Sec. 2. Emergency clause; referendum; effective date. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this Act takes effect when approved only for the purpose of permitting its submission to the legal voters within the Madawaska Water District at a referendum within the district held prior to January 1, 2004. The referendum must be called, advertised and conducted according to the law relating to municipal elections, except the registrar of voters is not required to prepare or the clerk to post a new list of voters. For the purpose of registering voters, the registrar of voters must be in session on the regular work day preceding the election. The content of this Act must be reduced to the following question:

"Do you favor permitting the Madawaska Water District to charge readiness-to-serve charges against properties abutting on or accessible to the water lines of the district that on or after January 1, 2004 are improved with new residential or commercial structures requiring systems for the disposal of sewage and wastewater but that do not connect to the district's water lines?"

The voters shall indicate by a cross or check mark placed against the words "Yes" or "No" their opinion on the question.

The results must be declared by the trustees of the Madawaska Water District and due certificate of the results filed by the clerk with the Secretary of State.

This Act takes effect immediately upon its acceptance by a majority of the legal voters voting at the election.