40:49-4. Revision and codification of ordinances

40:49-4. The governing body may provide, from time to time, for the revision and codification of its ordinances. Where there are two or more bodies in any municipality having power to pass ordinances, the body having charge of the finances may provide for the revision and codification of all the ordinances of the municipality.

The work of revision and codification shall be done under the direction of the municipal counsel or attorney or some other counsellor-at-law employed by the governing body, which shall have power to provide adequate compensation therefor. Nothing herein shall prevent the governing body from providing that the work of revision and codification be done, under the direction of the municipal counsel or attorney, by any person, partnership or corporation engaged in the business of codifying and revising municipal ordinances. In case the work is done by the counsel or attorney of the municipality, the governing body of the municipality may compensate the counsel or attorney for such work in addition to any salary paid. Such revision and codification of the ordinances when completed shall be submitted to each municipal body having power to pass ordinances. Each such body shall consider the same and make such changes in such revision and codification of its own ordinances, as it shall deem proper, and may then accept and adopt the same.

All the provisions of this chapter relating to the adoption, approval and advertising of ordinances, shall apply to the ordinance adopting such compilation and revision, but it shall not be necessary to publish said revised and compiled ordinances prior to or after their adoption as herein provided, or to set forth the same at length in the ordinance by which they are adopted: provided, that such compilation and revision of ordinances is so described in said adopting ordinance as clearly to identify it and the effect of proposed changes be fully explained, and it is stated in said adopting ordinance that a copy of such compilation and revision has been filed in the office of the municipal clerk, there to remain for the use and examination of the public until final action is taken on said adopting ordinance and thereafter while the same shall be in effect, if such ordinance shall be adopted; and provided, that said copy of said compilation and revision of ordinances shall be and remain on file accordingly.

Such ordinances, when so revised and codified and finally adopted, shall be reported by the person in charge of the revision to the body in charge of the finances, which shall order the same, or so much thereof as are of a general nature to be published in book form, and when so published and certified to by the seal of the municipality, shall be received in all courts of this State as evidence of the ordinances contained in such compilation and revision as fully as if the original ordinances were produced. Printed copies of such ordinances as so revised and codified shall be made available to citizens.

Nothing herein shall operate to repeal any ordinances not included in such revision and codification, except by necessary implication, or those expressly repealed. The governing body may provide for the printing and distribution or sale of its ordinances in book form.

There may be included in any printed book of ordinances the charter of the municipality or such of the general laws of the State relating to the municipality as the governing body may direct to be included therein.

Amended 1950,c.232; 1991,c.362,s.1.