(a) An initiative or referendum may be proposed by the presentation of a petition to the District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics containing the signatures of registered qualified electors equal in number to 5 percent of the registered electors in the District of Columbia: Provided, that the total signatures submitted include 5 percent of the registered electors in each of 5 or more of the City’s wards. The number of registered electors which is used for computing these requirements shall be according to the latest official count of registered electors by the Board of Elections and Ethics which was issued 30 or more days prior to submission of the signatures for the particular initiative or referendum petition.

(b)(1) Upon the presentation of a petition for a referendum to the District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics as provided in this section, the District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics shall notify the appropriate custodian of the act of the Council of the District of Columbia (either the President of the United States or the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives) as provided in §§ 1-204.04 and 1-204.46 and the President of the United States or the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall, as is appropriate, return such act or portion of such act to the Chairman of the Council of the District of Columbia. No further action may be taken upon such act or portion of such act until after a referendum election is held.

(2) No act is subject to referendum if it has become law according to the provisions of § 1-204.04.

(Mar. 10, 1978, D.C. Law 2-46, § 2, 24 DCR 199; June 7, 1979, D.C. Law 3-1, § 5, 25 DCR 9454.)

1981 Ed., § 1-282.

1973 Ed., § 1-182.

This section is referenced in § 1-204.103 and § 1-204.112.