1444

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 548

referendum, as in this Article provided, the same shall
be referred [by the Secretary of State] to [such] THE
vote, and [shall] MAY not become a law or take effect
until [thirty] 30 days after its approval by a majority
of the electors voting [thereon] ON IT at the next
ensuing election held throughout the State for Members of
the House of Representatives of the United States. An
emergency law shall remain in force notwithstanding
[such] THE petition, but shall stand repealed [thirty] 30
days after having been rejected by a majority of the
qualified electors voting [thereon; provided, however,
that] ON IT. HOWEVER, [no] A measure creating or
abolishing any office, or changing the salary, term or
duty of any officer, or granting any franchise or special
privilege, or creating any vested right or interest,
[shall] MAY NOT be enacted as an emergency law. [No] A
law making any appropriation for maintaining the State
Government, or for maintaining or aiding any public
institution, not exceeding the next previous
appropriation for the same purpose, [shall be] IS NOT
subject to rejection or repeal under this Section. The
increase in any [such] appropriation for maintaining THE
STATE GOVERNMENT OR FOR MAINTAINING or aiding any public
institution shall only take effect as in the case of
other laws, and [such] THE increase or any part [thereof]
OF IT specified in the petition, may be referred to a
vote of the people upon petition.]]

3.

(a)  The referendum petition against an Act or part
of an Act passed by the General Assembly, shall be
sufficient if signed by three [per centum] PERCENT of the
qualified voters of the State of Maryland, calculated
upon the whole number of votes cast [therein] for
Governor at the last preceding Gubernatorial election, of
whom not more than half [shall be] ARE residents of
Baltimore City, or of any one County[; provided that].
HOWEVER, any Public Local Law for any one County or the
City of Baltimore, shall be referred by the Secretary of
State [by the Secretary of State] only to the people of
[said] THE County or City of Baltimore, upon a referendum
petition of ten [per cent] PERCENT of the qualified
voters of [said] THE County or City of Baltimore, as the
case may be, calculated upon the whole number of votes
cast [therein] respectively for Governor at the last
preceding Gubernatorial election.

(b)  If more than [one-half] ONE-THIRD, but less than
the full number of signatures required to complete any
[referndum] REFERENDUM petition against any law passed by
the General Assembly, be filed with [Secretary of State]
THE [[STATE ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD OF ELECTION LAWS]]
Secretary of State before the first day of [June]
[[JULY]] June, the time for the law to take effect[,] and
for filing the remainder of signatures to complete the
petition shall be extended to [the thirtieth day of the
same month] [[JULY 15]] the thirtieth day of the same