LEGAL REVIEW UNIT

In 1990, the Division established the Legal
Review Unit as a separate component within the
Legislative Division. The Legal Review Unit
responds to requests for legal opinions and advice
pertinent to legislation. This service is provided
directly to members of the General Assembly and
to other Legislative Division staff. The Legal
Review Unit also analyzes decisions of the Court of
Special Appeals and the Court of Appeals and
opinions of the Attorney General afFecring the
State's laws in order to keep members of the
General Assembly informed of court decisions that
may raise issues for the legislature.
The Legal Review Unit also reviews and analyzes
regulations proposed by executive branch agencies on
behalf of the Joint Committee on Administrative,
Executive and Legislative Review, the statutory com-
mittee responsible for legislative oversight of the
regulatory process. This review helps ensure agency
compliance with statutory authority legislative intent,
and public notice requirements.

LEGISLATIVE DRAFTING & STATUTOKT
REVISION
William G. Somerville, Deputy Director &Revisor
of Statutes
841-3870

As part of its role in the enactment of Maryland's
laws, the Division provides nonpartisan profes-
sional staff to research, draft, and prepare legislative
bills at the request of members of the State Senate
and House of Delegates. Each year, more than
3,500 bills and joint resolutions are drafted by
Division staff.
After bills are introduced by members of the
General Assembly, the Division continues to play a
critical role in the legislative process by preparing,
reviewing, coordinating, and processing individual-
ly sponsored and committee initiated amendments
to bills. Amendments are formal changes that can
significantly alter the content and effect of the law
that is enacted.
The statutory revision function of the Legislative
Division originated as the Division of Statutory
Revision, created in 1972 within the Department
of Legislative Reference (Chapter 182, Acts of
1972). The Division, also known as the Code
Revision Division, was incorporated into the Legis-
lative Division in 1990 as an integral component of
the drafting responsibilities of the Division. The
statutory revision component is charged with the
development and preparation of the ongoing com-
prehensive revision and restatement of the An-
notated Code of Maryland, i.e., the statutory body of
the laws of Maryland (Code State Government
Article, sees. 2-1315 through 2-1319).
The first reorganization and recodification of the
Code since 1888 was begun in 1970 by the Corn-

Leffislature/55

mission to Revise the Annotated Code of Maryland.
The Commission was charged to study and revise
the Annotated Code in order to improve the or-
ganization, accessibility, utility, and clarity of law
and to eliminate unconstitutional, obsolete, incon-
sistent or conflicting statutes. Until 1985, the
Division of Statutory Revision worked under Com-
mission supervision.
In 1985, the Legislative Policy Committee voted
to continue the work of the Commission under a
reorganized system of small committees with over-
sight from the Legislative Policy Committee and
continuing review by the General Assembly Or-
ganized to direct and assist in the revision process,
the committee system includes the Code Revision
Committee and individual Article review commit-
tees for Articles in production. Currently under
review or planned are the following Articles: Busi-
ness Regulations; Insurance; and State Personnel.
The General Assembly has enacted into law the
following twenty Articles: Agriculture; Business
Occupations and Professions; Commercial Law;
Corporations and Associations; Courts and Judicial
Proceedings; Education; Environment; Estates and
Trusts; Family Law; Financial Institutions;
Health—General; Health Occupations; Labor and
Employment; Natural Resources; Real Property;
State Finance and Procurement; State Govern-
ment; Tax—General; Tax—Property; and
Transportation. Including the Business Regula-
tions, State Personnel, and Insurance Articles, ap-
proximately twelve Articles remain to be completed
or prepared and enacted into law in order to con-
clude the recodificarion process begun in 1970.

CODE REVISION COMMITTEE
Alan M. Wilner, Chairperson

Appointed by Governor: Avery Aisenstark; Lowell R.
Bowen; Franklin B. Olmsted; Roger D. Redden;
Shale D. Stiller.

974-2495

Appointed by the Legislative Policy Committee,
the Code Revision Committee provides advice on
the selection of proposed Articles and the composi-
tion of Article committees. Formerly the Article
Selection Committee, the Committee received its
present name in 1990.

BUSINESS REGULATIONS ARTICLE REVIEW
COMMITTEE

Franklin B. Olmsted, Chairperson

Appointed by Senate President & House Speaker: Judith
A. Armold; Perry G. Bowen, Jr.; Judson P. Garrett,
Jr.; James J. Hanks, Jr.; H. Thomas Howell;
Nathaniel E. Jones, Jr.; Henry F. Leonnig; Patrida A,
Logan; Joseph E. Owens; Evelyn W. Pasquier; Abba
David Poliakoff; Edward F. Shea, Jr.