HARRY HUGHES, Governor

2673

pertaining to imprisonment for debt; clarifying and
specifying the meaning of the term "alimony"; and
submitting this amendment to the qualified voters of
the State of Maryland for their adoption or rejection.

BY proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Maryland

Article III - Legislative Department
Section 38

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, (Three-fifths of all the members elected to each
of the two Houses concurring), That it be proposed that
section(s) of the Constitution of Maryland read(s) as
follows:

Article III - Legislative Department

38.

No person shall be imprisoned for debt, but a valid
decree of a court of competent jurisdiction or agreement
approved by decree of said court for the support of a [wife]
SPOUSE or dependent children, or for the support of an
illegitimate child or children, or for alimony (EITHER
COMMON LAW OR AS DEFINED BY STATUTE), shall not constitute a
debt within the meaning of this section.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the General
Assembly determines that the amendment to the Constitution
of Maryland proposed by this Act affects multiple
jurisdictions and that the provisions of Article XIV,
Section 1 of the Constitution concerning local approval of
constitutional amendments do not apply.

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the
aforegoing section proposed as an amendment to the
Constitution of Maryland shall be submitted to the legal and
qualified voters of this State at the next general election
to be held in November, 1982 for their adoption or rejection
in pursuance of directions contained in Article XIV of the
Constitution of this State. At that general election, the
vote on this proposed amendment to the Constitution shall be
by ballot, and upon each ballot there shall be printed the
words "For the Constitutional Amendments" and "Against the
Constitutional Amendments," as now provided by law.
Immediately after the election, ail returns shall be made to
the Governor of the vote for and against the proposed
amendment, as directed by Article XIV of the Constitution,
and further proceedings had in accordance with Article XIV.

Approved May 20, 1982.