1102

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 284

Defined terms: "Hearing" § 2-1601

"House" § 2-101 "Investigating committee" § 2-1601

"Person" § 1-101 "Senate" § 2-101

2-1609. HEARINGS.

(A)  AUTHORITY.

AN INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE MAY HOLD ANY HEARING THAT THE
INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE CONSIDERS APPROPRIATE, AT THE TIMES AND
PLACES THAT IT DETERMINES.

(B)  NOTICE.

(1)  THE RULES OF AN INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE SHALL
PROVIDE FOR WRITTEN NOTICE OF A HEARING TO BE GIVEN TO THE
MEMBERS:

(I)  AT LEAST 3 DAYS BEFORE THE HEARING, IF IT
IS HELD WHEN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS IN SESSION; AND

(II)  AT LEAST 7 DAYS BEFORE THE HEARING, IF IT
IS HELD WHEN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS NOT IN SESSION.

(2)  NOTICE OF A HEARING SHALL INCLUDE A STATEMENT OF
THE SUBJECT MATTER.

(3)  A HEARING AND ACTION THAT IS TAKEN AT A HEARING
ARE NOT INVALID ONLY BECAUSE NOTICE IS NOT GIVEN AS PROVIDED IN
THIS SUBSECTION.

(C)  PUBLIC HEARING; EXCEPTIONS AND RESTRICTIONS.

(1)  A HEARING SHALL BE PUBLIC UNLESS, BY A MAJORITY
VOTE OF ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE, THE
INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE DETERMINES OTHERWISE.

(2)  A HEARING MAY NOT BE FILMED, TELEVISED, OR
BROADCAST, IN WHOLE OR IN PART.

(D)  TESTIMONY; STATEMENTS.

(1)  WITH THE CONSENT OF A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS OF
AN INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE WHO ARE PRESENT AT A HEARING, A
WITNESS OR COUNSEL FOR THE WITNESS MAY SUBMIT TO THE
INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE A SWORN STATEMENT THAT IS RELEVANT TO THE
PURPOSE, SUBJECT, AND SCOPE OF THE INVESTIGATION OR INQUIRY.

(2)  IF AN INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE BELIEVES THAT A
PERSON MAY BE AFFECTED ADVERSELY BECAUSE THE PERSON IS NAMED OR
OTHERWISE IDENTIFIED AT A HEARING, THE PERSON MAY:

(I) ON REQUEST OF THE PERSON OR A MEMBER OF THE
INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE, TESTIFY IN THE PERSON'S BEHALF; OR