IN HB1253

Adds IC 36-1-23 (Chapter 23: Voter Initiative) to Indiana Code, effective July 1, 2015, allowing counties, cities, and towns to adopt ordinances establishing voter initiative processes.

Initiative ordinances must specify the process for proposing measures, developing ballot question language (subject to county election board approval), circulating petitions, and filing and verifying signatures.

Requires petitions to include the full ballot question text on each page where signatures are collected, with only registered voters of the unit permitted to sign.

Measures approved by majority vote of voters become ordinances or resolutions with the same effect as if adopted by the legislative body, effective on the date specified in the measure or January 1 of the following year if no date is stated.

Voter-approved measures may only be amended or repealed by another voter initiative or by a two-thirds vote of all legislative body members (or unanimous vote if the body has only three members).