The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1914-03-21
Home Rule Amendment
Continued from page p

day from the date of such election
shall become the law of said city or
county, subject only to the Constitu-
tion and Public General laws of this
State, and any pubic local law incon-
sistent with the provisions of said
charter and any former charter of
said city or county shall be thereby
repealed.
Limits Power of Legislation to Change
Section 2-The General Assembly at
its first session, after the adoption
of this amendment, shall by general
public law provide a grant of general
powers for such county or counties as
may thereafter form a charter under
the provisions of this article. Such
general powers granted to the coun-
ties and the powers heretofore granted
to Baltimore City as set forth in Ar
tice 4, Section 8, Public Local Laws
of Maryland, shall not be enlarged or
extended by any charter formed UNI
der the provisions of this article, mod
flied, amended or repealed by the Cen
eral Assembly, provided that any res
friction or withdrawal of a power once
granted shall require a three-fourths
vote of the members elected to each
of the two houses of the General As
sembly.
Section 3--Everv charter so fornned
shall provide for an elective legislative
body in which shall be invested the
law making power of said city or
county. Such legislative body in Bal
timore City shall be known as the City
Council of Baltimore City and in any
county shall be known as the Commits
sioners of the county. The chief eX-
ecutive officer, if any such charter
shall provide for the election of such
executive officer, or the presiding Off
Ger Of said Legislative body, if said
charter shall not provide for the cleo
ton of a chief executive officer, shall
he known in Baltimore City as Mayor
of Baltimore City and in any county
as the President of the Commissioners
of the county, and all reference to the
Constitution and laws of this State to
the Mayor and City Council of Balti-
more or to the Commissioners of the
counties shall be construed to refer to
the Mayor and City Council and the
President and County Commissioners
herein provided for. From and after
the adoption of charter by Balti-
more City and any county of this
State, as hereinbefore provided, the
Mayor and City Council OF Baltimore
City or the Commissioners of said
county, subject to the Constitution and
Public General Laws of this State,
shah have full power to enact local
laws or ordinances, including the pow
er to repeal or amend local laws Of
said city or county, enacted by the
General Assembly, upon all matters
covered by the general powers granted
as above provided. All such local laws
enacted by the Mayor and City Coun-
ell Of Baltimore City or the Commits
sioners of the counties as hereinbe-
fore provided shall be subject to the
same rules of Interpretation as those
now applicable to the public Local
Laws Of this State except that in the
case of any conflict between said local
law and the Public General Law the
Public General Law shall control.
General Assembly Relieved of Local
Laws.
Section 4-I'rom and after the adj
option of a charter under the provis-
ions OF this article by Baltimore City
or any county of the State no public
law shall be enacted by the General
Assembly for said city or county on
any subject covered by the general
powers granted as above provided.
Any law so drawn as to apply to any
one or more Of the geographical sub
divisions of this State, without apply
ing to the remaining geographical po-
sitionS of this State from its opera
ton, shall he DENIED a local law. The
term geographical subdivision herein
used shall be taken to mean the City
of Baltimore or any of the counties of
this State.
This section and the general powers
granted in said city or counties as
hereinbefore prescribed, shall he
broadly construed as to secure to said
city or counties the fUlest measure
of local government consistent
with the intent Of the General Assem-
bly, in granting said powers.
Section 5--Amendments to any
charter adopted by altimore City or
any county of this State under the
provisions of this article may be pro
posed by resolution of the Mayor
and City Council Of SAID city or the
Commissioners Of said county or by
petition signed by not less than ten
per cent. of the registered voters of
said city or countv and filed with the
Mayor or the President OF the County
Commissioners, and when 50 proposed
shall be submitted to the voters of
SAID city or county at the next special
or general election occurring not less
than sixty days after the passage of
said resolution or the filing of said pc
tition, and if at said election the mo-