reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 12 - Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services › Part V - Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability › Section 2-1235 - Contents of Evaluation

(a)    This section does not apply to a performance evaluation conducted in accordance with the Maryland Program Evaluation Act.
(b)    A performance evaluation conducted by the Office may include:
(1)    evaluating the efficiency, effectiveness, and economy with which resources are used;
(2)    determining whether desired program results are achieved;
(3)    determining whether a program aligns with the unit’s mission;
(4)    evaluating whether a program duplicates another program or activity within another unit;
(5)    evaluating whether the governmental activity or unit under evaluation operates:
(i)    in an open and accountable manner, with public access to records and meetings, safeguards against conflicts of interest, and opportunity for public participation; and
(ii)    in a fair and nondiscriminatory manner that complies fully with law and State policy;
(6)    determining the reliability of performance measures, as defined in § 3–1001 of the State Finance and Procurement Article, identified in:
(i)    the managing for results agency strategic plan developed under § 3–1002(c) of the State Finance and Procurement Article; or
(ii)    the StateStat strategic plan and performance measurement report submitted to the Secretary of Budget and Management under § 3–1003(d) of the State Finance and Procurement Article; and
(7)    for a performance evaluation of a local school system:
(i)    evaluating whether or not the school system is complying with federal and State laws and regulations;
(ii)    analyzing grading standards, graduation requirements, assessments, procurement, and equitable use of resources among the schools within the system evaluated; and
(iii)    identifying instances of fraud, waste, and abuse.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 12 - Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services › Part V - Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability › Section 2-1236 - Location for Evaluation

(a)    Subject to subsection (b) of this section, a performance evaluation conducted by the Office shall be made at the offices of the State unit, county officer or unit, corporation, association, or local school system that is subject to examination.
(b)    If considered appropriate and after consultation with the unit or body being examined, the Director may authorize all or a portion of a performance evaluation to be conducted at the offices of the Office.
(c)    Before the Office removes the original or only copy of any record from the premises of a State unit, county unit, or a school system, the Office shall obtain the approval of the State unit, county unit, or the school system.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 12 - Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services › Part V - Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability › Section 2-1237 - Records and Information to Be Provided

(a)    (1)    Except as prohibited by the Internal Revenue Code, the employees and authorized representatives of the Office shall have access to and may inspect the records, including those that are confidential by law, of any unit of State government or of a person or other body receiving State funds, with respect to any matter under the jurisdiction of the Office.
(2)    In conjunction with a performance evaluation authorized under this subtitle, the access required by paragraph (1) of this subsection shall include access to the records of contractors and subcontractors that perform work under State contracts.
(3)    The employees or authorized representatives of the Office shall have access to and may inspect the records, including those that are confidential by law, of any local school system to undertake the performance evaluations authorized under § 2–1234 of this subtitle.
(b)    Each officer or employee of the unit or body that is subject to a performance evaluation shall provide any information that the Director determines to be needed for the examination of that unit or body, or of any matter under the authority of the Office, including information that otherwise would be confidential under any provision of law.
(c)    (1)    The Director may issue process that requires an official of a State unit or school system that is subject to performance evaluation to produce a record that is needed for the performance evaluation.
(2)    The process shall be sent to the sheriff for the county where the official is located.
(3)    The sheriff promptly shall serve the process.
(4)    The State shall pay the cost of process.
(5)    If a person fails to comply with process issued under this subsection or fails to provide information that is requested during a performance evaluation, a circuit court may issue an order directing compliance with the process or compelling that the information requested be provided.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 12 - Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services › Part V - Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability › Section 2-1239 - Reports of Violations

(a)    (1)    In addition to the reports under § 2–1238 of this subtitle, the Director shall report an apparent violation of law by a unit of State government or other body that is examined.
(2)    A report under this subsection shall be submitted to:
(i)    the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee;
(ii)    the Executive Director;
(iii)    the unit or body that is the subject of the report; and
(iv)    the Office of the Attorney General.
(b)    (1)    If the Director discovers any alleged criminal violation by a person during the course of a performance evaluation, the Director shall report the alleged violation to the Attorney General and the appropriate State’s Attorney.
(2)    A report under this subsection shall ask the Attorney General and State’s Attorney to take appropriate action.
(3)    Unless the Attorney General or State’s Attorney decides to prosecute an alleged criminal violation reported under this subsection, the Attorney General and State’s Attorney shall keep the report of the Director under this subsection confidential.
(4)    The Attorney General may investigate and prosecute any alleged criminal violation reported under this subsection and has all the powers and duties of a State’s Attorney, including the use of a grand jury in any county, to investigate and prosecute the alleged violation.
(c)    (1)    The Office of the Attorney General shall respond, in writing, to a report received from the Director under this section.
(2)    The response of the Attorney General shall include what actions, if any, were taken as a result of the findings of the Director.
(3)    The response of the Attorney General shall be submitted to:
(i)    the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee;
(ii)    the Executive Director;
(iii)    the unit or body that is the subject of the report; and
(iv)    the Director.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 12 - Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services › Part V - Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability › Section 2-1240 - Confidentiality Requirements

(a)    Except as otherwise provided in this title, confidential information that an employee or authorized representative of the Office or the Office of Policy Analysis obtains during a performance evaluation:
(1)    remains confidential; and
(2)    may not be disclosed except to another employee or authorized representative of the Office or the Office of Policy Analysis.
(b)    Information obtained during a performance evaluation may be provided in a format that protects the confidentiality of individuals as necessary.
(c)    The Director may authorize the disclosure of confidential information obtained during a performance evaluation only to the following:
(1)    another employee of the Department, with the approval of the Executive Director;
(2)    federal, State, or local officials, or their auditors, who provide evidence to the Director that they are performing investigations, studies, or audits related to that same examination and who provide justification for the specific information requested; or
(3)    the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee, if necessary to assist the Committee in reviewing a report issued by the Office.
(d)    Except as provided in § 2–1239 of this subtitle, if information that an employee or authorized representative obtains during a performance evaluation also is confidential under another law, the employee, authorized representative, or the Director may not include in a report or otherwise use the information in any manner that discloses the identity of any person who is the subject of the confidential information.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 12 - Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services › Part V - Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability › Section 2-1241 - Violation; Penalty

A person is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $1,000 if the person:
(1)    fails to comply promptly with process that the Director issues under this part; or
(2)    violates any provision of § 2–1238(d) or § 2–1240 of this subtitle.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 12 - Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services › Part VI - Office of Policy Analysis › Section 2-1246 - Director; Workgroups

(a)    The head of the Office is the Director.
(b)    Subject to the policies and directives of the President and the Speaker and the overall supervision and control of the Executive Director, the Director shall oversee the operation of the Office.
(c)    The Director shall facilitate the creation and oversee the operation of functional, subject matter, special project, and any other workgroups to achieve maximum cooperation and the greatest efficiency in the use of staff and resources in the Office.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 12 - Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services › Part VI - Office of Policy Analysis › Section 2-1248 - Duties -- Legal Affairs

In addition to any duties set forth elsewhere, the Office shall:
(1)    on request of a member of the General Assembly, analyze and report on:
(i)    the laws of any state on a specific subject and all of the available information about the practical operation and effect of those laws; and
(ii)    the acts and records of any state;
(2)    compile information on and analyze any matter that is the subject of proposed legislation;
(3)    on request of a member of the General Assembly, prepare or help to prepare a bill or resolution that, unless the member specifies otherwise, conforms to the style manual of the Office;
(4)    provide analyses of proposed and emergency regulations of Executive Branch agencies;
(5)    make recommendations for the reclassification, rearrangement, renumbering, rewording, and other formal revision of the public general laws of Maryland;
(6)    make recommendations for appropriate systems to collect and publish:
(i)    the public local laws;
(ii)    executive orders; and
(iii)    the regulations of units of the Executive Branch of the State government;
(7)    complete the formal revision of statutory law for the General Assembly by preparing and submitting to the General Assembly recommendations for the repeal or modification of statutes that are obsolete, inconsistent with another statute, unconstitutional, or otherwise in need of formal revision;
(8)    correct manifest spelling, grammatical, or clerical errors or errors of addition or omission in the Code maintained by the Department, and include any such correction in the Annual Corrective Bill for ratification by the General Assembly;
(9)    maintain the clarity, simplicity, and consistency of style of statutory law;
(10)    have a style manual for statutory law;
(11)    include in the style manual a drafting rule that requires, to the extent practicable, the use of words that are neutral as to gender except for a subject matter that specifically applies only to one gender and except for a name or organizational title;
(12)    assign a chapter number to each bill, and a joint resolution number to each joint resolution, that, by operation of law, becomes law without the signature of the Chief Executive, and notify the Secretary of State in writing of these assignments; and
(13)    carry out any other function related to legal affairs required by the Executive Director.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 12 - Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services › Part VI - Office of Policy Analysis › Section 2-1249 - Duties -- Research Services

(a)    In addition to any other duties set forth elsewhere, the Office shall:
(1)    subject to subsection (b) of this section, prepare analyses of the fiscal, legal, and policy impact of proposed legislation;
(2)    research and prepare comprehensive assessments and evaluations of issues of concern to the General Assembly; and
(3)    carry out any other function related to research services required by the Executive Director.
(b)    The Office is not required to prepare an analysis of an enabling act, as defined in § 8–101 of the State Finance and Procurement Article, if:
(1)    a financial sheet, in the form that the Office requires, is submitted with the legislation; and
(2)    the Office publishes the financial sheet on the website of the Maryland General Assembly.
(c)    (1)    In order to facilitate the preparation of the analyses required under subsection (a)(1) of this section, a unit of State government shall respond to a request from the Office for information on the fiscal and operational impact of proposed legislation within 3 business days after receipt of the request.
(2)    The Office may waive the requirement under paragraph (1) of this subsection on a case–by–case basis.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 12 - Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services › Part VI - Office of Policy Analysis › Section 2-1250 - Duties -- Committee Staffing Services

In addition to any other duties set forth elsewhere, the Office shall:
(1)    provide professional staffing services, as required by the Executive Director, to any standing committee, statutory committee, or special joint or unicameral committee or subcommittee of the General Assembly;
(2)    with the consent of the President and the Speaker, provide professional staffing services, as required by the Executive Director, to any joint legislative and executive body; and
(3)    carry out any other function related to committee staffing services required by the Executive Director.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 12 - Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services › Part VI - Office of Policy Analysis › Section 2-1251 - Duties -- Library and Public Information Services

In addition to any other duties set forth elsewhere, the Office shall:
(1)    provide library and information services to the General Assembly and the general public;
(2)    index and preserve all information prepared as a result of the provisions of § 2–1248 of this subtitle; and
(3)    carry out any other function related to library and public information services required by the Executive Director.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 12 - Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services › Part VII - Miscellaneous Provisions › Section 2-1254 - Compilation and Indexing for and Printing of Session Laws; Maintenance of Integrity and Accuracy of Laws

(a)    (1)    After each regular session, the Department shall compile and index:
(i)    the laws that are enacted during that session;
(ii)    the executive orders that have been adopted pursuant to Article II, § 24 of the Maryland Constitution since the last compilation; and
(iii)    the certificates of the State Board of Elections as to the referendum vote on a law, if the vote has not been published previously.
(2)    After each special session, the Department shall compile and index the laws that are enacted during that session.
(b)    (1)    After completion of the compilation and index, the Department shall deliver copies of the laws, executive orders adopted pursuant to Article II, § 24 of the Maryland Constitution, certificates, and titles to the printer who is designated to print the session laws.
(2)    The printer shall print promptly:
(i)    the documents delivered under this section; and
(ii)    with the compilation for a regular session, the statement of receipts and expenditures of public money delivered under § 2–103 of the State Finance and Procurement Article.
(3)    The printer shall deliver the volumes to the Executive Director.
(4)    The Department shall publish other executive orders delivered to it in accordance with § 3–406(b) of this article.
(c)    The Department shall:
(1)    create and maintain, in the form of a statutory database, a code comprising the public general laws of the State; and
(2)    maintain the structural integrity and textual accuracy of that code.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 12 - Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services › Part VII - Miscellaneous Provisions › Section 2-1255 - Distribution of Session Laws and Journals

(a)    The Department shall sell, exchange, or otherwise distribute bound volumes of the laws, the Senate journal, and the House journal.
(b)    Distribution under this section shall include provision of 1 copy of a volume to each public, circulating library or library association that requests the volume if, when the request is made, the Department has at least 26 copies of the requested volume.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 12 - Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services › Part VII - Miscellaneous Provisions › Section 2-1256 - Additional Compilation of Public Local Laws

The Department shall:
(1)    keep a current list of the public local laws of the State;
(2)    keep the list accessible to the members of the General Assembly at all times; and
(3)    subject to § 2–1257 of this subtitle, annually submit the list to the General Assembly.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 12 - Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services › Part VII - Miscellaneous Provisions › Section 2-1257 - Publications

(a)    In this section, “publication” includes any report, study, or notification.
(b)    For each publication that an official or unit of the State government intends to distribute or submit to the General Assembly or to any committee, staff agency, or employee of the General Assembly, the official or unit shall:
(1)    submit one copy to the President and one copy to the Speaker in the format requested by the President and the Speaker;
(2)    submit five printed copies to the library of the Department; and
(3)    in the case of a publication to be distributed to a committee of the General Assembly:
(i)    unless the publication is being submitted to the committee as specifically required by law, obtain approval for the distribution from the committee chair; and
(ii)    comply with the distribution requirements of the committee.
(c)    An official or unit:
(1)    shall submit to the library of the Department, in addition to the copies of a publication required under subsection (b)(2) of this section, any additional copies of the publication requested by the library on behalf of a member of the General Assembly; and
(2)    may give a publication directly to a member of the General Assembly only if:
(i)    the President and the Speaker have given written approval for distribution of the publication to each member of the General Assembly; or
(ii)    the member asks for the publication.
(d)    To assist the Department in carrying out its duties under subsection (f) of this section, each publication submitted to the General Assembly or to any committee, staff agency, or employee of the General Assembly in fulfillment of a duty imposed by law shall specify the law under which the publication is being submitted.
(e)    The Department shall:
(1)    keep a list of the publications of the officials and units;
(2)    periodically send the list to each member of the General Assembly; and
(3)    on request of a member of the General Assembly, obtain a publication of an official or unit for the member.
(f)    The library of the Department shall:
(1)    catalog and preserve the publications that officials and units submit as required by law; and
(2)    collect, catalog, and preserve any other publication that the Department considers necessary or that the Department is directed by the President or the Speaker to collect, catalog, and preserve.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 12 - Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services › Part VII - Miscellaneous Provisions › Section 2-1258 - Distribution of Annotated Code to Members of General Assembly

(a)    (1)    (i)    On request of a member of the General Assembly, the Department shall provide the member with an annotated code of the public general laws of Maryland that is published by a publisher and produced in a format to be selected by the Executive Director.
(ii)    An annotated code shall be provided to a member under this subsection only during the term of the member, at the end of which the annotated code shall be returned to the Department.
(iii)    The Department shall keep the annotated code provided under this subsection current.
(2)    On request, the Department shall provide one additional copy of an annotated code of Maryland to each:
(i)    presiding officer;
(ii)    pro tempore officer;
(iii)    chairman of a standing committee;
(iv)    majority leader; and
(v)    minority leader.
(b)    A member shall return to the Department the code provided by the Department on or before the expiration of the member’s final term of office. If a member resigns or is removed from office before the expiration of the member’s term, the member shall promptly return the code to the Department.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 12 - Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services › Part VII - Miscellaneous Provisions › Section 2-1259 - Gubernatorial Appointments Lists

The Department shall:
(1)    annually make:
(i)    a list that includes the name, position, term of office, and salary of each civil officer whom the Governor appointed during the preceding calendar year; and
(ii)    a list that includes the name, position, term of office, and salary of each civil officer whose term expires during the current calendar year;
(2)    (i)    send a copy of each list to each member of the General Assembly; and
(ii)    make the lists available to any person who requests them; and
(3)    include on the lists only civil officers whom the Governor appoints, subject to the approval of the Senate or the House of Delegates.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 12 - Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services › Part VII - Miscellaneous Provisions › Section 2-1261 - Annual Reports Required of Certain Customized Disaggregated Crime-Related Data

(a)    On or before October 31 each year, the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services shall submit to the Department, in the form of electronic raw data, de–identified and disaggregated by age, race, and sex, information required to be reported to the Governor in accordance with § 3–207(a)(2) of the Correctional Services Article.
(b)    (1)    On or before November 30 each year, the Department of State Police shall submit to the Department, in a format that the Executive Director requires, the information collected in accordance with § 2–307(a)(2) of the Public Safety Article.
(2)    On or before August 1, 2022, the Department of State Police and the Department shall enter into a memorandum of understanding, the terms of which shall include:
(i)    a data sharing agreement for all information collected in accordance with § 2–307 of the Public Safety Article;
(ii)    a work plan for access to collected data for research and statistical analysis purposes;
(iii)    a listing of all data fields collected for the Crime in Maryland Report and the Hate Bias Report; and
(iv)    an update on the status of compliance with the National Incident–Based Reporting System by law enforcement agencies in the State.
(c)    On or before October 31 each year, the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission shall submit to the Department, in the form of electronic raw data, de–identified and disaggregated by agency and incident:
(1)    information required to be reported to the General Assembly in accordance with § 3–514(b)(1) of the Public Safety Article; and
(2)    information required to be collected in accordance with § 3–207(b) of the Public Safety Article.
(d)    On or before October 31 each year, the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services shall submit to the Department, in the form of electronic raw data, de–identified and disaggregated by incident, information collected in accordance with:
(1)    § 3–528 of the Public Safety Article; and
(2)    § 25–113 of the Transportation Article.
(e)    On or before August 1, 2022, the Department of Juvenile Services and the Department shall enter into a memorandum of understanding, the terms of which shall include:
(1)    the provision of various custom reports to the Department, including information, de–identified and disaggregated by juvenile, relating to the juvenile’s record of:
(i)    delinquency;
(ii)    court actions;
(iii)    supervision; and
(iv)    placement; and
(2)    the development of a work plan by the Department of Juvenile Services regarding efforts to include specific race and ethnicity data for individual juveniles.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 15 - Legislation › Part I - Preparation, Introduction, and Consideration › Section 2-1501 - Definitions

(a)    In this Part I of this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.
(b)    “Bill” includes a joint resolution.
(c)    “Mandate” means a directive in a bill requiring a local government unit to perform a task or assume a responsibility that has a discernible fiscal impact on the local government unit.
(d)    “Mandated appropriation” means a requirement in a bill that the Governor provide a certain level of funding in the annual budget bill for a specific program in the State.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 15 - Legislation › Part I - Preparation, Introduction, and Consideration › Section 2-1502 - Prefiling of Bills

(a)    (1)    In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.
(2)    “Department” means the Department of Legislative Services.
(3)    “Prefile” means to direct the Department, before a regular session of the General Assembly, to file a bill for introduction during that session.
(b)    A member or member-elect of the General Assembly may prefile a bill, as provided in this section.
(c)    (1)    In a year when an election for members of the General Assembly is held:
(i)    a bill may be prefiled only by an individual elected or re–elected to the General Assembly at that election;
(ii)    the deadline for directing the Department to file a bill for introduction is December 10;
(iii)    the deadline for requesting the Department to prepare a bill for prefiling is November 20; and
(iv)    an individual first elected at that election may not request the Department to prepare a bill until after the election.
(2)    In any other year, a member may prefile a bill at any regular session by:
(i)    on or before the preceding November 1, requesting the Department to prepare the bill; and
(ii)    on or before the preceding November 20, directing the Department, in writing, to file the bill for introduction.
(d)    A directive to file a bill for introduction shall be in writing and shall state the name of each sponsor of the bill.
(e)    (1)    On the first day of each regular session, the Department shall send to the Secretary of the Senate and the Chief Clerk of the House, as appropriate, copies of each bill, in the form that the Senate rules set for introduction in the Senate or that the House rules set for introduction in the House.
(2)    Each bill that is sent under this subsection shall be considered as filed for introduction.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 15 - Legislation › Part I - Preparation, Introduction, and Consideration › Section 2-1504 - Synopses of Bills

(a)    For each regular or special session of the General Assembly, the Department of Legislative Services shall prepare and distribute, in serial order:
(1)    a synopsis of each Senate bill that is introduced; and
(2)    a synopsis of each House bill that is introduced.
(b)    If the Department determines that a bill imposes a mandate on a local government unit, the synopsis shall include a statement that “This bill imposes a mandate on a local government unit.”.
(c)    If the Department determines that a bill requires a mandated appropriation, the synopsis shall include a statement that “This bill requires a mandated appropriation in the annual budget bill.”.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 15 - Legislation › Part II - Procedures After Return on Final Passage › Section 2-1509 - Presentment to Governor

(a)    As soon as practicable after a bill is returned to the house of origin, the presiding officer shall have the State seal affixed to the bill and shall present the bill to the Governor or a designee of the Governor.
(b)    The presiding officer who presents the bill or the clerk designated by the presiding officer shall:
(1)    in the presence of the individual to whom the bill is presented, make and sign, on the back of the bill, a written memorandum of the day and hour of presentment; and
(2)    have a corresponding entry made in the Senate journal or the House journal.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 15 - Legislation › Part II - Procedures After Return on Final Passage › Section 2-1510 - Designee for Presentment

(a)    The Governor may designate another individual to receive bills while the Governor is ill or necessarily absent from the seat of the State government.
(b)    A designation under this section:
(1)    shall be in writing;
(2)    shall be sent to the presiding officer of the Senate and the presiding officer of the House;
(3)    on receipt by those officers, shall be entered in full in the Senate journal and the House journal; and
(4)    is effective during the period that the Governor specifies.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 15 - Legislation › Part II - Procedures After Return on Final Passage › Section 2-1511 - Delivery to Office of Secretary of State

(a)    The Governor shall deliver to the Secretary of State or a designee in the Secretary’s office:
(1)    each bill that the Governor approves, immediately after the approval;
(2)    each bill that becomes law without the approval of the Governor, on the day the bill becomes law;
(3)    each bill that the Governor vetoes; and
(4)    each executive order effective under Article II, § 24 of the Maryland Constitution.
(b)    (1)    Subject to § 2–1248 of this title, the Secretary of State shall assign a chapter number to each bill that becomes law and to each executive order issued pursuant to Article II, § 24 of the Maryland Constitution.
(2)    Chapter numbers shall be assigned in the order in which the bills become law.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 15 - Legislation › Part II - Procedures After Return on Final Passage › Section 2-1512 - Record of Chapter Numbers

(a)    The Secretary of State shall keep, for each session, a permanent record of the bills and executive orders that the Governor delivers to the Secretary under this subtitle. The record shall be known as the record of chapter numbers.
(b)    (1)    The Secretary of State shall enter, in the record, the chapter number of each bill that becomes law and each executive order.
(2)    Near the chapter number, the Secretary of State shall enter:
(i)    the Senate bill number, the House bill number, or the executive order number;
(ii)    a brief summary of the subject of the bill or executive order;
(iii)    as to a bill, the date of its presentment to the Governor; and
(iv)    the date on which the bill or order was approved by the Governor or otherwise became law.
(c)    (1)    After the last chapter number, the Secretary of State shall enter, by Senate bill number or House bill number, a list of the bills that the Governor vetoed.
(2)    Near the bill number, the Secretary of State shall enter:
(i)    a brief summary of the subject of the bill;
(ii)    the date of presentment to the Governor; and
(iii)    the date of veto.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 15 - Legislation › Part II - Procedures After Return on Final Passage › Section 2-1513 - Disposition of Bills

(a)    The Secretary of State shall deliver to the clerk of the Court of Appeals each bill that becomes law.
(b)    With respect to bills that the Governor vetoes, the Secretary of State shall deliver:
(1)    to the house of origin, each bill that the Maryland Constitution requires to be returned to that house; and
(2)    to the State Archives, every other bill.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 15 - Legislation › Part II - Procedures After Return on Final Passage › Section 2-1514 - Notice of Action Under Joint Resolution

(a)    If the General Assembly adopts a joint resolution that asks the Governor or an official of a unit of the Executive Branch of the State government to take any action, the Governor or the official shall give the Legislative Policy Committee and each sponsor of the resolution notice of the action taken under the resolution.
(b)    Notice under this section shall be given on or before any date established by the resolution.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 16 - Investigations › Section 2-1601 - Definitions

(a)    In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.
(b)    (1)    “Hearing” means a meeting that an investigating committee holds, during an investigatory proceeding, to take testimony or to receive other evidence.
(2)    “Hearing” does not include a preliminary conference or interview at which testimony is not taken under oath.
(c)    “Investigating committee” means any of the following bodies that may obtain, for the use of the General Assembly, information on a specific subject by compelling the attendance and testimony of witnesses or the production of books, documents, papers, and records:
(1)    a standing committee or a subcommittee of a standing committee;
(2)    a joint committee of the Senate and the House or a subcommittee of a joint committee; or
(3)    the Legislative Policy Committee or any of its committees or subcommittees.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 16 - Investigations › Section 2-1602 - Scope of Subtitle

(a)    This subtitle establishes a code of fair procedures for the operation of an investigating committee so that it may hold hearings and otherwise properly carry out its powers and duties fairly, impartially, and consistently with:
(1)    the constitutional rights of a person who is involved in a proceeding of the investigating committee; and
(2)    the public good.
(b)    This subtitle does not limit the acquisition of information or evidence by an investigating committee through a lawful means other than as provided in this subtitle.
(c)    This subtitle does not limit the authority of a committee of the General Assembly or any subcommittee of a committee of the General Assembly to exercise the power to administer oaths and subpoena witnesses and records as otherwise authorized by law.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 16 - Investigations › Section 2-1603 - Establishment of Investigating Committee

(a)    An investigating committee may be established only by a resolution of the Senate or the House.
(b)    The resolution shall state the investigating committee’s:
(1)    purpose;
(2)    powers;
(3)    duties;
(4)    duration;
(5)    subject matter;
(6)    scope of investigatory authority; and
(7)    size.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 16 - Investigations › Section 2-1605 - Officers

(a)    An investigating committee shall have the chairman and vice chairman who:
(1)    are appointed by the resolution that establishes the investigating committee; or
(2)    if the resolution does not appoint these officers, are elected by affirmative vote of a majority of all of the members of the investigating committee.
(b)    The rules of an investigating committee shall provide for the selection of a presiding officer to act if the chairman and the vice chairman are absent or unable to act.
(c)    (1)    At a hearing of an investigating committee, the presiding officer shall be:
(i)    the chairman of the investigating committee;
(ii)    if the chairman is absent or otherwise unable to preside, the vice chairman; or
(iii)    if the chairman and vice chairman are absent or otherwise unable to preside, the individual who is selected under the rules of the investigating committee.
(2)    At a hearing, the presiding officer:
(i)    shall examine the witnesses or supervise the examination by any other member of the investigating committee or by staff who are authorized to examine witnesses; and
(ii)    may direct a witness to answer a relevant question or to provide a relevant book, document, or paper.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 16 - Investigations › Section 2-1606 - Quorum; Voting; Staff

(a)    (1)    A majority of the full authorized membership of an investigating committee is a quorum.
(2)    Unless there is a quorum, an investigating committee may not act at any meeting or hold a hearing.
(3)    Unless a greater vote expressly is required in this subtitle, an investigating committee may act by a majority vote of its members who are present at a meeting and vote.
(b)    Subject to the requirements of law and any rule of the General Assembly, an investigating committee may employ necessary staff for which funds are available.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 16 - Investigations › Section 2-1607 - Scope of Powers and Duties

(a)    An investigating committee may exercise its powers:
(1)    when the General Assembly is in session; and
(2)    when the General Assembly is not in session, if the investigating committee is authorized to do so:
(i)    by law;
(ii)    by the resolution that establishes the investigating committee; or
(iii)    by the law or resolution from which the investigating committee derives its investigatory powers.
(b)    (1)    An investigating committee shall adopt rules that govern its procedures, including the conduct of hearings.
(2)    The rules may not be inconsistent with law or any applicable rules of the General Assembly.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 16 - Investigations › Section 2-1608 - Subpoenas

(a)    (1)    By a majority vote of all of the members of an investigating committee, the investigating committee may issue a subpoena that requires the appearance of a person, the production of relevant records, and the giving of relevant testimony.
(2)    A request to appear, appearance, or submission of evidence does not limit the subpoena power of the investigating committee.
(b)    The subpoena shall be served:
(1)    in the manner provided by law for service of a subpoena in a civil action;
(2)    at least 7 days before the time that the subpoena sets for appearance or production of records; and
(3)    with the following documents:
(i)    a copy of the resolution that establishes the investigating committee;
(ii)    a copy of the rules of the investigating committee;
(iii)    a statement of the subject of the investigation or inquiry of the investigating committee; and
(iv)    if the subpoena requires the appearance of a person, notice that counsel may accompany the person.
(c)    A person who is subpoenaed to appear at a hearing is entitled to receive the fees and allowances that are provided for a person who is subpoenaed by a circuit court.
(d)    (1)    A person may be held in contempt if the person unjustifiably:
(i)    fails or refuses to comply with a subpoena for appearance;
(ii)    appears but fails or refuses to testify under oath; or
(iii)    unless the directive is overruled by a majority vote of the members of the investigating committee who are present at the hearing, disobeys a directive of the presiding officer at the hearing to answer a relevant question or to produce a relevant book, document, or paper that has been subpoenaed.
(2)    If an investigating committee fails, in any material respect, to meet the requirements of this subtitle and the person who is subpoenaed is prejudiced by the failure:
(i)    the person need not comply; and
(ii)    the failure is a complete defense in a proceeding against the person for contempt or other punishment.
(e)    (1)    By a majority vote of all of the members of an investigating committee, the investigating committee may apply for a contempt citation:
(i)    when the General Assembly is not in session, to a circuit court; and
(ii)    when the General Assembly is in session:
1.    to the General Assembly;
2.    to the Senate, if the Senate established the investigating committee; or
3.    to the House, if the House established the investigating committee.
(2)    The General Assembly, the Senate, or the House:
(i)    may consider the application as though the alleged contempt had been committed in or against that body; and
(ii)    in addition to any penalty that a court imposes, may impose any other punishment that the body has the inherent power to impose.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 17 - Prohibited Acts; Penalties › Section 2-1701 - Electrical Voting Machine

(a)    A person who is not a member of the General Assembly may not operate an electrical voting machine to vote on a question before the Senate or the House.
(b)    In addition to any penalty that the Senate or the House sets, a person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment for not more than 5 years.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 17 - Prohibited Acts; Penalties › Section 2-1702 - Interference With Legislative Process

(a)    A person may not willfully disrupt, interfere with, attempt to disrupt, or attempt to interfere with a session, meeting, or proceeding of the General Assembly, the Senate, or the House or any of their committees, by:
(1)    making, alone or with another person, a noise that tends to be disruptive;
(2)    using abusive or obscene language;
(3)    making an obscene gesture;
(4)    engaging in violent, tumultuous, or threatening behavior;
(5)    refusing to comply with the lawful order of the police to disperse; or
(6)    doing any other disruptive or interfering act.
(b)    A person may not picket willfully in a building where:
(1)    the Senate or the House has a chamber;
(2)    a member of the General Assembly has an official office; or
(3)    a committee of the General Assembly, the Senate, or the House has an office.
(c)    A person may not prevent or attempt to prevent, willfully and with force, the performance of a function, power, or duty by a member, officer, or employee of the General Assembly, the Senate, or the House or any of their committees.
(d)    A person may not:
(1)    willfully and without legal authority, obtain, withhold, destroy, deface, or alter an official document or record of the General Assembly, the Senate, or the House or any of their committees; or
(2)    without legal authority, possess, withhold, destroy, or deface real or personal property that the General Assembly, the Senate, or the House or any of their committees owns or uses.
(e)    (1)    This subsection does not apply to:
(i)    a law enforcement officer of any state or of the federal government who is carrying out duties of the office; or
(ii)    a person whom the officer summons to help in making an arrest or in preserving the peace.
(2)    A person may not willfully bring an assault weapon or other firearm or destructive device, as defined in § 4-501 of the Criminal Law Article, into or have an assault weapon or other firearm or destructive device in a building where:
(i)    the Senate or the House has a chamber;
(ii)    a member, officer, or employee of the General Assembly has an official office; or
(iii)    a committee of the General Assembly, the Senate, or the House has an office.
(f)    A person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $1,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or both.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 18 - Miscellaneous Provisions › Section 2-1801 - Privileges for Members of General Assembly

(a)    Privileges from testifying for members of the General Assembly are found in § 9-122 of the Courts Article.
(b)    Provisions relating to civil immunity for acts and omissions in the performance of constituent services by members of the General Assembly are found in § 5-525 and § 5-526 of the Courts Article.
2023 Maryland Statutes › State Government › Title 2 - General Assembly › Subtitle 18 - Miscellaneous Provisions › Section 2-1802 - Legislative Inquiries and Examinations -- Relevancy of Papers and Other Documents

(a)    Papers, books, accounts, documents, testimony, and records sought in accordance with a subpoena issued under § 2–408, § 2–507, § 2–807, § 2–1104, or § 2–1608 of this title in connection with a lawfully authorized legislative inquiry or examination must be pertinent to the inquiry or examination.
(b)    For purposes of subsection (a) of this section, papers, books, accounts, documents, testimony, or records are considered pertinent if they:
(1)    relate to the matters under inquiry or examination;
(2)    assist in assessing the credibility of a witness;
(3)    contradict or corroborate the testimony of a witness; or
(4)    demonstrate the existence of undue influence on a witness.