(b) Immediate enactment. The following may be made effective upon final enactment:
(1) An ordinance:
(i) Expressly required to be enacted by the general laws of this Commonwealth.
(ii) Expressly required to be enacted by the provisions of any act of the General Assembly.
(iii) That contains provisions and matters which are subject to the approval of an officer or tribunal of the Commonwealth.
(2) An ordinance or resolution where permitted providing for any of the following:
(i) Tax levies or fees.
(ii) Annual and other appropriations.
(iii) The exercise of the right of eminent domain.
(3) An ordinance providing for any of the following:
(i) The preservation of the public peace, health, morals and safety.
(ii) The exercise of the police powers of the city government.
(iii) The prevention and abatement of nuisances.
(4) An ordinance providing for an election to increase indebtedness and any other ordinance which by law must be submitted to an election before it shall take effect.
(5) An ordinance providing for the opening, paving, grading or other improvement of streets or highways if the improvement is petitioned for by a majority, in number or interest, of the abutting property owners.
(6) An ordinance providing for either:
(i) the construction of sewers; or
(ii) streets, highways and sidewalks to be kept in:
(A) Good order and repair.
(B) In a safe and passable condition.
(c) Petition and reconsideration of ordinance. With the exception of an ordinance dealing with the subjects set forth in section 1103(b) (relating to time ordinances go into effect), an ordinance shall be suspended from going into operation and shall be reconsidered by council if all of the following occur:
(1) A petition is presented to council:
(i) within 10 days after the ordinance's final enactment;
(ii) in accordance with this subchapter; and
(iii) which protests against enactment of the ordinance.
(2) The petition must be signed by electors as required in section 1102(e) (relating to number of signatures, examination and certificate by city clerk).
(d) Preparation of petition by city clerk and notice.
(1) Petition. A petition under section 11051 (relating to petition and reconsideration of ordinance) shall be prepared by the city clerk immediately upon receipt by the clerk of the written request of 100 qualified electors of the city asking that the petition be prepared. Upon preparation of the petition, the clerk shall give notice by publication in a newspaper of general circulation:
(i) That the petition is ready for signing.
(ii) The purpose of the petition.
(iii) The place and time when the petition may be signed.
(2) Signing. The signing shall be done only in the city clerk's office where the petition shall be retained during the period of 10 days after the enactment of the ordinance. Petitions can also be signed by completing and returning the form that will be posted on the City's website at readingpa.gov to the City Clerk's Office according to the terms provided herein.
(e) Additional petitions.
(1) Petitions. In order to facilitate the signing of the petition, the city clerk shall make at least two additional similar petitions for signing by the qualified electors. Signing an additional similar petition shall have the same force and effect as signing the original petition. The city clerk is authorized to employ at least two individuals to take charge of the additional petitions.
(2) Employees. The city clerk and employees hired under this section are empowered to administer the oath required to be taken by the electors. This section also shall apply to petitions initiating ordinances under 1102 (relating to initiating ordinances by electors).
(f) Signatures, oath and time of signing.
(1) Signers. Each signer of a petition under section 1103 (relating to petition and reconsideration of ordinance) shall also do all the following:
(i) Include the signer's address.
(ii) Make an oath before the city clerk or other person authorized under section 1102(d) (relating to additional petitions) that the signer:
(A) Is a qualified elector of the city.
(B) Resides at the address given.
(2) Office hours. The city clerk shall keep the city clerk's office open, at a minimum, from 9 a.m. through 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, except holidays, for the purpose of receiving signatures to the petitions. The city clerk shall not permit an individual to sign a petition after 7 p.m. of the tenth day following the enactment of the ordinance on which the referendum vote is requested.
(g) Presentation of petition to council. At the expiration of 10 days, the petition shall be filed with council and presented by the city clerk at council's next meeting.
(h) Ascertainment of number of signers and report. After presentation of the petition to council, the city clerk shall ascertain whether or not the referendum petition is signed by a number of registered electors equal to 20% of all the votes cast for all candidates for mayor at the last preceding municipal election at which a mayor was elected. Council may allow the clerk additional help for that purpose. After the clerk has made the examination, the clerk shall report the result to council.
(i) Effect of petition and submission to electors.
(1) Petition lacking signatures. If it appears that the petition under this subchapter has not been signed by the required number of electors, no action shall be taken. The ordinance shall be taken to be in full force from the time or times it would have gone into effect had there been no petition against the ordinance.
(2) Reconsideration. Council must reconsider an ordinance if the petition is signed by a number of electors equal to 20% of all the votes cast for mayor. If the ordinance is not entirely repealed by council on reconsideration, council must call a referendum to be held at the time of the next general, municipal or primary election occurring at least 60 days after the reconsideration.
(3) Submission. At the election, the ordinance shall be submitted without alteration in accordance with the Pennsylvania Election Code.
(j) Certification to county board of elections, ballots or ballot labels and expense of elections.
(1) Certification. The city clerk, after consultation with the city solicitor, shall certify to the county board of elections a copy of the ordinance and the proceedings of council directing the referendum vote. The county board of elections shall cause the question to be printed for use in the election districts of the city.
(2) Preparation. The preparation of ballots or ballot labels for and the holding of a referendum shall be conducted in the manner as provided in the Pennsylvania Election Code.
(3) Number. Any number of ordinances may be referred and voted on at the same election.
(k) Form of ballot or ballot label. The ballot used when voting on the ordinance shall contain a question stating the nature of the referred ordinance followed by the words "yes" and "no" and shall be conducted in the manner as provided in the Pennsylvania Election Code.
(l) Computing and filing returns.
(1) Computing. An officer holding an election shall keep a tally sheet and make a return of votes on the referendum question in the same manner as a tally sheet is kept and a return is made in an election of officers and the submission of other questions as provided by the Pennsylvania Election Code.
(2) Filing. A return shall be filed with the county board of elections which shall compute the return and certify the results to council. The return and certification of a referendum question shall be conducted in the manner as provided in the Pennsylvania Election Code.
(m) Effect of vote. If a majority of the electors vote in favor of the ordinance, the ordinance shall take effect when the results of the election are certified by council. If a majority of the electors vote against the ordinance, the ordinance shall be nullified.
(n) Publication of ordinance before election. Before any referendum is held on any ordinance in accordance with this subchapter, the city shall provide notice of the ordinance by publishing a copy of the ordinance in a newspaper of general circulation. Publication in accordance with this section shall be in addition to the publication requirements of the Pennsylvania Election Code.