Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1915-09-10
CHAPTER 673.

An Act to amend the Constitution of
Maryland by adding thereto new Article
TO be entitled, Article XVI" providing for
THE Referendum" and to provide for the
submission OF said amendment to the
qualified voters OF the State for adoption
or rejection.
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 the following
new and additional Article, to be known
as Article XVI, title, THE Referendum, -
be and the same is hereby proposed as an
amendment to the Constitution of Mary
land. and if adopted by the legal and quail
fled voters thereof, as herein provided, 1t
shall stand as part and as a new and ad-
ditional Article Of said Constitution, 10 be
known and entitled as aforesaid
ARTICLE XVI. THE REFERENDUM.
Section (a). The people reserve 10
themselves the power known as The Refer
endum. by petition to have submitted to
the registered voters Of the State, to ap-
prove or reject at the polls, any Act, or
part OF any Act Of the General Assembly.
If approved by the Governor, or, il passed
by the General Assembly over the veto Of
the Governor
(b) The provisions Of this Article shall
be self-executing; provided that additional
legislation in furtherance thereof and not
in conflict Herewith may be enacted.
Sec 2. No law enacted by the General
Assembly shall take effect until the first
day Of June next after the session at which
il may be passed. unless il contain a Sec
ton declaring such law an emergency law
and necessary for the immediate preserva-
ton of the public health or safety. and
passed upon yea and ney vote supported
by three-fifths Of all the members elected
to each Of the two Houses of the General
Assembly; provided, however, that said
period OF suspension may be extended as
provided in Section 3 (b) hereof. II before
said first day Of June there shall have been
filed with the Secretary Of the State a pc
titiOn to refer to vote of the people any
law or part of law capable Of referendum,
as in this Article provided, the same shall
be referred by the Secretary Of State to
such vote, and shall not become law or
take effect until thirty days after its ap-
pr0val by majority Of the electors voting
thereon at the next election held through
out the State Of Members for the House Of
Representatives Of the United States. An
emergency law shall remain in force not
withstanding such petition. but shall stand
repealed thirty days after having been
rejected by majority Of the qualified
electors voting thereon provided, however,
that no measure creating or abolishing any
office. or changing the salary, term or duty
of any officer, or granting any franchise or
special privilege, or creating any vested
right or interest, shall be enacted as an
emergency law. No law making any ap-
preparation for maintaining the State Gov
eminent. or for maintaining or aiding any
public institution, not exceeding the next
previous appropriation for the same pur-
pose. shall be subject to rejection or repeal
under this section. The increase in any
such appropriation for maintaining or aid
ing any public institution shall only take
effect as in the case Of other laws, and such
increase or any part thereof specified in
the petition, may be referred to vote of
the people upon petition.
Sec. (a). The referendum petition
against an Act or part of an Act passed
by the General Assembly, shall be sufficient
if signed by ten thousand qualified voters
Of the State of Maryland, OF whom not
more than half shall be residents Of Balti-
more City, or Of any one county; provided
that any public local law for any one coun-
~ or the City Of Baltimore shall be referred
by the Secretary of State only to the peo-
Pile Of said county OF City OF Baltimore.
upon referendum petition OF 10 per cent
Of the qualified voters Of said county or
City Of Baltimore as the case may be, cal
culated upon the whole number of votes
cast therein respectively for Governor al
the last preceding GubernatOtial election.
(b) II more than One-half, but less than
the full number Of signatures required to
complete any referendum petition against
any law passed by the General Assembly.
be filed with Secretary Of State before the
first day Of June, the time for the law to
take effect, and for filing the remainder Of
signatures to complete the petition shall
be extended to the thirtieth day Of the
same month with like effect.
Sec. 4. A petition may consist Of several
papers, but each paper shall contain the
full text Of the Act or part Of Act petitioned
upon and there shall be attached 20 each
such paper an affidavit Of the person pro-
curing the signatures thereon that Of the
said person S own personal knowledge every
signature thereon is genuine and bona fide,
and that the slgners are registered voters
of the State Of Maryland. and Of the City Of
Baltimore, or county, as the case may be,
as set opposite their names. and no other
verification shall be required.
Sec. 5 (a), The General Assembly shall
provide for furnishing the voters Of the
State the text Of all measures to be voted
upon by the people provided that until
otherwise provided by law the same shall
be published in the manner prescribed by
Article XIV Of the Constitution for the pub
LEGATION Of proposed Constitutional Amend