The Legislative Branch of the County government shall consist of the Council, hereinafter referred to as the Council, and the officers and employees thereof. The Council shall be composed of seven members.
All legislative powers which may be exercised by Harford County under the Constitution and laws of Maryland, including all law-making powers heretofore exercised by the General Assembly of Maryland but transferred to the people of the County by virtue of the adoption of this Charter, shall be vested in the Council.
[Amended by Bill No. 82-42]
In all of its functions and deliberations, the Council shall act as a body.
[Amended by Bill No. 80-40; by petition, November 2000]
Six Council members, at the time of their election, shall each reside in a different one of six Council districts of the County. The seventh member of the Council shall be the President of the Council and may reside anywhere in the County. Each member of the Council required to reside in a Council district shall be nominated and elected by the qualified voters of the Council district in which the member resides; the President shall be nominated and elected by the qualified voters of the entire county. All Council members shall be nominated and elected at the same time as state officers and in the manner provided by law.
(a) 
The boundaries of Council districts shall be established in 1974 and re-established in 1982 and every 10th year thereafter. Whenever district boundaries are to be established or reestablished, the Council shall appoint, not later than February 15 of the year prior to the year in which redistricting is to be effective, a commission on redistricting, composed of two members from each political party chosen from a list of five names submitted by the governing body of each political party which polled at least fifteen percent of the total vote cast for all candidates for the Council in the immediately preceding regular election or which had at least fifteen percent of the registered voters in the County on the date of that election. The Council shall appoint one additional member of the Commission, who shall not be a member of any of the political parties entitled to two members of the Commission and shall be a registered voter in Harford County. The Commission shall, at its first meeting, select one of its members to serve as chair. No person shall be eligible for appointment to the Commission if that person holds any elected office.
[Amended by Bill No. 12-32]
(b) 
By October 1 of the year prior to the year in which redistricting is to be effective, the Commission shall prepare, publish, and make available a plan of Council districts and shall present that plan, together with a report explaining it, to the Council. The plan shall provide for Council districts that are compact, contiguous, and substantially equal in population. No less than fifteen calendar days and no more than thirty calendar days after receiving the plan of the Commission, the Council shall hold a public hearing on the plan. If within seventy calendar days following presentation of the Commission's plan no other law establishing or re-establishing the boundaries of the Council districts has been enacted, then the plan, as submitted, shall become law.
A Council member shall serve for a term beginning at noon on the first Monday in December next following election, and ending at noon on the first Monday in December in the fourth year thereafter.
[Amended by Bill No. 12-31]
A Council member shall have been a resident and a qualified voter of the County for at least two years immediately preceding election or appointment. At the time of election or appointment, the candidate shall be a resident of the Council district from which elected or appointed. During the term of office, the Council member shall not hold any other office of profit or employment in the government of the State of Maryland, Harford County, or any municipality within Harford County, except a position held by virtue of being a Council member. The Council member shall not, during the whole term for which elected or appointed, be eligible for appointment to any County office or position carrying compensation, except to the office of Council member or County Executive in the event of a vacancy.
Council members shall receive compensation of five thousand dollars per annum. The President of the Council shall receive compensation of six thousand five hundred dollars per annum. The compensation of the President of the Council and the other Council members may be changed by law passed by an affirmative vote of at least five members of the Council. Any increase or decrease in compensation which becomes law during one term of office shall not become effective before the next term.
[Amended by Bill Nos. 87-51; 22-007]
(a) 
A vacancy in the Council shall exist upon the death or resignation of a Council member, removal from office, or upon forfeiture of office by a Council member. When a vacancy occurs, a majority of the remaining members of the Council shall, within sixty calendar days thereafter, appoint a person to fill the vacancy. If an appointee is to succeed a member of a political party, that individual shall be selected from a list of at least three names submitted to the Council by the Central Committee of the party to which the former Council member belonged. If the Council has not acted within sixty calendar days, the County Executive shall appoint a person to fill the vacancy within ten calendar days thereafter. If the Council member who held the vacant position was a member of a political party at the time of election, the person appointed by the County Executive to fill the vacancy shall be selected from the same list that the Central Committee of that party has previously submitted to the Council. Except as provided in Subsection (b) of this section, an appointee shall serve for the unexpired term of the appointee's predecessor. Any person appointed to fill a vacancy shall meet the same qualifications and residence requirements as the previous Council Member.
(b) 
If a vacancy filled by an appointment under Subsection (a) of this section occurred more than ninety calendar days before the next Congressional primary election following election of the original Council member, the appointed Council member shall serve until a successor Council member, elected at the next Congressional election following the vacancy, takes office. The successor Council member shall take office at noon on the first Monday in December next following election, and shall serve the remainder of the original Council member's term.
[Amended by Bill Nos. 88-32; 22-007]
(a) 
Forfeiture of Office by Council Member. A Council member shall immediately forfeit office upon ceasing to be a qualified voter of the County or when convicted of a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude. A Council member required to reside in a particular Council district shall forfeit office upon ceasing to be a resident of that district, provided that no member of the Council shall forfeit office by reason of any change in the boundary lines of a Council district made during a single term.
(b) 
Removal of a Council Member from Office. A Council member may be removed from office by an affirmative vote of at least five members of the Council after a public hearing and upon a finding that the Council member has failed to perform the duties of office for a continuous period of six months or is unable by reason of physical or mental disability to perform the duties of office. The decision of the Council may be appealed by the Council member within ten days to the Circuit Court for Harford County by petition. Upon the filing of a petition, the court may stay the removal pending its decision. The court shall make independent determinations of fact, and its decision may be appealed to the Court of Appeals of Maryland.
The President of the Council shall be elected by the qualified voters of the County in accordance with Section 204 of this Charter. At its first meeting in December of each year, the Council shall elect from among its members a Vice President. The President, or in the President's absence the Vice President, shall preside at all meetings. On all questions before the Council the President and Vice President shall have and may exercise the vote to which each is entitled as a Council member.
[Amended by Bill No. 96-37]
There shall be a Council Administrator who shall keep minutes of its meetings, maintain its journal, and perform such other duties as the Council may direct. The Council Administrator shall serve at the pleasure of the Council and shall receive such compensation as the Council may determine.
(a) 
The Council shall appoint a County Auditor who shall serve at the pleasure of the Council and shall receive such compensation as the Council may determine. The County Auditor shall be a certified public accountant licensed under the law of this state.
[Amended by Bill No. 84-44]
(b) 
The County Auditor shall, not later than four months after the close of each fiscal year, prepare and submit to the Council and to the County Executive, a complete financial audit for the preceding fiscal year of all agencies that receive or disburse County funds. The audit shall include a report together with such explanatory comments as the County Auditor may deem appropriate. The report and explanatory comments shall be published in at least one newspaper widely circulated in the County in accordance with the provisions of Section 812, and copies of the complete audit shall be open for inspection by the public. The Council may exempt on an annual basis those agencies whose entire records, accounts, and affairs are completely audited each year by the State or Federal government and may, for good cause, grant an extension to submit the financial audit.
[Amended by Bill No. 12-29]
(c) 
All records and files pertaining to the receipt and expenditure of County funds by all officers, agents, and employees of the County and all agencies thereof, and any office, department, or agency funded in whole or in part by County funds and all offices, departments, institutions, boards, commissions and other agencies thereof shall at all times be open to the inspection of the County Auditor who shall promptly call to the attention of the Council and the County Executive any irregularity or improper procedure which may be discovered. The County Auditor's duties may include operational and performance auditing procedures of any office, department, or agency funded in whole or in part by County funds, as assigned and directed by a majority of the County Council by resolution.
[Amended by Bill No. 14-17]
(d) 
The Council shall have the power to implement the provisions of this section and to assign additional functions, duties, and personnel to the County Auditor. All actions of the Council pursuant to this section shall be exempt from the Executive veto.
Either the Council or the County Executive may at any time order the examination or audit of the accounts of any agency that receives or disburses the County funds. Upon the death, resignation or removal of any County officer, the County Auditor shall cause an audit and investigation to be made of any accounts maintained by the officer and by the agency. The County Auditor shall report the results of this audit to the County Executive and the Council, and copies shall be made available to the public no later than three months after the ordering of the audit. If, as a result of any such audit, an officer shall be found to be indebted to the County, the County Executive shall proceed forthwith to collect the indebtedness. All actions of the Council pursuant to this section shall be exempt from the Executive veto.
The Council may make, or cause to be made, investigations into the affairs of the County and the conduct of any County agency. For this purpose, the Council may subpoena witnesses, administer oaths, take testimony, and require the production of evidence.
[Amended by Bill No. 22-005]
Neither the Council nor any of its members shall attempt to influence the head of any agency of the County government concerning the appointment of any person to, or removal from, any office or employment, nor in any way take part in the appointment of, or removal of, any officer or employee of the County except as specifically provided in this Charter. Formal communications from the Council to the Executive Branch shall be addressed to the County Executive, and, unless for the purpose of inquiry or information, neither the Council nor any member thereof shall deal directly with any officer, agent, or employee in the Executive Branch.
(a) 
The first three Tuesdays of each month and each Tuesday of the month of May and such additional days as the Council may determine, except November of a Council election year and County holidays, are designated as legislative session days for the enactment of legislation. In no event shall the Council sit for more than forty-five legislative session days in any year.
[Amended by Bill No. 76-30]
(b) 
For the purpose of performing duties, other than enacting legislation, which are properly exercisable by the Council under the provisions of this Charter, the Council may sit in non-legislative sessions at such times as it may determine.
(c) 
No session of the Council shall be scheduled earlier than 6:00 p.m. on any day unless authorized by an affirmative vote of at least five members of the Council.
(d) 
Four members of the Council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
(e) 
The Council shall provide for the keeping of a journal, which shall be open to public inspection at all reasonable times.
(f) 
All voting, except on procedural motions, shall be by roll call, and the ayes and nays shall be recorded in the journal.
(g) 
No business shall be transacted, nor any appointments made, nor nominations confirmed, except in public session.
(h) 
The Council shall adopt and publish rules of procedure not inconsistent with the provisions of this Charter.
(a) 
The Council shall enact no law except by bill. All bills shall be styled: "Be It Enacted By The Council of Harford County, Maryland." The subject of every law shall be described in its title and the title shall be used when giving public notice of hearings on proposed legislation. Every law, except the budget law and supplementary appropriation laws, shall embrace but one subject. No law or section of law shall be revived or amended by reference to its title only.
(b) 
A bill may be introduced by any member of the Council on any legislative session day of the Council. Every copy of each bill shall bear the name of the member of the Council introducing it and the date it was introduced. On the introduction of any bill, a copy thereof and notice of the time and place of the hearing on the bill shall be posted by the Council within twenty-four hours on an official bulletin board to be set up by the Council in a public place. Additional copies of the bill shall be available to the public upon request. Bills introduced to meet emergencies affecting public health, safety, or welfare shall be plainly designated as emergency bills and shall contain, after the enacting clause, a declaration stating that an emergency exists and describing the claimed emergency in clear and specific terms.
(c) 
Within twenty-four hours following the introduction of a bill, the Council shall schedule a public hearing on the bill, which hearing shall not be less than five days nor more than fourteen days after publication of the hearing notice. Public notice of hearings on bills shall be published in at least one newspaper widely circulated in the County in accordance with the provisions of Section 812. The public hearing on a bill may, but need not be, held on a legislative session day and may be adjourned from time to time.
[Amended by Bill No. 12-29]
(d) 
After the public hearing, a bill may be enacted on a legislative session day with or without amendment except that if a bill is amended before enactment, the bill shall not be enacted until it is reprinted or reproduced as amended. No bill, other than an emergency bill, shall be enacted except by the affirmative vote of at least four members of the Council. No emergency bill shall be enacted except by an affirmative vote of at least five members of the Council.
(e) 
The Council may reject any bill on its introduction without a public hearing by an affirmative vote of at least five members of the Council. Any bill not enacted within 45 days after its introduction shall be considered to have failed.
[Amended by Bill No. 88-33]
Any law shall take effect sixty calendar days following the date it becomes law, unless by its terms it is to take effect at a later date, or unless it is petitioned to referendum as provided in Section 220 of this Charter. An emergency law or a law appropriating funds for current expenses of the County shall take effect on the date it becomes law.
(a) 
Any law which becomes law pursuant to this Charter may be petitioned to referendum except:
(1) 
A law imposing a tax;
(2) 
A law appropriating funds for current expenses of the County government;
(3) 
A law establishing or re-establishing Council districts pursuant to Section 205 of this Charter; and
(4) 
A decision of the Council in a zoning case pursuant to Section 703 of this Charter.
(b) 
A law shall be submitted to a referendum of the voters upon petition, in the form prescribed by law, of five percent of the qualified voters of the County computed as of the date of the previous general election. The petition shall be filed with the Board of Supervisors of Elections of Harford County within sixty calendar days from the date the bill becomes law.
(c) 
If a petition is filed, the law to be referred shall not take effect until thirty calendar days after its approval by a majority of the qualified voters of the County voting thereon at the next ensuing regular election held for members of the House of Representatives of the United States. An emergency law shall remain in force from the date it becomes law notwithstanding the filing of such petition, but shall stand repealed thirty calendar days after having been rejected by a majority of the qualified voters of the County voting thereon.
[Amended by Bill No. 12-29]
The Council shall cause all laws and all amendments to this Charter to be published in at least one newspaper widely circulated in the County in accordance with the provisions of Section 812. The first publication of a law shall take place within ten days of the date that the legislative act became law. Copies of the laws and the Charter amendments shall be available to the public upon request.
The Council shall periodically compile and codify all laws of the County. Each codification shall be submitted to the Council, and if adopted by law, shall be known as the "Harford County Code." The Council shall annually prepare and publish a cumulative supplement to the Harford County Code.
(a) 
Appointment by the County Executive of the Director of Administration, the head of an agency and the deputy directors of an agency, in the Executive Branch of the County government, or of a member of a board or commission shall be subject to confirmation by the Council. If the Council fails to act to confirm or reject any appointment within 30 days of its submission to the Council by the County Executive, the appointment shall stand approved.
[Amended by Bill Nos. 88-34; 14-18]
(b) 
In the case of appointment by the County Executive to the position of Director of Administration, head of an agency or the deputy directors of an agency in the Executive Branch of the County government, a vote of at least five members of the Council shall be required to reject such appointment.
[Amended by Bill No. 14-18]
(c) 
In the case of appointment by the County Executive to membership on a board or commission, a vote of at least four members of the Council shall be required to reject such appointment.
[Added by Bill No. 76-35]
(a) 
The Office of Council Attorney shall be administered by the Council Attorney. At the time of appointment, the Council Attorney shall have been a member in good standing of the Bar of the Maryland Court of Appeals for at least five years and, prior to assuming the duties of the office, shall be domiciled in the County.
(b) 
The Council Attorney shall be the Chief Legal Advisor to the Council in all matters and shall have the authority and duty to appear in legal and administrative proceedings on behalf of Harford County, Maryland, in all matters as may be deemed advisable and necessary relating to and supporting the Council's actions, functions, powers and duties. The Council Attorney shall be appointed by the Council and shall be in the exempt service.
[Amended by Bill No. 78-54]
(c) 
The Council Attorney shall have the authority to hire such assistant Council attorneys and other employees as may be necessary to perform the duties of the office. The officers and employees of the Executive Branch shall provide such assistance and facilities to the Council Attorney as may be deemed necessary to the performance of the Council Attorney's duties. The Council Attorney shall render such assistance to the officers and employees of the Executive Branch as may be necessary to assist them in the performance of their duties.
(d) 
The Council Attorney may, with the approval of the Council, employ special legal counsel to work problems of an extraordinary nature when the work to be done is of such a character or magnitude as to require services in addition to those regularly provided by the Department of Law or Council Attorney's Office.
(e) 
Neither the Council Attorney nor any assistant in the Council Attorney's Office may, at any time, while holding such office, practice as an attorney before the Council or any agency of the County government other than to represent the County's interest.
(f) 
Subject to the approval of a majority of the Council, a People's Counsel shall be employed by the Council Attorney to represent the interests of the public in zoning matters. The duties, powers and functions of the People's Counsel shall be set forth by legislative act. The Council may provide for a People's Counsel Citizens' Advisory Board to be appointed by the Council.