SPIRO T. AGNEW, Governor                         903

23-8. Same—Separate offenses; punishment.

In the enforcement of Sees. 23-3 to 23-7, inclusive, of this sub-
title, each separate violation and the invalidity or impropriety of
each individual signature is a separate offense, punishable under the
general penalties provided in Sec. 24-27 of this Article; and also
punishable (if the offense warrants) under the laws concerning per-
jury.

23-9. Publication of laws.

Not later than thirty days prior to any election at which laws are
to be submitted to the voters under the provisions of Article XVI of
the State Constitution, the text of any such measures shall be pub-
lished by order of the Governor at least by one insertion in two or
more newspapers published within the several counties of the State,
and in those counties where there is only one newspaper published
which is a weekly of general circulation, then in such weekly news-
paper and in all the daily newspapers published in Baltimore City
which will publish the same at the current rate of commercial ad-
vertising; in the case of laws referred only to the voters of Balti-
more City or of a particular county, such publication shall be made
in at least one newspaper of general circulation in said city or county.

23-10. Cost of publication.

The cost of publishing in newspapers any laws upon which a refer-
endum vote shall be taken under the provisions of Article XVI of
the Constitution shall be paid as follows: If said law is submitted
to the voters of the entire State, by the Secretary of State out of
funds appropriated for said purpose by the General Assembly in the
budget bill; if said law is submitted to the voters of any county of
the State, by the board of county commissioners or county council
of said county, and if said law is submitted to the voters of the City
of Baltimore, by the mayor and city council of Baltimore.

23-11. Result of votes.

(a)    It shall be the duty of the board of county commissioners,
the county council, the mayor or other executive head of every
municipal corporation and the executive head of any other political
subdivision in this State, in which jurisdiction there is held a refer-
endum vote on any law, ordinance or resolution, to report the results
of such referendum as promptly as possible to the clerk of the court in
the county or counties in which said political subdivision lies or, in
Baltimore City, to the Clerk of the Superior Court of the city; and
as promptly as possible thereafter said clerk of court shall certify
the results of any such referendum to the Secretary of State and
to the State Comptroller. Each of such latter officials is directed to
collect and keep careful records of such certifications.

(b)    It shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to collect
from the boards and/or other officials having the same including the
several clerks of court and to keep in his office a record of all
referendum votes taken by the voters of the State or any county
therein, or the City of Baltimore, or by an incorporated city or town
of the State on any proposed incorporation of a town, upon any
law passed at any session of the General Assembly of the State,
whether regular or extraordinary, and whether the referendum