Title 15.2. Counties, Cities and Towns
Chapter 2. Local Government Charters
§ 15.2-201. Charter elections; subsequent procedure; procedure when bill not introduced or fails to pass in General Assembly.
A locality may provide for holding an election to be conducted as provided in § 24.2-681 et seq. of Title 24.2 to determine if the voters of the locality desire that it request the General Assembly to grant to the locality a new charter or to amend its existing charter. At least seven days prior to the holding of such election, public notice shall be given in accordance with § 15.2-1427.
If a majority of the voters voting in such election vote in favor of such request, the locality shall transmit two certified copies of the results of such election together with the publisher's affidavit and the new charter or the amendments to the existing charter, to one or more members of the General Assembly representing such locality for introduction as a bill in the succeeding session of the General Assembly.
If a bill incorporating such charter or amendments is not introduced at the succeeding session of the General Assembly, the approval of the voters for such charter or amendments shall be void. If, at such session, members of the General Assembly fail to enact or pass by indefinitely and do not carry over such a bill incorporating such charter or amendments, the charter or amendments shall again be presented to the voters for their approval or submitted to a public hearing pursuant to § 15.2-202 before reintroduction in the General Assembly.
Code 1950, § 15-65.2; 1958, c. 329; 1962, cc. 1, 623, § 15.1-834; 1979, c. 297; 1985, c. 387; 1997, c. 587; 2024, cc. 225, 242.
