Pennsylvania Act 2014-2 — SECOND CLASS TOWNSHIP CODE - FILING AND RECORDING OF ORDINANCES

Act text

Session of 2014

No. 2014-2

HB 1529

AN ACT

Amending the act of May 1, 1933 (P.L.103, No.69), entitled, as reenacted and amended, "An act concerning townships of the second class; and amending, revising, consolidating and changing the law relating thereto," further providing for filing and recording of ordinances.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Section 1601(a) of the act of May 1, 1933 (P.L.103, No.69), known as The Second Class Township Code, reenacted and amended November 9, 1995 (P.L.350, No.60) and amended December 18, 1996 (P.L.1142, No.172), is amended to read:

Section 1601. Ordinances.--(a) The board of supervisors may adopt ordinances in which general or specific powers of the township may be exercised, and, by the enactment of subsequent ordinances, the board of supervisors may amend, repeal or revise existing ordinances. All proposed ordinances, whether original, amended, repealed, revised, consolidated or codified, shall be published not more than sixty days nor less than seven days before passage at least once in one newspaper circulating generally in the township. Public notices shall include either the full text or a brief summary of the proposed ordinance which lists the provisions in reasonable detail and a reference to a place within the township where copies of the proposed ordinance may be examined.

(a.1) If the full text is not included, a copy shall be supplied to the publishing newspaper when the notice is published, and an attested copy shall be filed within thirty days after enactment in the county law library or other county office designated by the county commissioners, who may impose a fee no greater than that necessary to cover the actual costs of storing the ordinances. Filing with the county may be completed by the submission of an electronic copy of the ordinance through a method available, in the sole discretion of the county, to permit receipt by the office storing municipal ordinances. Upon request by the township, the county shall notify the township of the method by which electronic copies may be submitted. The county may store the ordinance electronically, provided that the public is able to access the electronically stored township ordinances during regular business hours at the office or at a remote location. The township shall retain a printed copy of the e-mail and ordinance as transmitted. The date of such filing shall not affect the effective date of the ordinance, the validity of the process of the enactment or adoption of the ordinance; nor shall a failure to record within the time provided be deemed a defect in the process of the enactment or adoption of such ordinance. If substantial amendments are made in the proposed ordinance, before voting upon enactment, the board of supervisors shall at least ten days before enactment readvertise in one newspaper of general circulation in the township a brief summary setting forth all the provisions in reasonable detail, together with a summary of the amendments. Ordinances shall be recorded in the ordinance book of the township and are effective five days after adoption unless a date later than five days after adoption is stated in the ordinance.

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Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.

APPROVED--The 22nd day of January, A.D. 2014.

TOM CORBETT