certification of the petition.  If no election is scheduled to occur                          
05       [OCCURS] within 75 days after [OF] certification of a petition and the governing                          
06       body determines it is in the best interest of the municipality, the governing body                            
07       may by ordinance order [SHALL HOLD] a special election to be held within 75                               
08       days, but not sooner than 45 days after certification.