SPIRO T. AGNEW, Governor                        835

CHAPTER 460
(Senate Bill 195)

AN ACT to add new Section 4B to Article 25 of the Annotated Code
of Maryland (1965 Replacement Volume), title "County Commis-
sioners," subtitle "General Provisions," to follow immediately after
Section 4 thereof, to provide for a referendum procedure for acts,
ordinances, and resolutions adopted or passed CERTAIN LEGIS-
LATIVE ACTIONS TAKEN by the Prince George's County
Commissioners.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That new Section 4B be and it is hereby added to Article 25 of the
Annotated Code of Maryland (1965 Replacement Volume), title
"County Commissioners," subtitle "General Provisions," to follow
immediately after Section 4 thereof, and to read as follows:

4B.

(a) In Prince George's County, any act, ordinance and resolution,

adopted or passed by the County Commissioners, except any act,

ordinance or resolution imposing a tax, or making an appropriation

for the county government or any county institution, may be peti-

tioned by the voters of that county to be submitted for approval or

rejection by them at the next regular election held in that county.

Acts, ordinances and resolutions adopted or passed by the County
Commissioners of Prince George's County shall become effective on
the August 15th immediately following their adoption or passage,

except that those adopted or passed by a yea and nay vote of four-

fifths of the Commission shall become effective immediately upon
passage or adoption and upon satisfying the requirements of Sec-
tion 4 of this Article. The referendum petitions must be filed with
the Board of Supervisors of Elections prior to August 15 following
the adoption or passage of the act, ordinance or resolution and must

bear the signature of at least five per centum of those voting for

Governor in Prince George's County in the last general election.
*

Upon proper filing of the petition, the act, ordinance or resolution

shall not become effective until thirty days after its approval by a

majority of the voters voting thereon at the next regular election

held in the county, except that any act, ordinance and resolution

adopted or passed by a four-fifths vote of the Commissioners shall
remain in force notwithstanding the petition, but shall stand repealed
thirty days after having been rejected by a majority of the qualified
doctors voting thereon.

(b) The Board of Supervisors of Elections of Prince George's

County shall adopt rules and regulations specifying the form of the

referendum petition and the procedure for filing such form and sub-
mission of petitioned acts, ordinances and resolutions to the voters.

(A) IN PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY ANY ACTION HAV-
ING A LEGISLATIVE EFFECT AND PERTAINING TO THE
GENERAL PUBLIC TAKEN BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS EXCEPT: (1) THE IMPOSITION OF A TAX,
AND IN THE EXERCISE OF BONDING AUTHORITY RELAT-
ING TO THE IMPOSITION OF A TAX, (2) THE MAKING OF
AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT OR