J. MILLARD TAWES, GOVERNOR                          1213

official under the authority of any law heretofore repealed, previous
to the time the repeal took effect

(f) Zoning actions validated.—Any zoning ordinance, regulation,
resolution, amendment or change, report, zoning map, or other zon-
ing action enacted, adopted, made, or taken prior to June 1, 1959,
by the County Council of Montgomery County or the County Com-
missioners of Prince George's County, acting respectively as the
District Councils of the Regional District, or by the Commission un-
der any applicable laws, are approved, ratified, and confirmed, not
withstanding any defect in the procedure followed in the enactment,
adoption, making, or taking of such ordinance, regulation, resolu-
tion, amendment or change, report, zoning map, or other zoning
action, or any failure strictly to conform to or comply with the pro-
cedure specified in the applicable laws.

2.    Appointment and Qualifications of Commission.

The Commission shall be composed of ten members, five of whom
shall be residents of Montgomery County and five of whom shall be
residents of Prince George's County. Of the members of the Com-
mission from each county, not more than three shall be members of
the same political party. At least one member from each county
shall be a resident of a predominantly agricultural portion of the
county which lies within the Regional District. All members shall
be persons of ability, experience, and integrity and shall not be se-
lected as representing or supporting any special interest or interests.
All members of the Commission to be appointed from each county
shall be appointed by the governing body of each county, respectively.

3.    Terms and Tenure of Commission.

The term of office of each member of the Commission shall be for
four years. Appointments shall be made on or before June 15 of the
year in which any appointment is to be made, and terms of office
shall begin as of that date. The members of the Commission in of-
fice immediately prior to June 1, 1959, shall remain in office under
the provisions of this Article for the remainder of the terms to which
respectively appointed. Those terms shall expire on the following
dates: two from each county on June 14, 1959; one from each county
on June 14, 1960; one from each county on June 14, 1961; and one
from each county on June 14, 1962. Members may continue to serve
until their successors are appointed and have qualified.

4.    Removals and Vacancies in Commission.

The appointing body of either county may remove any member
from that county prior to the expiration of the term for which he
was appointed. In such case the cause of removal shall be stated in
writing and a public hearing held thereon. Any vacancy occurring
in the membership of the Commission for any cause shall be filled
by the governing body of the county in which the vacancy occurs for
the unexpired term. A person appointed to fill any such vacancy
for an unexpired term shall be a member of the same political party
as was represented by the member who vacated the office.