The voters shall have the power of referendum and, pursuant thereto, may approve or reject at the polls any ordinance submitted by the board to the voters or any ordinance passed by the board, against which a referendum petition has been filed as herein provided. No ordinance passed by the county board, except when otherwise required by general law or permitted by the provisions of section 116 or any other section of this act, shall take effect earlier than 20 days from the time of its final passage and its approval by the county executive or supervisor or board chairman or president where such approval is required. If within 20 days after such final passage and approval of such ordinance a petition protesting against the passage of such ordinance shall be filed with the county clerk and if the petition shall be signed by a percentage of the registered voters in numbers equal to 15% of the registered voters of the county as of forty calendar days before the last most recent primary or general election, the ordinance shall be suspended from taking effect until proceedings are had as herein provided.

The provisions of this section shall not apply to any ordinance which by its terms or by law cannot become effective in the county unless submitted to the voters, or which by its terms authorizes a referendum in the county concerning the subject matter thereof.

L.1972, c. 154, s. 105, eff. Sept. 19, 1972. Amended by L.1979, c. 278, s. 3.