Anaya Nolan
The Maryland General Assembly is the state's legislative body, and it enacts laws for the welfare of Maryland's citizens. The General Assembly consists of the Senate and the House of Delegates, with 47 districts represented by 47 senators and 141 delegates. Bills are introduced and assigned to the appropriate policy committee for their first hearing, where the sponsor presents the bill and public testimony may be heard. The committee then votes on whether to pass the bill, and it may be amended several times. A bill needs a majority vote to pass and be sent to the next committee or the floor. After all amendments are considered, a roll call vote is taken, and if the bill receives a constitutional majority, it is sent to the governor's desk. The governor may veto bills, but these can be overridden by a three-fifths vote of both houses of the General Assembly.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Legislative body | General Assembly |
| Number of districts | 47 |
| Number of Senators | 47 |
| Number of Delegates | 141 |
| Term of office for Senators and Delegates | 4 years |
| Type of laws enacted | Statutes |
| Where to find legislative history | General Assembly's website |
| When laws take effect | 1st of June after the session in which they were passed, unless a later date is specified or it's an emergency measure |
| Number of votes required to override a veto | Three-fifths of each house |
| When assemblies were called | Once every three years |
| When regular sessions meet | For 90 calendar days each year beginning the second Wednesday in January |
| Number of pieces of legislation acted on during regular sessions | More than 2500 |
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What You'll Learn
The General Assembly is Maryland's legislative body
The General Assembly meets annually for 90 days, beginning on the second Wednesday of January, to act on more than 2,300 bills, including the state's annual budget, which must be passed before the end of the session. Each house of the Assembly elects its officers, judges the qualifications and elections of its members, establishes rules for conducting business, and may punish or expel members.
The legislative process in Maryland involves the introduction and consideration of bills, which are proposed laws. These bills can originate in either the Senate or the House of Delegates and are identified by their prefixes, "SB" or "HB," respectively. Once passed by the General Assembly, a bill is sent to the Governor for approval. The Governor may veto the bill within 30 days, after which it is returned to its house of origin, where a three-fifths majority in both houses can override the veto. If not vetoed, the bill becomes law, taking effect on the first day of June after its passage, unless specified otherwise or deemed an emergency measure.
The General Assembly also plays a role in proposing amendments to the Maryland Constitution, which must be ratified by voters during a general election. The Assembly's website offers resources and documents related to the legislative process and history, including bill drafting information, fiscal and policy notes, and amendments. The legislative history of a law includes different drafts, testimonies, and other materials that provide insight into its development.
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The legislative process
A bill is introduced and assigned to the appropriate policy committee based on its subject matter. Notice of the hearing is published in the Maryland Register to allow for public comment. During this committee hearing, the sponsor presents the bill, and testimony may be heard from the public, either in support or opposition. The committee then votes on passing the bill as is or with amendments. Bills may undergo several amendments, requiring a majority vote from the committee for progression.
Second Reading:
The bill recommended for passage by the committee undergoes a second reading on the floor of the house. Legislators not on the original committee may offer amendments at this stage.
Third Reading and Voting:
After all amendments are considered, the presiding officer orders the bill to be printed for a third reading, including any amendments. An ordinary bill requires a majority vote to pass, while an emergency bill or a bill amending the Constitution needs a three-fifths vote. If the bill passes with a constitutional majority, it moves to the second house, repeating the same steps. If the second house approves without changes, it proceeds to the governor's desk.
Resolution of Differences:
If the second house amends and passes the bill, it returns to the house of origin for consideration of those amendments. If the bill is passed by both houses, it is sent to the governor.
Governor's Review and Potential Veto:
The governor may veto a bill within 30 days of receiving it. If vetoed, the bill returns to its house of origin, where a three-fifths vote of both houses is required to override the veto. If not vetoed, the bill becomes law. Emergency bills become law immediately upon the governor's approval, while regular session laws typically take effect on October 1 of the same year.
Effective Date:
Each bill passed by the Legislature and approved by the Governor is assigned a chapter number and becomes part of Maryland law. The effective date is usually October 1, unless specified otherwise or declared an emergency measure.
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The legislative history
The General Assembly consists of the Senate and the House of Delegates, with 47 districts represented by 47 Senators and 141 Delegates, serving four-year terms. The Assembly enacts laws necessary for the welfare of Maryland's citizens and also deals with county and special taxing district legislation. The legislative process begins with the introduction of a bill, which is then assigned to a policy committee for its first hearing. Notice of the hearing is published to allow for public comment, and testimony may be heard in support or opposition to the bill.
The committee then votes on whether to pass the bill or amend it. Bills may go through several amendments before being sent to the next committee or the floor. During the second reading, legislators who were not on the original committee may offer amendments. After all amendments are considered, the bill is printed for the third reading, including any amendments made. An ordinary bill requires a majority vote to pass, while an emergency bill or a bill amending the Constitution needs a three-fifths vote.
If a bill receives a constitutional majority in the first house, it moves to the second house, where the process is repeated. If the second house passes the bill without changes, it is sent to the governor. If amendments are made, the bill returns to the house of origin for consideration. Once a bill is passed by the General Assembly, it becomes law when signed by the governor or when passed over their veto by a three-fifths vote in each house. The effective date of a law is usually October 1 of the same year, unless specified otherwise or in the case of emergency measures.
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The legislative intent
The legislative process in Maryland involves the introduction of a bill, which is then assigned to a relevant policy committee for its first hearing. The public can provide input during this stage. The committee then votes on the bill, and if passed, it proceeds to the next committee or the floor. A bill recommended for passage by the committee is read a second time, where legislators may offer amendments. After all amendments are considered, the bill is printed for a third reading, including any amendments, followed by a roll call vote. Ordinary bills require a majority vote, while emergency bills and constitutional amendments need a three-fifths vote.
Passed bills, except for the budget bill and constitutional amendments, are presented to the Governor within 20 days after a session adjourns. The Governor can veto a bill within 30 days, and if vetoed, it is returned to the house of origin for a potential override vote. If not vetoed, the bill becomes law and takes effect on October 1 of the same year, unless specified otherwise or in cases of emergency measures, which take effect immediately upon the Governor's approval.
The Assembly also proposes amendments to the Maryland Constitution, which must be ratified by voters during a general election. Additionally, the Assembly meets in regular sessions annually and in special sessions when called by the Governor or a majority of each house. The legislative history of a law includes different drafts, testimonies from hearings, and other related documents, which can be accessed through the General Assembly's website for bills from 1996 onwards.
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The legislative reports
The legislative process in Maryland begins with the introduction of a bill, which is then assigned to the relevant policy committee for its first hearing. The public is notified of the hearing through the Maryland Register, and during this stage, the committee hears testimonies from the public in support of or against the bill. The committee then votes on whether to pass the bill without changes or with amendments. A bill may undergo several amendments before it is passed by a majority vote to the next committee or to the floor.
Once a bill is recommended for passage by the committee, it is read a second time on the floor of the house. At this stage, legislators who were not part of the committee during the bill's public hearing may offer amendments. House bills in the Senate and Senate bills in the House may be amended on the second or third reading. After all amendments are considered, the presiding officer orders the bill to be printed for the third reading, which includes any amendments made.
An ordinary bill requires a majority vote to pass, while an emergency bill and a bill amending the Maryland Constitution require a three-fifths vote. If a bill receives the necessary majority from the first house, it proceeds to the second house, where the process is repeated. If the second house passes the bill without changes, it is sent to the governor. However, if the second house makes amendments, the bill is returned to the house of origin for consideration of those amendments.
All bills passed by the General Assembly become law when signed by the governor. If the governor vetoes a bill, it is returned to the house of origin, where a three-fifths vote of both houses is required to override the veto. Laws ordinarily take effect on October 1 of the same year, unless a later date is specified or the bill is an emergency measure, in which case it takes immediate effect upon the governor's approval.
The legislative history of Maryland can be traced through various resources, including the General Assembly's website, which offers PDF versions of Chapter Laws since 2007. The legislative reports contained in the Reports of the Annual Meetings of the Maryland State Bar Association (1896-1991) provide valuable insights into the legislative process. Additionally, the Maryland Thurgood Marshall State Law Library's website offers detailed research guides on legislative history.
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Frequently asked questions
The Assembly of Maryland, or the General Assembly, is Maryland's legislative body and directly represents the electorate. It enacts laws necessary for the welfare of the State's citizens and certain laws dealing with counties and special taxing districts.
A bill is first assigned to a policy committee for its first hearing. The sponsor presents the bill, and testimony may be heard in support or opposition to the bill from any member of the public. The committee then votes on whether to pass the bill or pass it as amended. Bills may be amended several times. It takes a majority vote for a bill to be passed and sent to the next committee or to the floor. A bill recommended for passage by the committee is read a second time, and legislators may offer amendments. After all amendments are considered, the presiding officer orders the bill to be printed for a third reading, including any amendments. A roll call vote is taken, and an ordinary bill needs a majority vote to pass.
All passed bills, except the budget bill and constitutional amendments, must be presented to the Governor within 20 days following adjournment. The Governor may veto bills within 30 days, and if vetoed, the bill is returned to the house of origin. If a passed bill is not vetoed, it becomes law. The budget bill becomes law upon its final passage.
An ordinary bill passed during a regular session takes effect on October 1 of the same year. An emergency bill, on the other hand, goes into effect as soon as the governor signs it and includes acts necessary for the immediate preservation of public peace, health, or safety. An emergency bill requires a three-fifths vote to pass.
