Montgomery ....................... 841-3001
Prince George's..................... 841-3076
Queen Anne's ...................... 841-3410
St. Mary's ......................... 841-3314
Somerset........................... 841-3433
Southern Maryland ................. 841-3314
Talbot............................. 841-3488
Washington ........................ 841-3349

Wicomico.......................... 841-3427
Worcester.......................... 841-3431

Note: Telephone numbers listed are local calls
from Baltimore-Annapolis area. For toll-free calls
from Montgomery and Prince George's counties
and Washington, D.C., area, use an 858 prefix
instead of the 841 prefix listed.

The legislative powers of the State are vested in
the General Assembly, which consists of two dis-
tinct branches, the Senate and the House of Dele-
gates (Const. 1867, Art. Ill, sec. 1). The General
Assembly consists of 188 members, with 47 Sena-
tors and 141 members of the House of Delegates.
They are elected from 47 legislative districts.

Every Senator or Delegate must be a citizen of
the State and a resident of it for at least one year
preceding the date of election. For six months pri-
or to election, the legislator must have resided in
his or her legislative district. A Senator must be at
least twenty-five years of age at the time of elec-
tion and a Delegate at least twenty-one. No mem-
ber of Congress or any person holding a civil or
military office under the United States Govern-
ment is eligible for election to the General Assem-
bly (Const. 1867, Art. Ill, sees. 9, 10, 11). The
term of each Senator and Delegate is four years
from the second Wednesday of January following
the date of election (Const. 1867, Art. Ill, sec. 6).
The Governor is required to appoint to any va-
cancy that occurs in either House through death,
resignation, or disqualification a person whose
name is submitted to the Governor in writing by
the State Central Committee of the political party
with which the legislator, so vacating, had been
affiliated in the county or district from which he
or she was elected. The person so appointed must
be of the same political party, if any, as was the
legislator whose office is to be filled. All persons
so appointed serve for the unexpired portion of
the term (Const. 1867, Art. Ill, sec. 13). Each
House elects its own officers, is judge of the quali-
fications and election of its own members, and es-
tablishes rules for the conduct of its business
(Const. 1867, Art. Ill, sec. 19).

The General Assembly meets annually. Sessions
begin the second Wednesday in January and last
for a period not longer than ninety consecutive
days. The General Assembly may extend its ses-
sions beyond ninety days, but not to exceed an ad-
ditional thirty days, by resolution concurred in by
three-fifths vote of the membership in each House.
The Governor may call special sessions at any

time the Governor deems it necessary (Const.
1867, Art. Ill, sec. 14), but no single special ses-
sion may last longer than thirty days.

At each regular session, the General Assembly
must pass a budget bill that contains the budget
for State government for the next fiscal year. Up-
on passage of the bill by both Houses, it becomes
law without further action (Const. 1867, Art. Ill,
sec. 52). By Constitutional Amendment adopted
by the people at the General Election held No-
vember 7, 1978, the General Assembly is autho-
rized to enact laws (other than appropriation
bills) that mandate the Governor, in the prepara-
tion of the annual budget, to provide for the fund-
ing of specific programs at specified levels (Const.
1867, Art. Ill, sees. 52(11) and (12)).

Under the provisions of a Constitutional
Amendment ratified by the voters in 1972 (Chap-
ter 369, Acts of 1972), the Senate and the House
of Delegates may adopt a "consent calendar" pro-
cedure. While affording members of each House
reasonable notice of the bills placed on each con-
sent calendar, this procedure permits bills to be
read and voted upon as a single group on both
second and third readings (Const. 1867, Art. Ill,
sees. 27, 28).

The General Assembly has power to pass such
laws as are necessary for the welfare of the State.
It also has the power to pass public local laws for
counties not having home rule powers and for
special taxing areas. The Home Rule Amendment
of 1954 (Const. 1867, Art. XI-E) virtually prohib-
its the General Assembly from passing local legis-
lation for incorporated cities and towns, although
the Assembly retains its power to pass a general
statewide law that affects them.

The General Assembly may establish such de-
partments of State government as are necessary
for its efficient operation and may establish special
taxing districts or areas within the State for the
purpose of administering a special function or
functions. The General Assembly may establish
such taxes as are in accordance with the Constitu-
tion of the State and of the United States. It may