This file was prepared by The MD State Archives, then coded by Randy Moore, then John Wallis worked on it on 12/10/01 and 1.5.02 It is ready to go. JW 1.5.02 It contains amendments 2 - 57. *** CSTART MD 08/17/1867 12/31/2000 *** *** MSTART 002 008.0 004.0 0 MD 1867 1875 *** [Act of 1874, Ch. 364. Ratified 1875.] SEC. 8. The parties to any cause may submit the same to the court for determination without the aid of a jury, and in all suits or actions at law, issues from the orphans' court, or from any court sitting in equity, and in all cases of presentments or indictments for offences, which are or may be punishable by death, pending in any of the courts of law in this State, having jurisdiction thereof, upon suggestion in writing under oath of either of the parties to said proceedings, that such party cannot have a fair and impartial trial in the court in which the same may be pending, the said court shall order and direct the record of proceedings in such suit or action, issue, presentment or indictment, to be transmitted to some other court having jurisdiction in such case for trial; but in all other cases of presentment or indictment pending in any of the courts of law in this State, having jurisdiction thereof, in addition to the suggestion in writing of either of the parties to such presentment or indictment, that such party cannot have a fair and impartial trial in the court in which the same may be pending, it shall be necessary for the party making such suggestion to make it satisfactorily appear to the court that such suggestion is true, or that there is reasonable ground for the same; and thereupon the said court shall order and direct the record of proceedings in such presentment or indictment to be transmitted to some other court, having jurisdiction in such cases, for trial; and such right of removal shall exist upon suggestion in cases when all the judges of said court may be disqualified under the provisions of this Constitution to sit in any such case; and said court to which the record of proceedings in such suit or action, issue, presentment or indictment may be so transmitted, shall hear and determine the same in like manner as if such suit or action, issue, presentment or indictment had been originally instituted therein ; and the General Assembly shall make such modification of existing law as may be necessary to regulate and give force to this provision. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 003 005.0 004.0 1 MD 1867 1881 *** [Act of 1880, Chapter 417 [Ratified 1881]] SEC. 5. After the election for judges as hereinbefore provided, there shall be held in this State, in every fifteenth year thereafter, on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November of such year, an election for judges as herein provided; and in case of death, resignation, removal or disqualification, by reason of age or otherwise, of any judge, the Governor shall appoint a person duly qualified to fill said office, who shall hold the same until the next general election for members of the General Assembly, when a successor shall be elected, whose term of office shall be the same as hereinbefore provided ; and upon the expiration of the term of fifteen years for which any judge may be elected to fill a vacancy, an election for his successor shall take place at the next general election for members of the General Assembly to occur upon or after the expiration of his said term; and the Governor shall appoint a person duly qualified to hold said office from the expiration of such term of fifteen years until the election and qualification of his successor. Approved April 10, 1880. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 004 017.0 002.0 0 MD 1867 1891 *** SEC. 17. To guard against hasty or partial legislation and. encroachments of the legislative department upon the co-ordinate, executive and judicial departments, every bill which shall have passed the house of delegates and the senate shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the governor of the State; if he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it with his objections to the house in which it originated, which house shall enter the objections at large on its journal and proceed to reconsider the bill; if after such reconsideration, three-fifths of the members elected to that house shall pass the bill, it shall be sent with the objections to the other house by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if passed by three-fifths of the members elected to that house it shall become a law ; but in all such cases the votes of both houses shall be determined by yeas and nays, and the names of the persons voting for and against the bill shall be entered on the journal of each house respectively; if any bill shall not be returned by the governor within six days (Sundays excepted,) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall be a law in like manner as if he signed it, unless the General Assembly shall, by adjournment prevent its return, in which case it shall not be a law; the governor shall have power to disapprove of any item or items of any bills making appropriations of money embracing distinct items, and the part or parts of the bill approved shall be the law, and the item or items of appropriations disapproved shall be void unless repassed according to the rules or limitations prescribed for the passage of other bills over the executive veto. Approved March 37, 1890. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 005 048.0 003.0 0 MD 1867 1891 *** Act of 1890, CHAPTER 195. Ratified 1891 SEC. 48. Corporations may he formed under general laws, but shall not be created by special act, except, for municipal purposes and except in cases where no general laws exist, providing for the creation of corporations of the same general character as the corporation proposed to be created, and any act of incorporation passed in violation of this section shall be void; all charters granted or adopted in pursuance of this section, and all charters heretofore granted and created subject to repeal or modification, may be altered from time to time, or be repealed; provided, nothing herein contained shall be construed to extend to banks, or the incorporation thereof; the General Assembly shall not alter or amend the charter of any corporation existing at the time of the adoption of this article, or pass any other general or special law for the benefit of such corporation, except upon the condition that such corporation shall surrender all claim to exemption from taxation or from the repeal or modification of its charter, and that such corporation shall thereafter hold its charter subject to the provisions of this constitution; and any corporation chartered by this State which shall accept, use, enjoy or in anywise avail itself of any rights, privileges or advantages that may hereafter be granted or conferred by any general or special act, shall be 'Conclusively presumed to have thereby surrendered any exemption from taxation to which it may be entitled under its charter and shall be thereafter subject to taxation as if no such exemption has been granted by its charter. March 27, 1890. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 006 001.0 007.0 0 MD 1867 1891 *** Act of 1890, CHAPTER 255. Ratified 1891 SEC. 1. County commissioners shall be elected on general ticket of each county by the qualified voters of the several counties of the State, on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in the month of November, commencing in the year eighteen hundred, and ninety-one; their number in each county, their compensation, powers and duties shall be such as now or may be hereafter prescribed by law, they shall be elected, at such times, in such numbers and for such periods not exceeding six years, as may he prescribed by law. Approved April 3, 1890. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 007 003.0 012.0 0 MD 1867 1891 *** Act of 1890, CHAPTER 362. Ratified 1891 AN ACT to amend section three, of article twelve, of the constitution of this State. SEC. 3. The board of public works is hereby authorized, subject to such regulations and conditions as the General Assembly may from time to time prescribe, to sell the State's interest in all works of internal improvement, whether as a stockholder or a creditor, and also the State's interest in any banking corporation, receiving in payment the bonds and registered debt now owing by the State, equal in amount to the price obtained for the State's said interest. Approved April 3,1890. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 008 051.0 003.0 0 MD 1867 1891 *** Act of 1890, CHAPTER 426. Ratified 1891. SEC. 51. The personal property of residents of this State shall be subject to taxation in the county or city where the resident bona fide resides for the greater part of the year for which the tax may or shall be levied, and not elsewhere except goods and chattels permanently located, which shall be taxed in the city or county where they are so located, but the general assembly may by law provide for the taxation of mortgages upon property in this State and the debts secured thereby in the county or city where such property is situated. Approved April 8, 1890. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 009 039.0 004.0 4 MD 1867 1893 *** Act of 1892, CHAPTER 313. Ratified 1893 SEC. 39. The General Assembly shall as often, as it may think the same proper and expedient, provide by law for the election of an additional judge of the Supreme Bench of Baltimore City, and whenever provision is so made by the General Assembly, there shall be elected by the voters of said city another judge of the Supreme Bench of Baltimore City, who shall be subject to the same constitutional provisions, hold his office for the same term of years, receive the same compensation and have the same persons as are, or shall be provided by the constitution, or laws of this State, for the judges of said Supreme Bench of Baltimore City, and the General Assembly may provide by laws, or the Supreme Bench by its rules, for requiring causes in any of the courts of Baltimore City to be tried before the court without a jury, unless the litigants or some one of them shall within such reasonable time or times as may be proscribed, elect to have their causes tried before a jury. And the General Assembly may reapportion, change or enlarge the jurisdiction of the several courts in said city. Approved April 4th, 1892. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 010 009.0 005.0 0 MD 1867 1901 *** Act of 1900, CHAPTER 185. Ratified 1901 Section 9. The State's Attorney shall perform such duties and receive such fees and commissions or salary not exceeding three thousand dollars, as are now or may hereafter be pre-scribed by law; and if any State's Attorney shall receive any other fee or reward than such as is or may be allowed by law, he shall, on conviction thereof, be removed from office; provided that the State's Attorney for Baltimore City shall receive an annual salary of forty-five hundred dollars, and shall have power to appoint one deputy, at an annual salary not exceeding three thousand dollars, and such other assistants at such annual salaries not exceeding fifteen hundred dollars each, as the Supreme Bench of Baltimore City may authorize and approve; all of said salaries to be paid out of the fees of the said State's Attorney's office, as has heretofore been practiced. Approved April 5, 1900. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 011 004.0 003.0 0 MD 1867 1901 *** Act of 1900, CHAPTER 432. Ratified 1901 Sec. 4. As soon as may be, after the taking and publishing of the National Census of 1900, or after the enumeration of the population of this State, under the authority thereof, there1 shall be an apportionment of representation in the House of Delegates, to be made on the following basis, to wit: Each of the several counties of the State, having a population of eighteen thousand souls or less, shall be entitled to two delegates; and every county having a population of over eighteen thousand and less than twenty-eight thousand souls, shall be entitled to three delegates; and every county having a, population of twenty-eight thousand and less than forty thousand souls, shall be entitled to four delegates; and every county having a population of forty thousand and less than fifty-five thousand souls, shall be entitled to five delegates; and every county having a population of fifty-five thousand souls and upwards, shall be entitled to six delegates and no more; and each of the four legislative districts of the City of Baltimore shall be entitled to the number of delegates to which the largest county shall or may be entitled under the foregoing apportionment, and the General Assembly shall have the power to provide by law, from time to time, for altering and changing the boundaries of the existing legislative districts of the City of Baltimore, so as to make them as near as may be of equal population; but said district shall always consist of contiguous territory. Approved April 7, 1900. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 012 002.0 003.0 0 MD 1867 1901 *** Act of 1900, CHAPTER 469. Ratified 1901 2. The City of Baltimore shall be divided into four legislative districts as near as may be of equal population and of contiguous territory, and each of said legislative districts of Baltimore City, as they may from time to time be laid out, in accordance with the provisions hereof, and each county in the State, shall be entitled to one Senator, who shall be elected by the qualified voters of the said legislative districts of Baltimore City and of the counties of the State, respectively, and shall serve for four years from the date of his election, subject to the classification of Senators hereafter provided for. Approved April 7, 1900. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 013 040.0 003.0 0 MD 1867 1913 *** Act of 1912, CHAPTER 402. Ratified 1913. 40A. The General Assembly shall enact no law authorizing private property to be taken for public use without just compensation, to be agreed upon between the parties or awarded by a jury, being first paid or tendered to the party entitled to such compensation, but where such property is situated in Baltimore City and is desired by this State or by the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, the General Assembly may provide for the appointment of appraisers by a Court of Record to value such property, and that, upon payment of the amount of such valuation to the party entitled to compensation, or into Court and securing the payment of any further sum that may be awarded by a jury, such property may be taken. Approved April 8, 1912. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 014 027.0 003.0 0 MD 1867 1913 *** Act of 1912, CHAPTER 497. Ratified 1913. SEC. 27. Any bill may originate in either house of the General Assembly and be altered, amended or rejected by the other, but no bill shall originate in either house during the last ten days of the session, unless two-thirds of the members elected thereto shall so determine by yeas and nays; nor shall any bill become a law until it be read on three different days of the session in each house, unless two-thirds of the members elected to the house where such bill is pending shall so -determine by yeas and nays, and no bill shall be read a third time until it shall have been actually engrossed or printed for a third reading. Approved April 8, 1912. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 015 021.0 004.0 3 MD 1867 1913 *** Act of 1912, CHAPTER 515. Ratified 1913. SEC. 21. For each of the said circuits (excepting the eighth and the third) there shall be a chief judge and two associate judges to be styled judges of the Circuit Court to be elected or appointed as herein provided, and for the third circuit there shall be a chief judge and three associate judges to be styled Judges of the Circuit Court to be elected or appointed as herein provided. And no two of said associate judges for any of the said circuits except the third circuit shall, at the time of their election or appointment or during the term for which they may have been elected or appointed reside in the same county. If two or more persons shall be candidates for associate judge in the same county in any of the circuits except the third circuit, that one only in said county shall be declared elected who has the highest number of votes in the circuit. In case any two candidates for associate judge in any of the circuits except the third circuit, residing in the same county, shall have an equal number of votes greater than any other candidates for associate judge in the circuit, it shall be the duty of the Governor to order a new election for one associate judge; but the person residing in any other county of the circuit and who has the highest number of votes shall be declared elected. The said judges shall hold not less than' two terms of the Circuit Court in each of the counties composing their respective circuits, at such times as are now or may hereafter be prescribed to which jurors shall be summoned; and in those counties where only two such terms are held, two other and intermediate terms, to which jurors shall not be summoned; they may alter or fix the times for holding any or all terms, until otherwise prescribed, and shall adopt rules to the end that all business not requiring the interposition of the jury shall be, as far as practicable, disposed of at said intermediate terms. One judge in each of the above circuits, including the third circuit, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business; and the said judges or any of them may hold special terms of their Courts, whenever in their discretion, the business of the several counties renders such terms necessary. The additional associate judge for the third circuit herein provided for, shall be elected by the qualified voters of Baltimore and Harford counties, at the first election that shall be held in said counties subsequent to the adoption of this amendment, and the judge so elected shall be subject to the, same constitutional provisions, hold his office for the same term of years, receive the same compensation And have the same powers as are herein provided for the other .associate judges in the third circuit. Approved April 8, 1912. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 016 003.0 001.0 0 MD 1867 1913 *** Act of 1912, CHAPTER 602. Ratified 1913. SEC. 3. If any person shall give, or offer to give, directly or indirectly, any bribe, present or reward, or any promise, or any security, for the payment or delivery of money, or any other thing, to induce any voter to refrain from casting his vote, or to prevent him in any way from voting, or to procure a vote for any candidate or person proposed, or voted for as the elector of President, and Vice-President of the United States, or Representative in Congress or for any office of profit or trust, created by the Constitution ,or Laws of this State, or by the Ordinances, or Authority of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, the person giving, or offering to give and the person receiving the same, and any person who gives or causes to be given, an illegal vote, knowing it to be such, at any election to be hereafter held in this State, shall, on conviction in a Court of Law, in addition to the penalties now or hereafter to be imposed by law, be forever disqualified to hold any office of profit or trust, or to vote at any election thereafter. But the General Assembly may in its discretion remove the above penalty and all other penalties upon the vote seller so as to place the penalties for the purchase of votes on the vote buyer alone. [SEC. 2. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the said foregoing section hereby proposed as an . amendment to the Constitution shall at the next election for members of the General Assembly of this State to be held on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in the month of November, nineteen hundred and thirteen (1913), be submitted to the legal and qualified voters thereof for their adoption or rejection, in pursuance of the directions contained in Article 14 of the Constitution of this State; and at the said election the said proposed amendment shall be printed upon the official ballot and the vote on said proposed amendment to the Constitution shall be by ballot, and upon each ballot shall be printed the words "For the Constitutional Amendment" and "Against the Constitutional Amendment," as now provided by law with an appropriate box to vote for and against the same as the voter shall select And upon said ballot the new words proposed to be added to said section 3 of said Article 1, namely, the words: "But the General Assembly may in its discretion remove the above penalty and all other penalties upon the vote seller so as to place the penalties for the purchase of votes upon the vote buyer alone," shall be printed on the official ballot in italics so as to plainly indicate to the voter the said proposed change in the Constitution, and immediately after said due election due returns shall be made to the Governor of the vote for and against said proposed amendment as directed by the said Article 14 of the said Constitution. Approved April 11, 1912.] *** MEND *** *** MSTART 017 009.0 005.0 0 MD 1867 1913 *** Act of 1912, CHAPTER 624. Ratified 1913. 9. The State's Attorney shall perform such duties and receive such fees and commissions or salary, not exceeding three thousand dollars, as are now or may hereafter be prescribed by law; and if any State's Attorney shall receive any other fee or reward than such as is or may be allowed by law, he shall, on conviction thereof, be removed from office; provided, that the State's Attorney for Baltimore City shall receive an annual salary of fifty-four hundred dollars, and shall have power to appoint one deputy at an annual salary not exceeding four thousand dollars, and such other assistants at such annual salaries, not exceeding twenty-five hundred dollars each, as the Supreme Bench of Baltimore City may authorize and approve; all of said salaries to be paid out of the fees of the said State's Attorney's office, as has heretofore been practiced. Approved April 11, 1912. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 018 003.0 005.0 0 MD 1867 1913 *** Act of 1912, CHAPTER 663. Ratified 1913. SEC. 3. It shall be the duty of the Attorney-General to prosecute and defend on the part of .the State all cases, which at the time of his appointment and qualification and which thereafter may be depending in the Court of Appeals, or in the Supreme Court of the United States, by or against the State, or wherein the State may be interested; and he shall give his opinion in writing whenever required by the General Assembly or either branch thereof, the Governor, the Comptroller of the Treasury, or any State's Attorney, on any legal matter or subject depending before them or either of them; and when required by the Governor or General Assembly he shall aid any State's Attorney in prosecuting any suit or action brought by the State in any Court of the State, and he shall commence and prosecute or defend any suit or action in any of said Courts, on the part of the State, which the General Assembly or the Governor, acting according to law, shall direct to be commenced, prosecuted or defended, and he shall have and perform such other duties and shall appoint such number of deputies' or assistants as the General Assembly may from time to time by law prescribe; and he shall receive for his services an annual salary of three thousand dollars, or such annual salary as the General Assembly may from time to time by law prescribe; but he shall not be entitled to receive any fees, perquisites or rewards whatever in addition to the salary aforesaid for the performance of any official duty; nor shall the Governor employ any additional counsel .in any case whatever, unless authorized by the General Assembly. Approved April 11, 1912. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 019 015.0 9002.0 0 MD 1867 1915 *** Act of 1914, CHAPTER 390. Ratified 1915 AN ACT to amend Article XV of the Declaration of Rights of the Constitution of the State of Maryland, and to provide for the submission of such amendment to the qualified voters of this State for their adoption or rejection. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland (three-fifths of all the members of each of the two Houses concurring), That the following Article be and the same is hereby proposed in the place and stead of Article XV of the Declaration of Rights of the Constitution of the State of Maryland, as at present existing, and if adopted by the legal and qualified voters thereof, as herein provided, it shall supersede and stand in place and stead of said Article. Article XV. That the levying of taxes by the poll is grievous and oppressive and ought to be prohibited; that paupers ought not to be assessed for the support of the government; that the General Assembly shall, by uniform rules, provide for separate assessment of land and classification and sub-classifications of improvements on land and personal property, as it may deem proper; and all taxes thereafter provided to be levied by the State for the support of the general State Government, and by the Counties and by the City of Baltimore for their respective purposes, shall be uniform as to land within the taxing district, and uniform within the class or sub-class of improvements on land and personal property which the respective taxing powers may have directed to be subjected to the tax levy; yet fines, duties or taxes may properly and justly be imposed, or laid with a political view for the good government and benefit of the community. Approved April 10th, 1914. [The 1867 constitution starts out with a Declaration of Rights. The declaration includes "articles" not sections, but we have coded them as sections in the 9002 article. So this is an amendment to section 15 (not article 15) of the Declaration of Rights.] *** MEND *** *** MSTART 020 000.0 011.A 0 MD 1867 1915 *** [Amendments 20 - 27 are the same, 7 sections are added into the constitution with this article] Act of 1914, CHAPTER 416. Ratified 1915 AN ACT to propose an amendment to the Constitution of this State by adding a new Article thereto to follow immediately after Article XI and to be known as Article XI-A, and to provide for the submission of said amendment to the qualified voters of this State for adoption or rejection. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland, (Three-fifths of all members of each of the two Houses concurring), That the following Article to follow immediately after Article XI and to be known as Article XI-A be and the same is hereby proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of this State, which Article, if adopted by the qualified voters of this State as herein provided, shall thereby by such adoption be and become a part of the Constitution of this State. ARTICLE XI-A. LOCAL LEGISLATION. SECTION 1. On demand of the Mayor of Baltimore and City Council of the City of Baltimore, or on petition bearing the signatures of not less than 20% of the registered voters of said City or any County (Provided, however, that in any case 10,000 signatures shall be sufficient to complete a petition), the Board of Election Supervisors of said City or County shall provide at the next general or congressional election, occurring after such demand or the filing of such petition, for the election of a charter board of eleven registered voters of said City or five registered voters in any such Counties. Nominations for members for said charter board may be made not less than forty days prior to said election by the Mayor of Baltimore and City Council of the City of Baltimore or the County -Commissioners of such County, or not less than twenty days prior to said election by petition bearing the signatures written in their own handwriting (and not by their mark) of not less than 5% of the registered voters of the said City of Baltimore or said County; provided, that in any case Two thousand signatures of registered voters shall be sufficient to complete any such nominating petition, and if not more than eleven registered voters of the City of Baltimore or not more than five registered voters in any such County are so nominated their names shall not be printed on the ballot, but said eleven registered voters in the City of Baltimore or five in such County shall constitute said charter board from and after the date of said election. At said election the ballot shall contain the names of said nominees in alphabetical order without any indication of the source of their nomination, and shall also be so arranged as to permit the voter to vote for or against the creation of said charter board, but the vote cast against said creation shall not be held to bar the voter from expressing his choice among the nominees for said board, and if the majority of the votes cast for and against the creation of said charter board shall be against said creation the election of the members of said charter board shall be void; but if such majority shall be in favor of the creation of said charter board, then and in that event the eleven nominees of the City of Baltimore or five nominees in the County receiving the largest number of votes shall constitute the charter board, and said charter board, or a majority thereof, shall prepare within six months from the date of said election a charter or form of government for said city or such county and present the same to the Mayor of Baltimore or President of the Board of County Commissioners of such county, who shall publish the same in at least two newspapers of general circulation published in said the City of Baltimore or County within thirty days after it shall be reported to him. Such charter shall be submitted to the voters of said City or County at the next general or congressional election after the report of said charter to said Mayor of Baltimore or President of the Board of County Commissioners; and if a majority of the votes cast for and against the adoption of said charter shall be in favor of such adoption, the said charter from and after the thirtieth days from the date of such election shall become the law of said City or County, subject only to the Constitution and Public General Laws of this State, and any public local laws inconsistent with the provisions of said charter and any former charter of said the City of Baltimore or County shall be thereby repealed. SEC. 2. The General Assembly at its first session after the adoption of this amendment shall by public general law provide a grant of express powers for such County or Counties as may thereafter farm a charter under the provisions of this Article. Such express powers granted to the Counties and the powers heretofore granted to the City of Baltimore, as set forth in Article 4, Section 6, Public Local Laws of Maryland, shall not be enlarged or extended by any charter formed under the provisions of this Article, but such powers may be extended, modified, amended or repealed by the General Assembly. SEC. 3. Every charter so formed shall provide for an elective legislative body in which shall be vested the law-making power of said City or County. Such legislative body "in the City of Baltimore shall be known as the City Council of the City of Baltimore, and in any County shall be known as the County Council of the County. The chief executive officer, if any such charter shall provide for the election of such executive officer, or the presiding officer of said legislative body, if such charter shall not provide for the election of a chief executive officer, shall be known in the City of Baltimore as Mayor of Baltimore, and in any County as the President of the County Council of the County, and all references in the Constitution and laws of this State to the Mayor of Baltimore and City Council of the City of Baltimore or to the County Commissioners of the Counties, shall be construed to refer to the Mayor of Baltimore and City Council of the City of Baltimore and to the President and County Council herein provided for whenever such construction would be reasonable. From and after the adoption of a charter by the City of Baltimore, or any County of this State, as hereinbefore provided, the Mayor of Baltimore and City Council of the City of Baltimore or the County Council of said County, subject to the Constitution and Public General Laws of this State, shall have full power to enact local laws of said City or County including the power to repeal or amend local laws of said city or county enacted by the General Assembly, upon all matters covered by the express powers granted as above provided; provided that nothing herein contained shall be construed to authorize or empower the County Council of any County in this State to enact laws or regulations for any incorporated town, village, or municipality in said County, on any matter covered by the powers granted to said town, village, or municipality by the Act incorporating it, or any subsequent Act or Acts amendatory thereto. Provided, however, that the charters for the various Counties shall provide that the County Council of the Counties shall not sit more than one month in each year for the purpose of enacting legislation for such Counties, and all legislation shall be enacted during the month so designated for that purpose in the charter, and all laws and ordinances so enacted shall be published once a week for three successive weeks in at least one newspaper published in such Counties, so that the taxpayers and citizens may have notice thereof. This provision shall not apply to Baltimore City. All such local laws enacted by the Mayor of Baltimore and City Council of the City of Baltimore or the Council of the Counties as hereinbefore provided, shall be subject to the same rules of interpretation as those now applicable to the Public Local Laws of this State, except that in case of any conflict between said local law and any Public General Law now or hereafter enacted the Public General Law shall control. SEC. 4. Prom and after the adoption of a charter under the provisions of this Article by the City of Baltimore or any County of this State, no public local law shall be enacted by the General Assembly for said City or County on any subject covered by the express powers granted as above provided. Any law so drawn as to apply to two or more of the geographical sub-divisions of this State shall not be deemed a Local Law, within the meaning of this Act. The term "geographical sub-division" herein used shall be taken to mean the City of Baltimore or any of the Counties of this State. SEC. 5. Amendments to any charter adopted by the City of Baltimore or by any County of this State under the provisions of this Article may be proposed by a resolution of the Mayor of Baltimore and the City Council of said the City of Baltimore, or the Council of said County, or by a petition signed by not less than 20% of the registered voters of said City or County, provided, however, that in any case 10,000 signatures shall be sufficient to complete a petition, and filed with the Mayor of Baltimore or the President of the County Council, and when so proposed shall be submitted to the voters of said City or County at the next general or congressional election occurring after the passage of said resolution, or the filing of said petition; and if at said election the majority of the votes cast for and against said amendment shall be in favor thereof, said amendment shall be adopted and become a part of the charter of said City or County from and after the thirtieth day after said election. Said amendments shall be published by said Mayor of Baltimore or President of the County Council once a week for five successive weeks prior to said election in at least one newspaper published in said City or County. SEC. 6. The power heretofore conferred upon the General Assembly to prescribe the number, compensation, powers and duties of the County Commissioners in each County, and the power to make changes in Sections 1 to 6 inclusive, Article XI of this Constitution, when expressly granted as hereinbefore provided, are hereby transferred to the voters of each County and the voters of City of Baltimore, respectively, provided that said powers so transferred shall be exercised only by the adoption or amendment of a charter as hereinbefore provided; and provided further that this Article shall not be construed to authorize the exercise of any powers in excess of those conferred by the Legislature upon said Counties or City as this Article sets forth. SEC. 7. The word "Petition" as used in this Article means one or more sheets written or printed, or partly written and partly printed; "Signature" means the signature of a registered voter written by himself in his own handwriting (and not by his mark), together with the ward or district and precinct in which he is registered. The authenticity of such signatures and the fact that the persons so signing are registered voters shall be evidenced by the affidavit of one or more registered voters of the City or County in which said voters so signing are registered, and one affidavit may apply to or cover any number of signatures to such petition. The false signing of any name, or the signing of any fictitious name to said petition shall be forgery,' and the making of any false affidavit in connection with said petition shall be perjury. Approved April 16th, 1914. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 021 001.0 011.A 0 MD 1867 1915 *** [Amendments 20 - 27 were added into the constitution as Article XI-A, at the same time by Act of 1914, CHAPTER 416. Ratified 1915] ARTICLE XI-A. LOCAL LEGISLATION. SECTION 1. On demand of the Mayor of Baltimore and City Council of the City of Baltimore, or on petition bearing the signatures of not less than 20% of the registered voters of said City or any County (Provided, however, that in any case 10,000 signatures shall be sufficient to complete a petition), the Board of Election Supervisors of said City or County shall provide at the next general or congressional election, occurring after such demand or the filing of such petition, for the election of a charter board of eleven registered voters of said City or five registered voters in any such Counties. Nominations for members for said charter board may be made not less than forty days prior to said election by the Mayor of Baltimore and City Council of the City of Baltimore or the County -Commissioners of such County, or not less than twenty days prior to said election by petition bearing the signatures written in their own handwriting (and not by their mark) of not less than 5% of the registered voters of the said City of Baltimore or said County; provided, that in any case Two thousand signatures of registered voters shall be sufficient to complete any such nominating petition, and if not more than eleven registered voters of the City of Baltimore or not more than five registered voters in any such County are so nominated their names shall not be printed on the ballot, but said eleven registered voters in the City of Baltimore or five in such County shall constitute said charter board from and after the date of said election. At said election the ballot shall contain the names of said nominees in alphabetical order without any indication of the source of their nomination, and shall also be so arranged as to permit the voter to vote for or against the creation of said charter board, but the vote cast against said creation shall not be held to bar the voter from expressing his choice among the nominees for said board, and if the majority of the votes cast for and against the creation of said charter board shall be against said creation the election of the members of said charter board shall be void; but if such majority shall be in favor of the creation of said charter board, then and in that event the eleven nominees of the City of Baltimore or five nominees in the County receiving the largest number of votes shall constitute the charter board, and said charter board, or a majority thereof, shall prepare within six months from the date of said election a charter or form of government for said city or such county and present the same to the Mayor of Baltimore or President of the Board of County Commissioners of such county, who shall publish the same in at least two newspapers of general circulation published in said the City of Baltimore or County within thirty days after it shall be reported to him. Such charter shall be submitted to the voters of said City or County at the next general or congressional election after the report of said charter to said Mayor of Baltimore or President of the Board of County Commissioners; and if a majority of the votes cast for and against the adoption of said charter shall be in favor of such adoption, the said charter from and after the thirtieth days from the date of such election shall become the law of said City or County, subject only to the Constitution and Public General Laws of this State, and any public local laws inconsistent with the provisions of said charter and any former charter of said the City of Baltimore or County shall be thereby repealed. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 022 002.0 011.A 0 MD 1867 1915 *** [Amendments 20 - 27 were added into the constitution as Article XI-A, at the same time by Act of 1914, CHAPTER 416. Ratified 1915] SEC. 2. The General Assembly at its first session after the adoption of this amendment shall by public general law provide a grant of express powers for such County or Counties as may thereafter farm a charter under the provisions of this Article. Such express powers granted to the Counties and the powers heretofore granted to the City of Baltimore, as set forth in Article 4, Section 6, Public Local Laws of Maryland, shall not be enlarged or extended by any charter formed under the provisions of this Article, but such powers may be extended, modified, amended or repealed by the General Assembly. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 023 003.0 011.A 0 MD 1867 1915 *** [Amendments 20 - 27 were added into the constitution as Article XI-A, at the same time by Act of 1914, CHAPTER 416. Ratified 1915] SEC. 3. Every charter so formed shall provide for an elective legislative body in which shall be vested the law-making power of said City or County. Such legislative body "in the City of Baltimore shall be known as the City Council of the City of Baltimore, and in any County shall be known as the County Council of the County. The chief executive officer, if any such charter shall provide for the election of such executive officer, or the presiding officer of said legislative body, if such charter shall not provide for the election of a chief executive officer, shall be known in the City of Baltimore as Mayor of Baltimore, and in any County as the President of the County Council of the County, and all references in the Constitution and laws of this State to the Mayor of Baltimore and City Council of the City of Baltimore or to the County Commissioners of the Counties, shall be construed to refer to the Mayor of Baltimore and City Council of the City of Baltimore and to the President and County Council herein provided for whenever such construction would be reasonable. From and after the adoption of a charter by the City of Baltimore, or any County of this State, as hereinbefore provided, the Mayor of Baltimore and City Council of the City of Baltimore or the County Council of said County, subject to the Constitution and Public General Laws of this State, shall have full power to enact local laws of said City or County including the power to repeal or amend local laws of said city or county enacted by the General Assembly, upon all matters covered by the express powers granted as above provided; provided that nothing herein contained shall be construed to authorize or empower the County Council of any County in this State to enact laws or regulations for any incorporated town, village, or municipality in said County, on any matter covered by the powers granted to said town, village, or municipality by the Act incorporating it, or any subsequent Act or Acts amendatory thereto. Provided, however, that the charters for the various Counties shall provide that the County Council of the Counties shall not sit more than one month in each year for the purpose of enacting legislation for such Counties, and all legislation shall be enacted during the month so designated for that purpose in the charter, and all laws and ordinances so enacted shall be published once a week for three successive weeks in at least one newspaper published in such Counties, so that the taxpayers and citizens may have notice thereof. This provision shall not apply to Baltimore City. All such local laws enacted by the Mayor of Baltimore and City Council of the City of Baltimore or the Council of the Counties as hereinbefore provided, shall be subject to the same rules of interpretation as those now /applicable to the Public Local Laws of this State, except that in case of any conflict between said local law and any Public General Law now or hereafter enacted the Public General Law shall control. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 024 004.0 011.A 0 MD 1867 1915 *** [Amendments 20 - 27 were added into the constitution as Article XI-A, at the same time by Act of 1914, CHAPTER 416. Ratified 1915] SEC. 4. From and after the adoption of a charter under the provisions of this Article by the City of Baltimore or any County of this State, no public local law shall be enacted by the General Assembly for said City or County on any subject covered by the express powers granted as above provided. Any law so drawn as to apply to two or more of the geographical sub-divisions of this State shall not be deemed a Local Law, within the meaning of this Act. The term "geographical sub-division" herein used shall be taken to mean the City of Baltimore or any of the Counties of this State. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 025 005.0 011.A 0 MD 1867 1915 *** [Amendments 20 - 27 were added into the constitution as Article XI-A, at the same time by Act of 1914, CHAPTER 416. Ratified 1915] SEC. 5. Amendments to any charter adopted by the City of Baltimore or by any County of this State under the provisions of this Article may be proposed by a resolution of the Mayor of Baltimore and the City Council of said the City of Baltimore, or the Council of said County, or by a petition signed by not less than 20% of the registered voters of said City or County, provided, however, that in any case 10,000 signatures shall be sufficient to complete a petition, and filed with the Mayor of Baltimore or the President of the County Council, and when so proposed shall be submitted to the voters of said City or County at the next general or congressional election occurring after the passage of said resolution, or the filing of said petition; and if at said election the majority of the votes cast for and against said amendment shall be in favor thereof, said amendment shall be adopted and become a part of the charter of said City or County from and after the thirtieth day after said election. Said amendments shall be published by said Mayor of Baltimore or President of the County Council once a week for five successive weeks prior to said election in at least one newspaper published in said City or County. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 026 006.0 011.A 0 MD 1867 1915 *** [Amendments 20 - 27 were added into the constitution as Article XI-A, at the same time by Act of 1914, CHAPTER 416. Ratified 1915] SEC. 6. The power heretofore conferred upon the General Assembly to prescribe the number, compensation, powers and duties of the County Commissioners in each County, and the power to make changes in Sections 1 to 6 inclusive, Article XI of this Constitution, when expressly granted as hereinbefore provided, are hereby transferred to the voters of each County and the voters of City of Baltimore, respectively, provided that said powers so transferred shall be exercised only by the adoption or amendment of a charter as hereinbefore provided; and provided further that this Article shall not be construed to authorize the exercise of any powers in excess of those conferred by the Legislature upon said Counties or City as this Article sets forth. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 027 007.0 011.A 0 MD 1867 1915 *** [Amendments 20 - 27 were added into the constitution as Article XI-A, at the same time by Act of 1914, CHAPTER 416. Ratified 1915] SEC. 7. The word "Petition" as used in this Article means one or more sheets written or printed, or partly written and partly printed; "Signature" means the signature of a registered voter written by himself in his own handwriting (and not by his mark), together with the ward or district and precinct in which he is registered. The authenticity of such signatures and the fact that the persons so signing are registered voters shall be evidenced by the affidavit of one or more registered voters of the City or County in which said voters so signing are registered, and one affidavit may apply to or cover any number of signatures to such petition. The false signing of any name, or the signing of any fictitious name to said petition shall be forgery,' and the making of any false affidavit in connection with said petition shall be perjury. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 028 060.0 003.0 0 MD 1867 1915 *** [Act of 1914, CHAPTER 453. Ratified 1915] .SECTION 60. The General Assembly of Maryland shall have-the power to provide by suitable general enactment (a) for the suspension of sentence by the Court in criminal cases; (b) for any form of the indeterminate sentence in criminal cases, and (c) for the release upon parole in whatever manner the General Assembly may prescribe, of convicts imprisoned under sentence of crimes. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 029 000.0 016.0 0 MD 1867 1915 *** [Amendments 29-35 create Article XVI, 6 sections are added into the constitution with this article. Created by Act of 1914, CHAPTER 673. Ratified 1915]. [AN ACT to amend the Constitution of Maryland by adding thereto a new Article to be entitled " Article XVI,'' providing for 'The Referendum," and to provide for the submission of said amendment to the qualified voters of the State for adoption or rejection. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Mary-- land, That three-fifths of all the members elected to each of the two Houses concurring, that the following new and additional Article, to be known as Article XVI, title "The Referendum, " be, and the same is hereby proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of Maryland, and if adopted by the legal and qualified Voters thereof, as herein provided, it shall stand as part and as a new and additional Article of said Constitution, to be known and entitled as aforesaid.] ARTICLE XVI. THE REFERENDUM. SEC. 1 (a). The people reserve to themselves power known, as The Referendum, by petition to have submitted to the registered voters of the State, to approve or reject at the polls, any Act, or part of any Act of the General Assembly, if approved by the Governor, or, if passed by the General Assembly over-the veto of the Governor; (b) The provisions of this Article shall be self-executing; provided that additional legislation in furtherance thereof and, not in conflict therewith may be enacted. SEC. 2. No law enacted by the General Assembly shall take-effect until the first day of June next after the session at which it may be passed, unless it contain a Section declaring such, law an emergency law and necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health or safety, and passed upon a yea, and nay vote supported by three-fifths of all the members elected to each of the two Houses of the General Assembly; provided, however, that said period of suspension may be extended as provided in Section 3 (b) hereof. , If before said first day of June there shall have been filed with the Secretary of the State a petition to refer to a vote of the people-any law or part of a law capable of referendum, as in this Article provided, the same shall be referred by the Secretary of State to such vote, and shall not become a law or take effect until thirty days after its approval by a majority of the electors voting thereon at the next ensuing election held throughout the State for members of the House of Representative of the-United States. An emergency law shall remain in force notwithstanding such petition, but shall stand repealed thirty days after having been rejected by a majority of the qualified electors voting thereon; provided, however, that no measure creating or abolishing any office, or changing the salary, term or duty of any officer, or granting any franchise or special privilege, or creating any vested right or interest, shall be enacted as an emergency law. No law making any appropriation for maintaining the State Government, or for maintaining or aiding any public institution, not exceeding the next previous appropriation for the same purpose, shall be subject to rejection or repeal under this Section. The increase in any such appropriation for maintaining or aiding any public institution shall only take effect as in the case of other laws, and such increase or any part thereof specified in the petition, may be referred to a vote of the people upon petition. SEC. 3 (a). The referendum petition against an Act or part of an Act passed by the General Assembly, shall be sufficient if signed by ten thousand qualified voters of the State of Maryland, of whom not more than half shall be residents of Baltimore City, or of any one County; provided that any Public Local Law for any one County or the City of Baltimore, shall be referred by the Secretary of State only to the people of said County or City of Baltimore, upon a referendum petition of ten per cent, of the qualified voters of said County or City of Baltimore as the case may be, calculated upon the whole number of votes cast therein respectively for Governor .at the last preceding Gubernatorial election. (b) If more than one-half, but less than the full number of signatures required to complete any referendum petition against any law passed by the General Assembly, be filed with Secretary of State before the first day of June, the time for the law to take effect, and for filing the remainder of signatures to complete the petition shall be extended to the thirtieth day of the same month, with like effect. SEC. 4. A petition may consist of several papers, but each paper shall contain the full text of the Act or part of Act petitioned upon; and there shall be attached to each such paper an affidavit of the person procuring the signatures thereon that of the said person's own personal knowledge every signature thereon is genuine and bona fide, and that the signers are registered voters of the State of Maryland, and of the City of Baltimore, or County, as the case may be, as set opposite their names, and no other verification shall be required. SEC. 5 (a). The General Assembly shall provide for furnishing the voters of the State the text of all measures to be voted upon by the people; provided, that until otherwise provided by law the same shall be published in the manner prescribed by Article XIV of the Constitution for the publication of proposed Constitutional Amendments. (b) All laws referred under the provisions of this Article shall be submitted separately on the ballots to the voters of the people, but if containing more than two hundred words, the full text shall not be printed on the official ballots, but the Secretary of State shall prepare and submit a ballot title of each such measure in such form as to present the purpose of said measure concisely and intelligently. The ballot title may be distinct from the legislative title, but in any case the legislative title shall be sufficient. Upon each of the ballots, following the ballot title or text, as the case may be, of each such measure, there shall be printed the words "For the referred law" and "Against the referred law," as the case may be. The votes cast for and against any such referred law shall be returned to the Governor in the manner prescribed with respect to proposed amendments to the Constitution under Article XIV of this Constitution, and the Governor shall proclaim the result of the election, and, if it shall appear that the majority of the votes cast on any such measure were cast in favor thereof, the Governor shall by his, proclamation declare the same having received a majority of the votes to have been adopted by the people of Maryland as a part of the laws of the State, to take effect thirty days after such election, and in like manner and with like effect the Governor shall proclaim the result of the local election as to any Public Local Law which shall have been submitted to the voters of any County or the City of Baltimore. SEC. 6. No law or Constitutional Amendment licensing, regulating, prohibiting, or submitting to local option the manufacture or sale of malt or spirituous liquors shall be referred or-repealed under any Act of the provisions of this Article. [SEC. 2. And be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland, That the foregoing Article hereby proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of this State, at the next general election for members of the General Assembly to be held in this. State, shall be submitted to the legal and qualified voters thereof for their adoption or rejection in pursuance of the directions, contained in Article XIV of the Constitution of this State, and that at such general election the vote upon said proposed amendment to the Constitution shall be by ballot, and upon each ballot there shall be printed the words "For the Constitutional Amendment" and "Against the Constitutional Amendment," as prescribed by law, and immediately after said election due returns shall be made to the Governor of the vote for and against said amendment as directed by the said Article XIV of the Constitution. Approved April 16th, 1914.] *** MEND *** *** MSTART 030 001.0 016.0 0 MD 1867 1915 *** [Amendments 29-35 create Article XVI, 6 sections are added into the constitution with this article. Created by Act of 1914, CHAPTER 673. Ratified 1915]. ARTICLE XVI. THE REFERENDUM. SEC. 1 (a). The people reserve to themselves power known, as The Referendum, by petition to have submitted to the registered voters of the State, to approve or reject at the polls, any Act, or part of any Act of the General Assembly, if approved by the Governor, or, if passed by the General Assembly over-the veto of the Governor; (b) The provisions of this Article shall be self-executing; provided that additional legislation in furtherance thereof and, not in conflict therewith may be enacted. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 031 002.0 016.0 0 MD 1867 1915 *** [Amendments 29-35 create Article XVI, 6 sections are added into the constitution with this article. Created by Act of 1914, CHAPTER 673. Ratified 1915]. SEC. 2. No law enacted by the General Assembly shall take-effect until the first day of June next after the session at which it may be passed, unless it contain a Section declaring such, law an emergency law and necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health or safety, and passed upon a yea, and nay vote supported by three-fifths of all the members elected to each of the two Houses of the General Assembly; provided, however, that said period of suspension may be extended as provided in Section 3 (b) hereof. , If before said first day of June there shall have been filed with the Secretary of the State a petition to refer to a vote of the people-any law or part of a law capable of referendum, as in this Article provided, the same shall be referred by the Secretary of State to such vote, and shall not become a law or take effect until thirty days after its approval by a majority of the electors voting thereon at the next ensuing election held throughout the State for members of the House of Representative of the-United States. An emergency law shall remain in force notwithstanding such petition, but shall stand repealed thirty days after having been rejected by a majority of the qualified electors voting thereon; provided, however, that no measure creating or abolishing any office, or changing the salary, term or duty of any officer, or granting any franchise or special privilege, or creating any vested right or interest, shall be enacted as an emergency law. No law making any appropriation for maintaining the State Government, or for maintaining or aiding any public institution, not exceeding the next previous appropriation for the same purpose, shall be subject to rejection or repeal under this Section. The increase in any such appropriation for maintaining or aiding any public institution shall only take effect as in the case of other laws, and such increase or any part thereof specified in the petition, may be referred to a vote of the people upon petition. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 032 003.0 016.0 0 MD 1867 1915 *** [Amendments 29-35 create Article XVI, 6 sections are added into the constitution with this article. Created by Act of 1914, CHAPTER 673. Ratified 1915]. SEC. 3 (a). The referendum petition against an Act or part of an Act passed by the General Assembly, shall be sufficient if signed by ten thousand qualified voters of the State of Maryland, of whom not more than half shall be residents of Baltimore City, or of any one County; provided that any Public Local Law for any one County or the City of Baltimore, shall be referred by the Secretary of State only to the people of said County or City of Baltimore, upon a referendum petition of ten per cent, of the qualified voters of said County or City of Baltimore as the case may be, calculated upon the whole number of votes cast therein respectively for Governor .at the last preceding Gubernatorial election. (b) If more than one-half, but less than the full number of signatures required to complete any referendum petition against any law passed by the General Assembly, be filed with Secretary of State before the first day of June, the time for the law to take effect, and for filing the remainder of signatures to complete the petition shall be extended to the thirtieth day of the same month, with like effect. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 033 004.0 016.0 0 MD 1867 1915 *** [Amendments 29-35 create Article XVI, 6 sections are added into the constitution with this article. Created by Act of 1914, CHAPTER 673. Ratified 1915]. SEC. 4. A petition may consist of several papers, but each paper shall contain the full text of the Act or part of Act petitioned upon; and there shall be attached to each such paper an affidavit of the person procuring the signatures thereon that of the said person's own personal knowledge every signature thereon is genuine and bona fide, and that the signers are registered voters of the State of Maryland, and of the City of Baltimore, or County, as the case may be, as set opposite their names, and no other verification shall be required. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 034 005.0 016.0 0 MD 1867 1915 *** [Amendments 29-35 create Article XVI, 6 sections are added into the constitution with this article. Created by Act of 1914, CHAPTER 673. Ratified 1915]. SEC. 5 (a). The General Assembly shall provide for furnishing the voters of the State the text of all measures to be voted upon by the people; provided, that until otherwise provided by law the same shall be published in the manner prescribed by Article XIV of the Constitution for the publication of proposed Constitutional Amendments. (b) All laws referred under the provisions of this Article shall be submitted separately on the ballots to the voters of the people, but if containing more than two hundred words, the full text shall not be printed on the official ballots, but the Secretary of State shall prepare and submit a ballot title of each such measure in such form as to present the purpose of said measure concisely and intelligently. The ballot title may be distinct from the legislative title, but in any case the legislative title shall be sufficient. Upon each of the ballots, following the ballot title or text, as the case may be, of each such measure, there shall be printed the words "For the referred law" and "Against the referred law," as the case may be. The votes cast for and against any such referred law shall be returned to the Governor in the manner prescribed with respect to proposed amendments to the Constitution under Article XIV of this Constitution, and the Governor shall proclaim the result of the election, and, if it shall appear that the majority of the votes cast on any such measure were cast in favor thereof, the Governor shall by his, proclamation declare the same having received a majority of the votes to have been adopted by the people of Maryland as a part of the laws of the State, to take effect thirty days after such election, and in like manner and with like effect the Governor shall proclaim the result of the local election as to any Public Local Law which shall have been submitted to the voters of any County or the City of Baltimore. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 035 006.0 016.0 0 MD 1867 1915 *** [Amendments 29-35 create Article XVI, 6 sections are added into the constitution with this article. Created by Act of 1914, CHAPTER 673. Ratified 1915]. SEC. 6. No law or Constitutional Amendment licensing, regulating, prohibiting, or submitting to local option the manufacture or sale of malt or spirituous liquors shall be referred or-repealed under any Act of the provisions of this Article. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 036 044.0 004.0 7 MD 1867 1915 *** [Act of 1914, CHAPTER 845. Ratified 1915] SEC. 44. There shall be elected in each county in every second year, one person, resident in said county, above the age of twenty-five years, and at least five years preceding his election, a citizen, of the State, to the office of Sheriff. He shall hold office for two years, and until his successor is duly elected and qualified; shall be ineligible for two years thereafter; shall give such bond, exercise such powers and perform such duties as now are or may hereafter be fixed by law. In case of a vacancy by death, resignation, refusal to serve, of neglect to qualify, or give bond, or by disqualification, or removal from the county, the Governor shall appoint a person to be Sheriff for the remainder of the official term. In the City of Baltimore at the general election to be held in the year 1915 and every four years thereafter, there shall be elected in said City of Baltimore, one person who shall be a resident of said city above the age of twenty-five years, and who shall have been at least five years preceding his election a citizen of this State, to the office of Sheriff. He shall hold his office for four years, and until his successor is duly elected and qualified; shall be eligible for re-election; shall give such bond, exercise such powers and perform such duties as now are or may hereafter be fixed by law. The Sheriff elected in and for the City of Baltimore in November, 1913, shall be eligible for re-election. In case of vacancy by death, resignation, refusal to serve, or neglect to qualify, or give bond, or by disqualification or removal from said City, the Governor shall appoint a person to be Sheriff for the remainder of the official term. The Sheriff hereafter elected and the Sheriff elected in and for the City of Baltimore on the 7th day of November, 1913. shall from the date of his qualification receive such salary as may be fixed by law, not to exceed six thousand dollars per year in any case, and such expenses necessary to the conduct of his office, as may be fixed by law, such salaries and expenses to be paid in such manner and at such times as may be prescribed by law. [Approved April 16th, 1914.] *** MEND *** *** MSTART 037 052.0 003.0 0 MD 1867 1916 *** [Act of 1916, CHAPTER 159. Ratified 1916] SEC. 52. The General Assembly shall not appropriate any money out of the Treasury except in accordance with the following provisions: Sub-Section A: Every appropriation bill shall be either a Budget Bill, or a Supplementary Appropriation Bill, as hereinafter mentioned. Sub-Section B: First. Within twenty days after the convening of the General Assembly (except in the case of a newly elected Governor, and then within thirty days after his inauguration), unless such time shall be extended by the General Assembly for the session at which the Budget is to be submitted, the Governor shall submit to the General Assembly two budgets, one for each of the ensuing fiscal years. Each budget shall contain a complete plan of proposed expenditures and . estimated revenues for the particular fiscal year to which it relates; and shall show the estimated surplus or deficit of revenues at the end of such year. Accompanying each budget shall be a statement showing: (1) the revenues and expenditures for each of the two fiscal years next preceding; (2) the current assets, liabilities, reserves and surplus or deficit of the State; (3) the debts and funds of the State; (4) an estimate of the State's financial condition as of the beginning and end of each of the fiscal years covered by the two budgets above provided; (5) any explanation the Governor may desire to make as to the important features of any budget and any suggestion as to methods for the reduction or increase of the State's revenue. Second. Each budget shall be divided into two parts, and the first- part shall be designated "Governmental Appropriations" and shall embrace an itemized estimate of the appropriations: (1) for the General Assembly as certified to the Governor in the manner hereinafter provided; (2) for the Executive Department; (3) for the Judiciary Department, as provided by law, certified to the Governor by the Comptroller; (4) to pay and discharge the principal and interest of the debt of the State of Maryland in conformity with Section 34 of Article III of the Constitution, and all laws enacted in pursuance thereof; (5) for the salaries payable by the State under the Constitution and laws of the State; (.6) for the establishment and maintenance throughout the State of a thorough and efficient system of public schools in conformity with Article VIII of the Constitution and with the laws of the State; (7) for such other purposes as are set forth in the Constitution of the State. Third. The second part shall be designated "General Appropriations, '' and shall include all other estimates of appropriations. The Governor shall deliver to the presiding officer of each house the budgets and a bill for all the proposed appropriations of the budgets clearly itemized and classified; and the presiding officer of each house shall promptly cause said bill to be introduced therein, and such bill shall be known as the "Budget Bill." The Governor may, before final action thereon by the General Assembly amend or supplement either of said budgets to correct an oversight or in case of an emergency, with the consent of the General Assembly by delivering such an amendment or supplement to the presiding officers of both houses; and such amendment or supplement shall thereby become a part of said budget bill as an addition to the items of said bill or as a modification of or a substitute for any item of said bill such amendment or supplement may affect. The General Assembly shall not amend the budget bill so as to affect either the obligations of the State under Section 34 of Article III of the Constitution, or the provision made by the laws of the State for the establishment and maintenance of a system of public schools, or the payment of any salaries required to be paid by the State of Maryland by the Constitution thereof; and the General Assembly may amend the bill by increasing or diminishing the items therein relating to the General Assembly, and by increasing the items therein relating to the judiciary, but except as hereinbefore specified, may sot alter the said bill except to strike out or reduce items therein, provided, however, that the salary or compensation of any public officer shall not be decreased during his term of office; and such bill when and as passed by both houses shall be a law immediately without further action by the Governor. Fourth. The Governor and such representatives of the executive departments, boards, officers and commissions of the State expending or applying for State's moneys, as have been designated by the Governor for this purpose, shall have the right, and when requested by either house of the Legislature, it shall be their duty to appear and be heard with respect to any budget bill during the consideration thereof, and to answer inquiries relative thereto. Sub-Section C: Supplementary Appropriation Bills: Neither house shall consider other appropriations until the Budget Bill has been finally acted upon by both houses, and no such other appropriation shall be valid except in accordance with the provisions following: (1) Every such appropriation shall be embodied in a separate bill limited to some single work, object or purpose therein stated and called herein a Supplementary Appropriation Bill; (a) Each Supplementary Appropriation Bill shall provide the revenue necessary to pay the appropriation thereby made by a tax, direct or indirect, to be laid and collected as shall be directed in said Bill; (3) No Supplementary Appropriation Bill shall become a law unless it be passed in each house by a vote of a majority of the whole number of the members elected; and the yeas and nays recorded on its final passage; (4) Each Supplementary Appropriation Bill shall be presented to the Governor of the State as provided in Section 17 of Article II of the Constitution and thereafter all the provisions of said Section shall apply. Nothing in this amendment shall be construed as preventing the Legislature from passing at any time in accordance with the provisions of Section 28 of Article III of the Constitution and subject to the Governor's power of approval as provided in Section 17 of Article II of the Constitution an appropriation bill to provide for the payment of any obligation of the State of Maryland within the protection of Section 10 of Article I of the Constitution of the United States. Sub-Section D: General Provisions: First. If the Budget Bill shall not have been finally acted upon by the Legislature three days before the expiration of its regular session, the Governor may, and it shall be MB duty to issue a proclamation extending the session for such farther period as may in his judgment be necessary for the passage of such Bill; but no other matter than such Bill shall be considered during such extended session except a provision for the cost thereof. Second. The Governor for the purpose of making up his budgets shall have the power, and it shall be his duty, to re-quire from the proper State officials, including herein all executive departments, all executive and administrative offices, bureaus, boards, commissions and agencies expending or supervising the expenditure of, and all institutions applying for State moneys and appropriations, such itemized estimates and other information, in such form and at such times as he shall direct. The estimates for the legislative department, certified by the presiding officer of each house, of the judiciary, as provided by law, certified by the Comptroller, and for the public schools, as provided by law, shall be transmitted to the Governor, in such form and at such times as he shall direct, and shall be included in the budget without revision. The Governor may provide for public hearings on all estimates and may require the attendance at such hearings of representatives of all agencies, and of all institutions applying for State moneys. After such public hearings he may in his discretion revise all estimates except those for the legislative and judiciary departments, and for the public schools as provided by law. Third. The Legislature may, from time to time, enact such laws, not inconsistent with this Section, as may be necessary and proper to carry out its provisions. Fourth. In the event of any inconsistency between any of the provisions of this Section and any of the other provisions of the Constitution, the provisions of this Section shall prevail. But nothing herein shall in any manner affect the provisions of Section 34 of Article III of the Constitution or of any laws heretofore or hereafter passed in pursuance thereof, or be construed as preventing the Governor from calling extraordinary sessions of the Legislature, as pro-vided by Section 16 of Article II, or as preventing the Legislature at such extraordinary sessions from considering any emergency appropriation or appropriations. If any item of any appropriation bill passed under the provisions of this Section shall be held invalid upon any ground, such invalidity shall not affect the legality of the Bill or of any other item of such Bill or Bills. [Approved March 28th, 1916.] *** MEND *** *** MSTART 038 044.0 004.0 7 MD 1867 1916 *** [Act of 1916, CHAPTER 547. Ratified 1916] Section 44. There shall be elected in each County on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in the month of November, 1917, and in every fourth year thereafter, on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in the month of November, 1919, and in every fourth year thereafter, one person, resident in said County above the age of twenty-five years and at least five years...................preceding his election, a citizen of the State, to the office of Sheriff. He shall hold office for four years, and until his successor is duly elected and qualified; bat shall not be eligible for re-election; The Sheriff elected in each of the counties in November, 1915, shall, however, be eligible for re-election for the next ensuing term. The Sheriff shall give such bond, exercise such powers and perform such duties as now are or may hereafter be fixed by law. In cases of a vacancy by death, resignation, refusal to serve, or neglect to qualify, or to give bond, or by disqualification, or removal from the County, the Governor shall appoint a person to be Sheriff for the remainder of the official term. [NOTE-Chapter 547 became a law without signature by reason of the fact of its being a Constitutional Amendment and Executive Approval is not necessary as it is passed by a three-fifths vote.] *** MEND *** *** MSTART 039 001.A 001.0 0 MD 1867 1918 *** [Act of 1918, CHAPTER 20. Ratified 1918] Section 1A. The General Assembly of Maryland shall have power to provide by suitable enactment for voting by qualified voters of the State of Maryland who are absent and engaged in the Military or Naval Service of the United States at the time of any election from the ward or election district in which they are entitled to vote, and for the manner in which and the time and place at which such absent voters may vote, and for the canvass and return of their votes. Approved March 22nd, 1918. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 040 002.0 003.0 0 MD 1867 1922 *** [Act of 1922, CHAPTER 7. Ratifed 1922] 2. The City of Baltimore shall be divided into six legislative districts as near as may be of equal population and of contiguous territory, and each of said legislative districts of Baltimore City, as they may from time to time be laid out, in accordance with the provisions hereof, and each county in the State, shall be entitled to one Senator, who shall be elected by the qualified voters of the said legislative districts of Baltimore City and of the counties of the State, respectively, and shall serve for four years from the date of his election, subject to the classification of Senators hereafter provided for. [Approved March 1st, 1922.] *** MEND *** *** MSTART 041 004.0 003.0 0 MD 1867 1922 *** [Act of 1922, CHAPTER 20. Ratified 1922] 4. As soon as may be, after the taking and publishing of the National Census of 1900, or after the enumeration of the population of this State, under the authority thereof, there shall be an apportionment of representation in the House of Delegates, to be made on the following basis, to wit: Each of the several counties of the State, having a population of eighteen thousand souls or less, shall be entitled to two delegates; and every county having a population of over eighteen thousand and less than twenty-eight thousand souls, shall be entitled to three delegates; and every county having a population of twenty-eight thousand and less than forty thousand souls, shall be entitled to four delegates; and every county having a population of forty thousand and less than fifty-five thousand souls, shall be entitled to five delegates; and every county having a population of fifty-five thousand souls and upwards, shall be entitled to six delegates and no more; and each of the six legislative districts of the City of Baltimore shall be entitled to the number of delegates to which the largest county shall or may be entitled under the aforegoing apportionment, and the General Assembly shall have the power to provide by law, from time to time, for altering and changing the boundaries of the existing legislative districts of the City of Baltimore, so as to make them as near as may be of equal population; but said district shall always consist of contiguous territory. In case the General Assembly, at the regular session of nineteen hundred and twenty-two, fails to fix the boundaries of the six legislative districts of the City of Baltimore, the Board of Supervisors of Elections of said city shall fix the boundaries of the six legislative districts, subject to the limitations contained herein, and shall give adequate notice of the same; and the boundaries so fixed shall remain until altered or changed by the General Assembly. [Approved March 1st, 1922.] *** MEND *** *** MSTART 042 001.0 006.0 0 MD 1867 1922 *** [Act of 1922, CHAPTER 141. Ratified 1922] SECTION 1. There shall be a Treasury Department, consisting of a Comptroller chosen by the qualified electors of the State, at each general election at which the Governor is chosen, who shall receive such salary as may be fixed by law; and a Treasurer, to be appointed by the two Houses of the Legislature, at each regular session thereof, in which begins the term of the Governor, on joint ballot, who shall receive an annual salary of two thousand five hundred dollars; and the terms of office of the said Comptroller and Treasurer shall be for four years, and until their successors shall qualify; and neither of the said officers shall be allowed, or receive any fees, commissions or perquisites of any kind in addition to his salary for the performance of any duty or services whatsoever. In case of a vacancy in either of the offices by death or otherwise, the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall fill such vacancy by appointment, to continue until another election or a choice by the legislature, as the case may be, and until the qualification of the successor. The Comptroller and the Treasurer shall keep their offices at the seat of government, and shall take such oath, and enter into such bonds for the faithful discharge of their duties as are now, or may hereafter be prescribed by law. [Approved April 13th, 1922.] *** MEND *** *** MSTART 043 000.0 017.0 0 MD 1867 1922 *** [Amendments 43-56 are from the same Act, 13 sections are added into the constitution with this article, by Act of 1922, CHAPTER 227. Ratified 1922] AN ACT to propose an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Maryland by adding thereto a new Article to be numbered "Article XVII," entitled "Quadrennial Elections," the same providing that all State officers, except judges, and all county officers elected by qualified voters shall be elected in every fourth year for terms of four years; and adjusting terms of State and county appointive officers; and providing that all provisions of the Constitution inconsistent with the provisions of this Article be repealed to the extent of such inconsistency; and providing for the submission of said amendment to the qualified voters of the State for adoption or rejection SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland, three-fifths of all the members of the two Houses concurring, That the following new Article to be numbered "Article XVII," title "Quadrennial Elections," be and the same is / hereby proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Maryland. The same if adopted by the legally qualified voters of the State, as herein provided, to become a Dart of said Constitution, and to be numbered and titled as aforesaid. ARTICLE XVII. Quadrennial Elections. Section 1. All State officers elected by qualified voters (except judges of the Circuit Courts of the several circuits, the member of the Court of Appeals from Baltimore City, and members of the Supreme Bench of Baltimore City), and all county officers elected by qualified voters, shall hold office for terms of four years, and until their successors shall qualify. Section 2. Elections by qualified voters for State and county officers shall be held on the Tuesday next after the first Monday of November, in the year nineteen hundred and twenty-six, and on the same day in every fourth year thereafter. Section 3. Members of the House of Delegates and all other State and county officers elected by the qualified voters at the election to be held on the Tuesday next after the first Monday of November, in the year nineteen hundred and twenty-three for terms of office heretofore fixed by law at two years, shall hold office for terms of three years; the Governor, Attorney General, members of the State Senate and all other State and County officers elected by the qualified voters at the election to be held on the Tuesday next after the first Monday of November, in the year nineteen hundred and twenty-three, for terms of office heretofore fixed by law at four years, shall hold office for terms of three years; Registers of Wills, Clerks of Court and all other State and county officers elected by qualified voters at the election to be held on the Tuesday next after the first Monday of November, in the year nineteen hundred and twenty-three, for terms of office heretofore fixed by law at six years, shall hold office for terms of three years; and all such State and county officers elected by qualified voters thereafter shall hold office for terms of four years. Section 4. All officers to be appointed by the Governor under existing provisions of law in the year nineteen hundred and twenty-four for terms of office heretofore fixed by law at two years, shall hold office for terms of three years; all officers so appointed for terms of office heretofore fixed by law at four years, shall hold office for terms of three years; all officers so appointed for terms of office heretofore fixed by law at six years, shall hold office for terms of five years, and thereafter appointments by the Governor shall be for the terms heretofore fixed by law, unless otherwise duly changed by law. All officers appointed by County Commissioners after the election to be held on the Tuesday next after the first Monday of November, nineteen hundred and twenty-three, for terms of office of two, four or six years, shall hold office for terms of three years; and thereafter appointment by the County Commissioners shall be for terms of four years, unless otherwise duly changed bylaw. Section 5. The terms of all State and county officers heretofore elected by qualified voters, and whose successors would not be elected until the Tuesday next after the first Monday of November, nineteen hundred and twenty-five, shall be increased by one year, and their successors shall be elected for the regular term at the election to be held on the Tuesday next after the first Monday of November, nineteen hundred and twenty-six. The terms of all State and county officers heretofore elected by qualified voters, and whose successors would not be elected until the Tuesday next after the first Monday of November, nineteen hundred and twenty-seven, shall remain unchanged; their successors shall be elected for a term of three years at the elections to be held on the Tuesday next after the first Monday of November, nineteen hundred and twenty-six but shall not take office until the expiration of the full term for which their predecessors have been elected; and their successors shall be elected for the regular term at the election to be held on , the Tuesday next after the first Monday of November, nineteen hundred and thirty. Nothing herein shall affect the terms of any judge of the Circuit Court of the several circuits, the member of the Court of Appeals from Baltimore City, or any member of the Supreme Bench of Baltimore City; if the term of any such judge shall expire in a year in which no election for members of the General Assembly is held, the Governor shall appoint a person duly qualified to fill said office, who shall hold the same until the next general election for members of the General Assembly, when a successor shall be elected for the term elsewhere provided. The terms of all State and county officers heretofore appointed for terms which will not expire until during the year nineteen hundred and twenty-five, nineteen hundred and twenty-six, nineteen hundred and twenty-seven or nineteen hundred and twenty-eight shall be reduced by one year, and their successors shall be appointed for the terms now provided by law in the years nineteen hundred and twenty-four, nineteen hundred and twenty-five, nineteen hundred and twenty-six or nineteen hundred and twenty-seven, respectively. In the event that the term of any officer appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate shall expire in the year nineteen hundred and twenty-five or twenty-six, the Governor shall have power to appoint a successor, who shall serve for the full term subject to confirmation by the Senate at the regular session to be held under this Article in the year nineteen hundred and twenty-seven. Section 6. The General Assembly shall meet on the first Wednesday of January, nineteen hundred and twenty-four, for a regular session, and shall not meet again for a regular session until the first "Wednesday of January, nineteen hundred and twenty-seven, and the General Assembly shall meet on the same day in every second year thereafter and at no other time, unless, convened by proclamation of the Governor. Section 7. The term of the Treasurer elected by the General Assembly at the regular session of nineteen hundred and twenty-four shall be three years. Thereafter the term shall be the same as elsewhere provided. Section 8. The terms of the Members of the Board of Supervisors of Elections of Baltimore City and of the several counties shall commence on the first Monday of June next ensuing their appointment. Section 9. The vote to be held under the provisions of Section 2 of Article XIV of the Constitution for the purpose of taking the sense of the people in regard to calling a Constitutional Convention shall be held at the general election in the year nineteen hundred and thirty, and every twenty years thereafter. Section 10. The Governor shall submit three budgets to the General Assembly at the regular session of nineteen hundred and twenty-four, in accordance with the provisions of Section 52 of Article III of the Constitution, for the three fiscal years beginning October first, nineteen hundred and twenty-four and ending September thirtieth, nineteen hundred and twenty-seven, and two budgets to the General Assembly at the regular session of nineteen hundred and twenty-seven, and thereafter as now provided by said section. Section 11. The purpose of this Article is to reduce the number of elections, by providing that all State and county elections shall be held, only in every fourth year, and at the time now provided by law for holding congressional elections; and to bring the terms of appointive officers into harmony with the changes effected in the time of the beginning of the terms of elective officers; and the administrative and judicial officers of the State shall construe the provisions of this Article so as to effectuate that purpose. For the purpose of this Article only the word "officers" shall be construed to include those holding positions and other places of employment in the state and county governments whose terms are fixed by law, but it shall not include any appointments made by the Board of Public Works, nor appointments by the Governor for terms of three years. Section 12. The General Assembly, at the regular session in the year nineteen hundred and twenty-four, shall make such changes in the primary and general election laws, and otherwise, as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Article. There shall be no election for State or county officers in the year nineteen hundred and twenty-five. Section 13. In the event of any inconsistency between the provisions of this Article and any of the other provisions of the Constitution, the provisions of this Article shall prevail, and all other provisions shall be repealed or abrogated to the extent of such inconsistency. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted by the authority afore said, That said aforegoing section, hereby proposed as an amendment to the Constitution shall be at the next general election for Members of the House of Representatives of Congress held in this State submitted to the legal and qualified voters of the State for adoption or rejection, in pursuance of the directions contained in Article XIV of the Constitution of this State, and at the said general election the vote on the said proposed amendment to the Constitution shall be by ballot, and upon each ballot there shall be printed the following synopsis of said amendment under the caption of "CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PROVIDING FOR FEWER ELECTIONS." "This amendment provides that all State officers, except judges, and all county officers elected by qualified voters shall be elected in every fourth year for terms of four years beginning with the election in November, nineteen hundred and twenty-six. The terms of State and county officers to be elected in nineteen hundred and twenty-three are reduced to three years, and the terms of other elective officers are increased or reduced, as necessary, so that their successors may be elected in nineteen hundred and twenty-six. Terms of officers appointed by the Governor and by County Commissioners are adjusted in harmony with the terms of the officials by whom they are appointed. The General Assembly shall meet in nineteen hundred and twenty-four for a regular session, and again in nineteen hundred and twenty-seven, and every two years thereafter. Other provisions of the Constitution and of the Laws are adjusted to harmonize with the above changes"; and the words "For Fewer Elections Amendment" and "Against Fewer Elections Amendment," as now provided by law, and immediately after said election due returns shall be made to the Governor of the vote for and against said proposed amendment, as directed by said Fourteenth Article of the Constitution, and further proceedings had in accordance with said Article Fourteen. Approved April 13th, 1922. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 044 001.0 017.0 0 MD 1867 1922 *** [Amendments 43-56 are from the same Act, 13 sections are added into the constitution with this article, by Act of 1922, CHAPTER 227. Ratified 1922] ARTICLE XVII. Quadrennial Elections. Section 1. All State officers elected by qualified voters (except judges of the Circuit Courts of the several circuits, the member of the Court of Appeals from Baltimore City, and members of the Supreme Bench of Baltimore City), and all county officers elected by qualified voters, shall hold office for terms of four years, and until their successors shall qualify. Approved April 13th, 1922. *** MEND *** *** MSTART 045 002.0 017.0 0 MD 1867 1915 *** [Amendments 43-56 are from the same Act, 13 sections are added into the constitution with this article, by Act of 1922, CHAPTER 227. Ratified 1922] Section 2. Elections by qualified voters for State and county officers shall be held on the Tuesday next after the first Monday of November, in the year nineteen hundred and twenty-six, and on the same day in every fourth year thereafter. [Approved April 13th, 1922.] *** MEND *** *** MSTART 046 003.0 017.0 0 MD 1867 1915 *** [Amendments 43-56 are from the same Act, 13 sections are added into the constitution with this article, by Act of 1922, CHAPTER 227. Ratified 1922] Section 3. Members of the House of Delegates and all other State and county officers elected by the qualified voters at the election to be held on the Tuesday next after the first Monday of November, in the year nineteen hundred and twenty-three for terms of office heretofore fixed by law at two years, shall hold office for terms of three years; the Governor, Attorney General, members of the State Senate and all other State and County officers elected by the qualified voters at the election to be held on the Tuesday next after the first Monday of November, in the year nineteen hundred and twenty-three, for terms of office heretofore fixed by law at four years, shall hold office for terms of three years; Registers of Wills, Clerks of Court and all other State and county officers elected by qualified voters at the election to be held on the Tuesday next after the first Monday of November, in the year nineteen hundred and twenty-three, for terms of office heretofore fixed by law at six years, shall hold office for terms of three years; and all such State and county officers elected by qualified voters thereafter shall hold office for terms of four years. [Approved April 13th, 1922.] *** MEND *** *** MSTART 047 004.0 017.0 0 MD 1867 1915 *** [Amendments 43-56 are from the same Act, 13 sections are added into the constitution with this article, by Act of 1922, CHAPTER 227. Ratified 1922] Section 4. All officers to be appointed by the Governor under existing provisions of law in the year nineteen hundred and twenty-four for terms of office heretofore fixed by law at two years, shall hold office for terms of three years; all officers so appointed for terms of office heretofore fixed by law at four years, shall hold office for terms of three years; all officers so appointed for terms of office heretofore fixed by law at six years, shall hold office for terms of five years, and thereafter appointments by the Governor shall be for the terms heretofore fixed by law, unless otherwise duly changed by law. All officers appointed by County Commissioners after the election to be held on the Tuesday next after the first Monday of November, nineteen hundred and twenty-three, for terms of office of two, four or six years, shall hold office for terms of three years; and thereafter appointment by the County Commissioners shall be for terms of four years, unless otherwise duly changed bylaw. [Approved April 13th, 1922.] *** MEND *** *** MSTART 048 005.0 017.0 0 MD 1867 1915 *** [Amendments 43-56 are from the same Act, 13 sections are added into the constitution with this article, by Act of 1922, CHAPTER 227. Ratified 1922] Section 5. The terms of all State and county officers heretofore elected by qualified voters, and whose successors would not be elected until the Tuesday next after the first Monday of November, nineteen hundred and twenty-five, shall be increased by one year, and their successors shall be elected for the regular term at the election to be held on the Tuesday next after the first Monday of November, nineteen hundred and twenty-six. The terms of all State and county officers heretofore elected by qualified voters, and whose successors would not be elected until the Tuesday next after the first Monday of November, nineteen hundred and twenty-seven, shall remain unchanged; their successors shall be elected for a term of three years at the elections to be held on the Tuesday next after the first Monday of November, nineteen hundred and twenty-six but shall not take office until the expiration of the full term for which their predecessors have been elected; and their successors shall be elected for the regular term at the election to be held on , the Tuesday next after the first Monday of November, nineteen hundred and thirty. Nothing herein shall affect the terms of any judge of the Circuit Court of the several circuits, the member of the Court of Appeals from Baltimore City, or any member of the Supreme Bench of Baltimore City; if the term of any such judge shall expire in a year in which no election for members of the General Assembly is held, the Governor shall appoint a person duly qualified to fill said office, who shall hold the same until the next general election for members of the General Assembly, when a successor shall be elected for the term elsewhere provided. The terms of all State and county officers heretofore appointed for terms which will not expire until during the year nineteen hundred and twenty-five, nineteen hundred and twenty-six, nineteen hundred and twenty-seven or nineteen hundred and twenty-eight shall be reduced by one year, and their successors shall be appointed for the terms now provided by law in the years nineteen hundred and twenty-four, nineteen hundred and twenty-five, nineteen hundred and twenty-six or nineteen hundred and twenty-seven, respectively. In the event that the term of any officer appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate shall expire in the year nineteen hundred and twenty-five or twenty-six, the Governor shall have power to appoint a successor, who shall serve for the full term subject to confirmation by the Senate at the regular session to be held under this Article in the year nineteen hundred and twenty-seven. [Approved April 13th, 1922.] *** MEND *** *** MSTART 049 006.0 017.0 0 MD 1867 1915 *** [Amendments 43-56 are from the same Act, 13 sections are added into the constitution with this article, by Act of 1922, CHAPTER 227. Ratified 1922] Section 6. The General Assembly shall meet on the first Wednesday of January, nineteen hundred and twenty-four, for a regular session, and shall not meet again for a regular session until the first "Wednesday of January, nineteen hundred and twenty-seven, and the General Assembly shall meet on the same day in every second year thereafter and at no other time, unless, convened by proclamation of the Governor. [Approved April 13th, 1922.] *** MEND *** *** MSTART 050 007.0 017.0 0 MD 1867 1915 *** [Amendments 43-56 are from the same Act, 13 sections are added into the constitution with this article, by Act of 1922, CHAPTER 227. Ratified 1922] Section 7. The term of the Treasurer elected by the General Assembly at the regular session of nineteen hundred and twenty-four shall be three years. Thereafter the term shall be the same as elsewhere provided. [Approved April 13th, 1922.] *** MEND *** *** MSTART 051 008.0 017.0 0 MD 1867 1915 *** [Amendments 43-56 are from the same Act, 13 sections are added into the constitution with this article, by Act of 1922, CHAPTER 227. Ratified 1922] Section 8. The terms of the Members of the Board of Supervisors of Elections of Baltimore City and of the several counties shall commence on the first Monday of June next ensuing their appointment. [Approved April 13th, 1922.] *** MEND *** *** MSTART 052 009.0 017.0 0 MD 1867 1915 *** [Amendments 43-56 are from the same Act, 13 sections are added into the constitution with this article, by Act of 1922, CHAPTER 227. Ratified 1922] Section 9. The vote to be held under the provisions of Section 2 of Article XIV of the Constitution for the purpose of taking the sense of the people in regard to calling a Constitutional Convention shall be held at the general election in the year nineteen hundred and thirty, and every twenty years thereafter. [Approved April 13th, 1922.] *** MEND *** *** MSTART 053 010.0 017.0 0 MD 1867 1915 *** [Amendments 43-56 are from the same Act, 13 sections are added into the constitution with this article, by Act of 1922, CHAPTER 227. Ratified 1922] Section 10. The Governor shall submit three budgets to the General Assembly at the regular session of nineteen hundred and twenty-four, in accordance with the provisions of Section 52 of Article III of the Constitution, for the three fiscal years beginning October first, nineteen hundred and twenty-four and ending September thirtieth, nineteen hundred and twenty-seven, and two budgets to the General Assembly at the regular session of nineteen hundred and twenty-seven, and thereafter as now provided by said section. [Approved April 13th, 1922.] *** MEND *** *** MSTART 054 011.0 017.0 0 MD 1867 1915 *** [Amendments 43-56 are from the same Act, 13 sections are added into the constitution with this article, by Act of 1922, CHAPTER 227. Ratified 1922] Section 11. The purpose of this Article is to reduce the number of elections, by providing that all State and county elections shall be held, only in every fourth year, and at the time now provided by law for holding congressional elections; and to bring the terms of appointive officers into harmony with the changes effected in the time of the beginning of the terms of elective officers; and the administrative and judicial officers of the State shall construe the provisions of this Article so as to effectuate that purpose. For the purpose of this Article only the word "officers" shall be construed to include those holding positions and other places of employment in the state and county governments whose terms are fixed by law, but it shall not include any appointments made by the Board of Public Works, nor appointments by the Governor for terms of three years. [Approved April 13th, 1922.] *** MEND *** *** MSTART 055 012.0 017.0 0 MD 1867 1915 *** Section 12. The General Assembly, at the regular session in the year nineteen hundred and twenty-four, shall make such changes in the primary and general election laws, and otherwise, as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Article. There shall be no election for State or county officers in the year nineteen hundred and twenty-five. [Approved April 13th, 1922.] *** MEND *** *** MSTART 056 013.0 017.0 0 MD 1867 1915 *** [Amendments 43-56 are from the same Act, 13 sections are added into the constitution with this article, by Act of 1922, CHAPTER 227. Ratified 1922] Section 13. In the event of any inconsistency between the provisions of this Article and any of the other provisions of the Constitution, the provisions of this Article shall prevail, and all other provisions shall be repealed or abrogated to the extent of such inconsistency. [Approved April 13th, 1922.] *** MEND *** *** MSTART 057 010.0 015.0 0 MD 1867 1922 *** [Act of 1922, CHAPTER 275. Ratified 1922.] Section 10. Any officer elected or appointed in pursuance of the provisions of this Constitution, may qualify, either according to the existing provisions of law, in relation to officers under the present Constitution, or before the Governor of the State, or before any Clerk of any Court of Record in any part of the State; but in case an officer shall qualify out of the County in which he resides, an official copy of his oath shall be filed and recorded in the Clerk's office of the Circuit Court of the County in which he may reside, or in the Clerk's office of the Superior Court of the City of Baltimore, if he shall reside therein. All words or phrases, used in creating public offices and positions under the Constitution and laws of this State, which denote the masculine gender shall be construed to include the feminine gender, unless the contrary intention is specifically expressed. [Approved April 13th, 1922.] *** MEND *** *** CEND ***