140 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 88

CHAPTER 88.

(House Bill 261)

AN ACT authorizing every municipal corporation in Prince
George's County to remove or suspend from office any person
holding office under such municipal corporation upon writ-
ten charges and a hearing, and to summon witnesses, and
to fill vacancies thus created.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Mary-
land, That in addition to, but not in substitution of, the pow-
ers which have been, or may hereafter be, granted to the sev-
eral municipal corporations in Prince George's County in
their respective charters, the Mayor and Council, or other
governing body, by whatsoever name known, shall have the
power, by a majority vote, to remove or suspend from office
any person who has been appointed to any municipal office
in such incorporated town, for inefficiency, malfeasance, non-
feasance, misconduct in office, or insubordination. Before re-
moving any such person from office the charges shall be re-
duced to writing and a time set for hearing upon such charges
before the governing body of such incorporated town, and a
copy of the complaint and notice of the time when the charges
will be inquired into and examined shall be delivered to the
party complained against at least forty-eight hours before such
hearing. They may summon before them any witnesses to
testify for or against such complaint. Before the hearing on
such charges begin the party complained against shall deliver
to such governing body an answer in writing to every charge
made against him, and shall have the right to be heard and to
be represented by counsel. If the party complained against
should fail to answer all of such charges in writing, or should
fail to appear at the time and place stated in the notice, or at
an adjournment thereof, or if such charges are sustained by
a majority vote of the governing body of such incorporated
town, then such governing body shall have the right to remove
such person from office or to suspend him from office for such
period of time as they may determine. In such case the gov-
erning body shall have the power to fill the vacancy for the
unexpired term, or temporarily during the period of suspen-
sion from office.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take
effect June 1, 1939.

Approved May 3, 1939.