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CONSTITUTION — ART. III.

Compensation
of members
1864, res 4

Sic. 15 The General Assembly may continue its session so long as, in its
judgment, the public interest may require, for a period not longer than ninety
days; and each member thereof, shall receive n compensation of five dollars
per diem, for every day he shall attend the session; but not for such days as be
may be absent, unless absent on account of sickness, or by leave of the house
of which ho is a member; and ho shall also receive such mileage as may be al-
lowed by law, not exceeding twenty cents per mile; and the presiding officer
of each house shall receive an additional compensation of three dollars per day.

Extra sessions

When the General Assembly shall be convened by proclamation of the gov-
ernor, the session shall not continue longer than thirty days; and in such case,
the compensation shall be the same as herein prescribed

Books not to be
purchased.

SEC 16 No book, or other printed mutter, not appertaining to the business of
the session, shall be purchased, or subscribed for, for the use of the members of
the General Assembly, or bo distributed among them, at the public expense

Disqualifica-
tions to hold
certain offices.

SEC 17 No senator or delegate, after qualifying as such, notwithstanding
he may thereafter resign, shall during the whole period of time for which he
was elected, be eligible to any office which shall have been created, or the
salary or profits of which shall have been increased, during such term.

Exemption for
words in debate

SEC 18 No senator or delegate shall be liable in any civil action, or crimi-
nal prosecution, whatever, for words spoken in debate

Powers of each
house

SEC 19 Each house shall be judge of the qualifications and elections of its
members, as prescribed by the Constitution and laws of the State, shall ap-
point its own officers, determine the rules of its own proceedings, punish a
member for -disorderly or disrespectful behavior, and with the consent of two-
thirds of its whole number of members elected, expel a member; but no mem-
ber shall be expelled a second time for the same offence.

Quorum

SEC 20. A minority of the whole number of members elected to each house
shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business; but a smaller num-
ber may adjourn from day to day, and compel the attendance of absent mem-
bers, in such manner, and under such penalties, as each house may prescribe

Sessions to be
open

SEC 21 The doors of each house, and of the committee of the whole shall
be open, except when the business is such as ought to be kept secret

Journals to be
published

SEC. 22 Each house shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and cause the
same to be published The yeas and nays of members on any question

Yeas and nays
1853, c 36

shall at the call of any five of them in the House of Delegates, or one in the
Senate, be entered on the journal

Imprisonment
of disorderly
persons.

SEC 23 Each house may punish by imprisonment, during the session of the
General Assembly, any person, not a member, for disrespectful or disorderly
behavior in its presence, or for obstructing any of its proceedings, or any of its
officers in the execution of their duties; provided such imprisonment shall not,
at any one time, exceed ten days

Powers of the
House of
Delegates.

SEC 24 The House of Delegates may inquire, on the oath of witnesses, into
all complaints, grievances, and offences as the grand inquest of the State, and

Grand inquest

may commit any person, for any crime, to the public jail, there to remain until
discharged by due course of law. They may examine and pass all accounts of
the State, relating either to the collection or expenditure of the revenue, and

Power to send
for persons and
papers
7 Md. 466

appoint auditors to state and adjust the same They may call for all public or
official papers and records, and send for persons, whom they may judge neces-
sary, in the course of their inquiries, concerning affairs relating to the public
interest, and may direct all office bonds which shall be made payable to the
State, to be sued for any breath thereof, and with the view to the more certain
prevention or correction of the abuses in the expenditures of the money of the
State, the General Assembly shall create, at every session thereof, a joint stand-
ing committee of the Senate and House of Delegates, who shall have power to send
for persons and examine them on oath, and call for public or official papers
and records, and whose duty it shall be to examine and report upon all con-