Act on the Merger of the Municipal and Citizen Communes of Sion and Les Agettes

1. The municipalities of Sion and Les Agettes are merged into a single municipality under the name "Municipality of Sion."

2. The territories of Sion and Les Agettes form the new territory of the Municipality of Sion.

1. The new municipality of Sion is assigned to the district of Sion.

2. The boundaries of the districts of Hérens and Sion are amended accordingly.

1. The civic communities of Sion and Les Agettes are merged into a single civic community under the name "Civic Community of Sion."

2. The citizens of the former civic communities of Sion and Les Agettes shall become citizens of the new Civic Community of Sion, with all rights and obligations.

1. The Merger of the Residents' and Civic Communities of Sitten and Les Agettes Comes into Effect on January 1, 2017.

1. The new resident and citizen municipalities are granted the coats of arms of the former resident and citizen municipalities of Sion.

1. The merger results in the assumption of the assets and liabilities of the two municipalities, Sion and Les Agettes, together with all rights and obligations.

2. The administrative accounts of the two municipalities, Sion and Les Agettes, shall be closed as of December 31, 2016.

3. The administrative accounts as of December 31, 2016, the merger balance sheet as of January 1, 2017, and the 2017 budget shall be submitted to the General Council of the new municipality within the legal deadlines for resolution.

4. Paragraphs 1 and 2 are similarly applicable to the two civic municipalities of Sion and Les Agettes and to the new civic municipality.

5. The administrative accounts as of December 31, 2016, the merger balance sheet as of January 1, 2017, and the 2017 budget shall be submitted to the first civic assembly of the new civic municipality within the legal deadlines for resolution.

1. The regulations in force in the municipalities of Sitten and Les Agettes shall remain legally valid during a transitional period lasting until December 31, 2020, insofar as they have not been repealed by a unified regulation in the meantime. Regulations that are already standardized are exempted.

2. The new municipal authority is required to adopt a unified regulation by no later than December 31, 2020.

1. The number of members of the municipal council of the new residential municipality of Sitten is set at nine.

2. The municipal council elections of the new residential municipality of Sitten shall be conducted according to the proportional representation system.

1. The number of members of the General Council of the new Municipality of Sitten is set at sixty.

2. The General Council elections of the new Municipality of Sitten shall be conducted according to the proportional representation system.

1. The new municipal community shall be administered by a separate council. The number of members of the council of the new municipal community is set at seven.

2. The elections for the council of the new municipal community shall be conducted according to the proportional representation system.

1. The State Council decides on the necessary measures for the organization and conduct of the 2016 elections for the new resident and civic communities, which will take place on the date designated for the renewal of the municipal authorities.

1. Pursuant to the Ordinance on Municipal Mergers, a financial aid in the total amount of 1,416,000 Swiss Francs is granted to the new municipality of Sion.

2. This amount is taken from the special fund for the promotion of municipal mergers.

1. This law is subject to an optional referendum.

2. The State Council determines the date of entry into force of this law and takes the necessary measures for its implementation.