Whereas , The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is forthwith to change certain dates relative to certain scheduled special state primaries and election, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. Notwithstanding section 28 of chapter 53 of the General Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, the special state primaries for the Fifth Norfolk representative district shall be held on the sixth Tuesday preceding the date of the special state election.

SECTION 2. Notwithstanding section 10 of chapter 53 of the General Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, the deadline for filing nomination papers for the special state primaries and special state election for the Fifth Norfolk representative district shall be 5:00 p.m. on the eleventh Tuesday preceding the date of the special state election.

SECTION 3. All other dates and deadlines associated with special state primaries shall be in accordance with the General Laws.

SECTION 4. Notwithstanding section 3 of chapter 503 of the acts of 1983 or any other general or special law to the contrary, the commonwealth is not required to pay additional costs for extended polling hours to the towns within the Fifth Norfolk representative district for the special state primary to be held on April 1, 2003.

SECTION 5. The commonwealth shall pay additional costs for extended polling hours to the towns within the Fifth Norfolk representative district for the special state election to be held on May 13, 2003. The amount required to be paid to those municipalities shall be based on the amount estimated by the state auditor in accordance with section 3 of chapter 503 of the acts of 1983.

SECTION 6. Notwithstanding any other provision of this act to the contrary, municipalities shall be reimbursed for the net costs of the special state election for the Fifth Norfolk representative district as set forth in section 10A of chapter 3 of the General Laws.

SECTION 7. Chapter 55A of the General Laws shall not apply to the special primaries and election for state representative for the Fifth Norfolk district.