§ 4-303. Form of proposed charter amendment

   (a) In general. -- In conformity with the requirement imposed on the General Assembly under Article III, § 29 of the Maryland Constitution:

   (1) a resolution or petition to amend a municipal charter shall contain the exact text of the proposed charter amendment, prepared so that each provision is shown as the provision would read when amended or enacted;

   (2) except as provided in subsection (e)(2) of this section, a provision of a municipal charter may not be amended by reference to its title or citation only; and

   (3) a municipal charter amendment shall:

      (i) embrace one subject only; and

      (ii) describe the subject in its title.

(b) Source law. -- A proposed amendment shall identify the provision to be amended by citing the code or other publication or amendment in which the most recent text of the provision appears.

(c) Numbering. -- Proposed amendments shall be in a consecutively numbered series.

(d) Inconsistent provisions. -- A proposed amendment shall provide specifically for the repeal of a provision of the municipal charter that is inconsistent with the amended provision.

(e) Format. --

   (1) In a proposal to amend a municipal charter:

      (i) each addition shall be underscored, italicized, or shown in capital letters;

      (ii) subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, each provision to be repealed shall be enclosed in double parentheses or boldface brackets; and

      (iii) each new section shall be underscored, italicized, or shown in capital letters or contain some marginal or other notation to that effect.

   (2) Each entire section to be repealed need not be written out in full and enclosed in double parentheses or boldface brackets.

HISTORY: An. Code 1957, art. 23A, § 13(b), (c), 14(a), 17(a)-(d); 2013, ch. 119, § 2.