(d) The recommendation shall be introduced as a joint
resolution in each house of the General Assembly not later
than the fifteenth day of the session. The General Assembly
may amend the joint resolution to decrease the recommended
salaries, but may not amend the joint resolution to increase
the recommended salaries. If the General Assembly fails to
adopt a joint resolution in accordance with this section within
50 days after its introduction, the salaries recommended by
the Commission shall apply. If the General Assembly amends
the joint resolution in accordance with this section, the
salaries specified in the joint resolution, as amended, shall
apply. If the Commission recommends no salary change, a
joint resolution shall not be introduced.

(e) The Commission may not recommend salaries
lower than that received by the incumbent Governor at the
time the recommendation is made; and the General Assem-
bly may not amend the joint resolution to provide for
salaries lower than that received by the incumbent Gover-
nor and Lieutenant Governor.

(f) A change in salary resulting from either Commission
recommendation or amended joint resolution under this
section shall take effect at the beginning of the next ensuing
term of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor.

(g) Commission inaction or failure of the Commission
to meet the requirements of this section with respect to
proposing a change in salary for the Governor and lieu-
tenant Governor shall result in no change in salary.

SEC. 22.⁴² Secretary of State shall be appointed by
the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the
Senate, who shall continue in office, unless sooner removed
by the Governor, till the end of the official term of the
Governor from whom he received his appointment, and
receive such annual salary as the General Assembly may
from time to time by law prescribe.

SEC. 23. The Secretary of State shall carefully keep
and preserve a Record of all official acts and proceedings,
which may at all times be inspected by a committee of
either Branch of the Legislature; and he shall perform such
other duties as may be prescribed by Law, or as may
properly belong to his office, together with all clerical duty
belonging to the Executive Department.

SEC. 24.⁴³ The Governor may make changes in the
organization of the Executive Branch of the State Govern-
ment, including the establishment or abolition of depart-
ments, offices, agencies, and instrumentalities, and the
reallocation or reassignment of functions, powers, and
duties among the departments, offices, agencies, and in-
strumentalities of the Executive Branch. Where these
changes are inconsistent with existing law, or create new
governmental programs they shall be set forth in executive
orders in statutory form which shall be submitted to the
General Assembly within the first ten days of a regular
session. An executive order that has been submitted shall

Article III

become effective and have the force of law on the date
designated in the Order unless specifically disapproved,
within fifty days after submission, by a resolution of disap-
proval concurred in by a majority vote of all members of
either House of the General Assembly. No executive order
reorganizing the Executive Branch shall abolish any office
established by this Constitution or shall change the powers
and duties delegated to particular officers or departments
by this Constitution.

ARTICLE III.

SECTION 1. The Legislature shall consist of two
distinct branches; a Senate, and a House of Delegates; and
shall be styled the General Assembly of Maryland.

SEC. 2.⁴⁴ The membership of the Senate shall consist
of forty-seven (47) Senators. The membership of the
House of Delegates shall consist of one hundred forty-one
(141) Delegates.

SEC. 3.⁴⁵ The State shall be divided by law into legis-
lative districts for the election of members of the Senate and
the House of Delegates. Each legislative district shall contain
one (1) Senator and three (3) Delegates. Nothing herein
shall prohibit the subdivision of any one or more of the
legislative districts for the purpose of electing members of the
House of Delegates into three (3) single-member delegate
districts or one (1) single-member delegate district and one
(1) multi-member delegate district.

SEC. 4.⁴⁶ Each legislative district shall consist of
adjoining territory, be compact in form, and of substantially
equal population. Due regard shall be given to natural
boundaries and the boundaries of political subdivisions.

SEC. 5.⁴⁷ Following each decennial census of the
United States and after public hearings, the Governor shall
prepare a plan setting forth the boundaries of the legislative
districts for electing of the members of the Senate and the
House of Delegates.

The Governor shall present the plan to the President of
the Senate and Speaker of the House of Delegates who
shall introduce the Governor's plan as a joint resolution to
the General Assembly, not later than the first day of its
regular session in the second year following every census,
and the Governor may call a special session for the presen-
tation of his plan prior to the regular session. The plan shall
conform to Sections 2, 3 and 4 of this Article. Following
each decennial census the General Assembly may by joint
resolution adopt a plan setting forth the boundaries of the
legislative districts for the election of members of the
Senate and the House of Delegates, which plan shall
conform to Sections 2, 3 and 4 of this Article. If a plan has
been adopted by the General Assembly by the 45th day
after the opening of the regular session of the General