Ch. 287                             MARVIN MANDEL, Governor                                  671

CHAPTER 287
(Senate Bill 1224)

AN ACT to add new Sections 1A, 1A, 3A, and 10A to Articles 23A, 25, 25A, and
25B of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1966 Replacement Volume, 1971
Supplement and 1972 Interim Supplement), titles "Corporations-Municipal,"
"County Commissioners," "Chartered Counties of Maryland," and "Home
Rule for Code Counties," respectively; subtitles "In General," "General
Provisions," "General Provisions," and "Enactment of Local Laws,"
respectively; to provide that certain officials shall not be liable in any civil
action or criminal prosecution for words spoken in debate.

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That new Sections 1A, 1A, 3A, and 10A be and they are hereby
added to Articles 23A, 25, 25A and 25B of the Annotated Code of Maryland
(1966 Replacement Volume, 1971 Supplement and 1972 Interim Supplement),
titles "Corporations-Municipal," "County Commissioners," "Chartered Counties
of Maryland," and "Home Rule for Code Counties," respectively; subtitles "In
General," "General Provisions," "General Provisions," and "Enactment of Local
Laws," respectively, and all to read as follows:

Article 23A.

1A.

NO TOWN COUNCILMAN OR SIMILAR OFFICIAL BY WHATEVER
NAME KNOWN OR BALTIMORE CITY COUNCILMAN SHALL BE
LIABLE IN ANY CIVIL ACTION OR CRIMINAL PROSECUTION FOR
WORDS SPOKEN IN DEBATE AT A TOWN OR BALTIMORE CITY
COUNCIL MEETING.

Article 25.
1A.

NO COUNTY COMMISSIONER SHALL BE LIABLE IN ANY CIVIL
ACTION OR CRIMINAL PROSECUTION FOR WORDS SPOKEN IN
DEBATE AT A MEETING OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

Article 25A.
3A.

NO COUNTY COUNCILMAN SHALL BE LIABLE IN ANY CIVIL
ACTION OR CRIMINAL PROSECUTION FOR WORDS SPOKEN IN
DEBATE AT A MEETING OF THE COUNTY COUNCILMEN.

Article 25B.

10A.

NO CODE COUNTY COMMISSIONER SHALL BE LIABLE IN ANY
CIVIL ACTION OR CRIMINAL PROSECUTION FOR WORDS SPOKEN
IN DEBATE AT A MEETING OF THE CODE COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS.