§  2.  Definitions.  As used in this chapter the following terms shall
  mean or include:
    1. "Charter." A state statute or a  local  law  which  establishes  or
  continues  a specific county, city or village as a municipal corporation
  or body  politic  and  includes  the  fundamental  provisions  defining,
  extending or limiting its corporate powers or affecting the framework of
  its government.
    2.  "Charter  amendment."  A  new charter or any change in an existing
  charter presented as such under authority of this chapter or  any  state
  statute  or  charter.  A  charter amendment may be of any extent and may
  deal with any number of subjects.
    3. "Clerk." The clerk of the board of supervisors  of  a  county,  the
  clerk  of  a  city,  town  or  village  or,  if  there  be no officer so
  designated, an officer exercising corresponding duties.
    4. "Elective chief executive officer." The chief executive officer  of
  a county elected on a county-wide basis or if there be none the chairman
  of  the  board  of  supervisors,  the  mayor of a city or village or the
  supervisor of a town, where such officer is vested with power to approve
  or veto local laws or ordinances.
    5. "General law." A state statute which in terms and in effect applies
  alike to all counties, all counties other  than  those  wholly  included
  within a city, all cities, all towns or all villages.
    6. "Law." A state statute, charter or local law.
    7.  "Legislative  body."  The board of supervisors, board of aldermen,
  common council, council, commission, town board, board  of  trustees  or
  other  elective governing board or body now or hereafter vested by state
  statute, charter or other law with jurisdiction to  initiate  and  adopt
  local  laws  or ordinances, whether or not such local laws or ordinances
  require the approval of the elective chief executive  officer  or  other
  official or body to become effective.
    8. "Local government." A county, city, town or village.
    9. "Local law." A law (a) adopted pursuant to this chapter or to other
  authorization of a state statute or charter by the legislative body of a
  local  government,  or  (b)  proposed  by  a  charter  commission  or by
  petition, and ratified by popular vote, as provided in article  four  of
  this  chapter  or  as provided in a state statute, charter or local law;
  but shall not mean or include an ordinance, resolution or other  similar
  act of the legislative body or of any other board or body.
    10.  "New  charter." A charter which supersedes or repeals an existing
  charter in its entirety or in the manner provided in subdivision four or
  subdivision five of section thirty-six of this chapter.
    11.  "Public  corporation."  A  municipal  corporation,   a   district
  corporation  or a public benefit corporation as defined in section three
  of the general corporation law.
    12. "Special law." A state  statute  which  in  terms  and  in  effect
  applies to one or more, but not all, counties, counties other than those
  wholly included within a city, cities, towns or villages.