The County Council may, by legislative act approved by the affirmative
vote of at least five (5) members, propose the termination of this
Charter and the return of the county to the form of government in
effect prior to the adoption of this Charter. The same proposal may
be made by petition signed by twenty per centum (20%) or more of the
registered voters of the county, or ten thousand (10,000) or more
of such registered voters in case twenty per centum (20%) is greater
than ten thousand (10,000). Such petition shall conform with the requirements
of Article XI-A of the Constitution of the State of Maryland and shall
be filed with the County Executive. The question so proposed by act
of the County Council or by petition shall be published by the County
Executive in one (1) or more newspapers of general circulation in
the county once each week for five (5) successive weeks prior to the
next general election or congressional election occurring after the
passage of such act or the filing of such petition. At such election,
the question shall be submitted to the voters of the county, and if
the majority of votes cast on the question shall be in favor of repealing
this Charter, then, at the next quadrennial election, County Commissioners
shall be elected under the public general laws of the State of Maryland.
When the County Commissioners so elected have qualified for office,
this Charter shall terminate. All laws, regulations and ordinances
in effect at the termination of this Charter shall remain in force
until changed by action of the General Assembly of Maryland, or the
Board of County Commissioners, as provided by the Constitution and
public general laws of this state.
A.
Proposal. Amendments to this Charter may be proposed by resolution[1] of the County Council approved by not less than five (5)
of its members, and such resolution shall be exempt from veto. Amendments
may also be proposed by petition filed with the County Executive and
signed by a number of registered voters in the county at least equal
to twenty per centum (20%) of the number of voters who voted in the
previous presidential election, or ten thousand (10,000) registered
voters whichever is less.
[Amended 8-7-2012 by Res.
No. 131-2012]
[1]
Note: Charter revised to permit Amendments proposed by "resolution"
to comply with Maryland State Constitutional provisions. Article XI-A,
Section 5.
B.
Adoption. The amendments so proposed, by act of the County Council
or by petition, shall be published by the County Executive in one
(1) or more newspapers of general circulation in the county once each
week for five (5) successive weeks prior to the next general election
or congressional election occurring after the passage of such amendments
or filing of such petition. At such election, the question shall be
submitted to the voters of the county at the next general or congressional
election occurring after the passage of said act or the filing of
said petition; and if at said election the majority of votes cast
on the question shall be in favor of the proposed amendment, such
amendment shall stand adopted and become a part of this Charter from
and after the 30th day following said election.
C.
Charter Review Committee. The County Council shall, at least once
every ten (10) years appoint a Charter Review Committee for the purpose
of reviewing the Charter in full and submitting recommendations to
the County Council.
