HARRY HUGHES, Governor

2085

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That section(s)
of the Annotated Code of Maryland be repealed, amended, or
enacted to read as follows:

Article 16A - STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND
Civil Defense

[Maryland Civil Defense and Disaster Preparedness]
STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND CIVIL DEFENSE Act

1.

This subtitle may be cited as the [Maryland] STATE
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND Civil Defense [and Disaster
Preparedness] Act.

2.

(a)   [Because of the existing possibility of the
occurrence of disasters of unprecedented size and
destructiveness, and in] IN order to insure that
[preparations of this] THE State will be [adequate]
ADEQUATELY PREPARED to deal with [such disasters]
EMERGENCIES AND DISASTERS WHICH ARE BEYOND THE CAPABILITIES
OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES, and generally to provide for the
common defense and to protect the public peace, health, and
safety, and to preserve the lives and property of the people
of the State of Maryland, it is hereby found and declared to
be necessary: (1) to create a [Maryland Civil Defense and
Disaster Preparedness] STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND CIVIL
DEFENSE Agency, and to authorize the creation of local
organizations for [civil defense and disaster preparedness]
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND CIVIL DEFENSE in the political
subdivisions of the State; (2) to confer upon the Governor
and upon the executive heads or governing bodies of the
political subdivisions of the State the emergency powers
provided herein; and (3) to provide for the rendering of
mutual aid among the political subdivisions of the State and
with other states with respect to the carrying out of the
[civil defense and disaster preparedness] EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT AND CIVIL DEFENSE functions.

(b)  It is further declared to be the purpose of this
subtitle and the policy of the State of Maryland that all
[civil defense and disaster related] EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
AND CIVIL DEFENSE functions of this State be coordinated to
the maximum extent possible with the comparable functions of
the federal government, other states and localities, and of
private agencies of every type, to the end that the most
effective preparation and use may be made of the resources
and facilities available for dealing with any disaster that
may occur.

3.

As used in this subtitle: