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Proceedings and Debates of the 1967 Constitutional Convention
Volume 104, Volume 1, Debates 2666   View pdf image (33K)
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2666 CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF MARYLAND [Dec. 20]

the legislature to redistrict immediately
after the 1970 census. If the Federal Gov-
ernment holds consistent, we will have a
census in '70 and in '80, so that would make
it very consistent. We will have a good
section without having the freezing lan-
guage left in that would hamper and ham-
string and make inflexible the law for the
activity of the legislature in this field.

I urge adoption of the amendment, Mr.
President, and hope that we can leave the
legislature with something with which they
can work.

THE CHAIRMAN: Are there any ques-
tions of the sponsor of the amendment?
The Chair hears none.

Delegate Gallagher.

DELEGATE GALLAGHER: So that the
record will be complete, will the reading
clerk please read amendment No. 1, which
was the amendment A?

READING CLERK: Amendment No. 1 to
Committee Recommendation LB-3 by Dele-
gates Gilchrist, Adkins, Carson, Fox, Freed-
lander, Hostetter, Rollins.

On page 1 strike out all of section
3. 03 (b). Congressional Districts comprising
lines 8 through 25, inclusive.

THE CHAIRMAN: That is the amend-
ment already acted upon and rejected by a
vote of 37 to 82.

Will the Clerk now please read Amend-
ment No. 2. This is amendment C. Amend-
ment No. 2 has been modified. Please follow
the Clerk.

READING CLERK: Amendment No. 2 to
Committee Recommendation LB-3, by Dele-
gate Weidemeyer.

On page 1 section 3. 03 (b), Congressional
Districts in line 13 after the period strike
out the remainder of this line and all of
lines 14 through "subdivisions" in line 21,
and strike "according to these standards"
in line 23.

THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Gallagher.

DELEGATE GALLAGHER: I must re-
spectfully oppose the amendment offered
by Delegate Weidemeyer, who is concerned
about freezing requirements in the consti-
tution. I certainly am moved by the gen-
erosity which he shows by including the re-
quirement that the State must be divided
into congressional districts.

I would point out that the gentleman
is really giving away ice in the wintertime,

because Congress already has established by
law that the number of districts be equal to
the number of representatives to which
each state is entitled, and ,the representa-
tives shall be elected only from districts so
established. No district shall elect more
than one representative.

In actuality Delegate Weidemeyer is
only recognizing where Congress has al-
ready acted. It seems to me the section
would take the guts out of section 3.03 (b).

Let me read you what Jud^e Simon So-
beloff had to say in the case of Maryland
Citizens Committee for Fair Congressional
Redistricting Taives.

In the course of the hearing the attorney
general of Maryland, after consultation
with the governor, advised the court that in
the light of the unsuccessful efforts in the
preceding 1964 session of the General
Assembly to achieve a constitutional re-
districting law, there was then no possi-
bility of legislative action.

So I am suggesting to Delegate Weide-
meyer even when all the flexibility in the
world was available to the General Assem-
bly of Maryland, it was of no avail, and
there were three unsuccessful attempts in
a five-year period to have the legislature
pass a constitutional law, none of which
ever saw the light of day.

It seems to me that the least we can do
is to give them a constitutional set of
standards to go by so they will know the
area in which we think they are expected to
act to discharge their duties responsibly
to the people of Maryland.

I would urge you to defeat this amend-
ment which in essence is no different from
the one you just defeated.

THE CHAIRMAN: Any other discus-
sion? Are you ready for the question?

(Call for the question.)
The Clerk will ring the quorum bell.

The question arises on the adoption of
Amendment No. 2 to Committee Recom-
mendation LB-3. A vote Aye is a vote in
favor of the amendment. A vote No is a
vote against.

Cast your votes.

Has every delegate voted ? Does any dele-
gate desire to change his vote?

(There was no response.)
The Clerk will record the vote.



 

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Proceedings and Debates of the 1967 Constitutional Convention
Volume 104, Volume 1, Debates 2666   View pdf image (33K)
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