WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor Ch. 538
[238.

(a) Before promulgating or adopting a rule an agency shall publish the proposed
rule in a newspaper of general circulation in Washington County at least 45 days before
the effective date of the rule.

(b) At least 15 days after publication and not less than 15 days before the
effective date of the rule, the agency shall hold a public hearing on the rule.

(c) Notice of the public hearing shall be published in a newspaper of general
circulation in Washington County at least 15 days before the hearing. This notice may
be included in the publication of the proposed rule.

(d) In addition to the publication requirements of this section, an agency shall
take every means it deems proper to publicize the proposed rule and to solicit public
comment on it.

(e) The agency shall accept from any person written comments or testimony on
a proposed rule any time before its effective date.

(f) If substantive changes are made in the proposed rule after its initial
publication, the agency shall publish the revised rule in a newspaper of general
circulation in Washington County at least ten days before the effective date of the rule.]

[239.

(a) Each agency shall adopt rules governing the formal and informal procedures
prescribed by this subtitle. The rules shall include rules of practice before the agency
together with forms and instructions. The rules and procedures may not be construed or
implemented so as to interfere with the right of any lawyer to practice before any
agency or so as to grant the right to practice law to any person not authorized to do so.

(b) To assist interested persons dealing with it, each agency shall so far as
practicable supplement its rules with descriptive statements of its procedures.]

[240.

(a) A rule may not be enforced unless a certified copy of the rule is filed with
the clerk of the Circuit Court of Washington County and the State Department of
Legislative Reference.

(b) A rule shall be effective upon filing unless a later date is required by statute
or specified in the rule.

(c) The clerk of the Circuit Court shall keep a separate binder for agency rules.
The binder shall be indexed by agency.

(d) Every agency shall compile, index and publish its rules. The compilation
shall be supplemented at least annually. Copies of all rules shall be available for public
inspection during normal business hours at the principal office of the agency.

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