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LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 83

(House Bill 773)

AN ACT concerning

Chartered Counties — Referendum

FOR the purpose of confirming by statutory enactment the
inherent right of the citizens of a chartered county
to reserve to themselves the power of referendum by
which they may, by petition, submit to the
registered voters of the county any local law, or
portion thereof, enacted by the county council;
providing that this right shall be set forth in the
county charter; providing that the county charter or
local laws enacted by the county council shall
provide adequate details with respect to the time,
notice and form relating to a referendum; and
providing that initial notice of a referendum must
not be less than a certain time before the election
at which a local law is submitted to the voters of
the county.

BY adding to

Article 25A — Chartered Counties of Maryland

Section 8

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1973 Replacement Volume and 1975 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That new Section 8 be and it is hereby added to
Article 25A — Chartered Counties of Maryland, of the
Annotated Code of Maryland (1973 Replacement Volume and
1975 Supplement) to read as follows:

Article 25A — Chartered Counties of Maryland

8.

(A)    THE CITIZENS OF A CHARTERED COUNTY HAVE THE
RIGHT TO RESERVE TO THEMSELVES THE POWER OF REFERENDUM BY
WHICH THEY MAY, BY PETITION, SUBMIT TO THE REGISTERED
VOTERS OF THE COUNTY ANY LOCAL LAW, OR PORTION OF ANY
LOCAL LAW, ENACTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LEGISLATIVE
PROCEDURE OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL. IF RESERVED, THIS RIGHT
SHALL BE SET FORTH IN THE CHARTER OF THE COUNTY WHICH
SHALL SPECIFY THE TYPES OF LOCAL LAWS WHICH KAY BE
PETITIONED TO REFERENDUM AND WHETHER PORTIONS OF LAWS MAY
BE PETITIONED TO REFERENDUM.

(B)    IN IMPLEMENTING PROCEDURES RELATING TO THE
POWER OF REFERENDUM, THE COUNTY CHARTER OR THE LOCAL LAWS
ENACTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURE OF
THE COUNTY COUNCIL SHALL PROVIDE ADEQUATE DETAILS WITH
RESPECT TO TIME, NOTICE, AND FORM. HOWEVER, IN NO EVENT