HARRY HUGHES, Governor

2579

FOR the purpose of altering the number of votes required to
pass a proposed agricultural commodity assessment;
deleting repetitive provisions of law; and clarifying
language.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,

Article - Agriculture
Section 10-108(a) and 10-109
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1974 Volume and 1981 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That section(s) of the Annotated Code of Maryland
read(s) as follows:

Article - Agriculture

10-108.

(a) [If at least two thirds] (1) A PROPOSED
ASSESSMENT ON AN AGRICULTURAL COMMODITY PASSES IF A MAJORITY
of those persons qualifying as voters and voting in the area
in which the referendum is conducted[,] vote in favor of the
levying and collection of the proposed assessment on the
agricultural commodity[, then the assessment shall be
announced by].

(2) IF A PROPOSED ASSESSMENT PASSES, the agency
conducting the referendum SHALL ANNOUNCE THE ASSESSMENT.

10-109.

(a)  If [the first] AN assessment [or any subsequent
referendum for an assessment receives at least two thirds of
those persons qualifying as voters and voting] HAS PASSED
and the assessments [are] HAVE BEEN levied annually for the
period set forth in the call for the referendum, then the
agency [conducting] THAT CONDUCTED the referendum may call
and conduct another referendum during [the fifth year of the
first period or] the last, year of [any subsequent] THE
ASSESSMENT period, on the question, of an annual assessment
for the next [ensuing five] 5 years.

(b)  If [the] A PROPOSED assessment does not [receive
at least two thirds of those persons qualifying as voters
and voting] PASS, then the [certified] agency [conducting]
THAT CONDUCTED the referendum may call another referendum
the next succeeding year, for the purposes set forth in this
subtitle, on the question of an annual assessment for [five]
5 years.