Subtitle 1 – City Council
Current through 2026-07-17. Source: City of Balt., Md., Ord. 26-129. Published by the Baltimore City Department of Legislative Reference.
Balt., Md., Code art. 1, § 1-1 (2026)
§ 1-1 Other office or clerkship prohibited.LinkCopy Citation
It shall not be lawful for any member of the City Council to be appointed or to accept appointment to any office or clerkship under the corporation during the term for which he was elected as a member of the City Council, the salary or emolument of which are fixed and determined by the Mayor and City Council, whether said appointment be made by the Mayor individually, or by the Mayor and City Council, or by any other officer or officers of the City.
History: Rev. Ords. 1858-003
History: Ord. 1859-032
History: Ord. 1864-090
Balt., Md., Code art. 1, § 1-2 (2026)
§ 1-2LinkCopy Citation
Reserved
Balt., Md., Code art. 1, § 1-3 (2026)
§ 1-3 Ordinances and resolutions.LinkCopy Citation
(a)Form and procedure.
(1)General.
Every ordinance and resolution of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, when delivered to the Mayor for approval, duly authenticated as required by <cite data-doc="City of Baltimore, Md., Charter" data-path="IV|§5">Article IV, § 5 of the City Charter</cite>, shall have indicated on it the date of each reading.
(2)Ordinance requiring publication.
If the ordinance is one requiring publication of notice, the Chief Clerk shall attach a certificate from the publisher of each newspaper in which notice was published, stating the number of times and the dates when the notice was published, which certification shall have pasted on it a printed copy of the notice so published.
(b)Legalization.
(1)
The volumes of “Ordinances and Resolutions of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore” published annually are legalized. They shall be deemed and taken by all public officials to be evidence of the ordinances contained in them.
(2)
Individually printed and attested ordinances and resolutions:
(i)
may be produced and offered in evidence in any suit pending in court; and
(ii)
when so produced and offered in evidence, have the same effect, to all intents and purposes, as the printed volumes containing them would have when published.
History: Ord. 05-011
History: Ord. 08-140
History: Ord. 50-1217
History: Ord. 70-809
History: Ord. 80-151
History: Ord. 99-947
History: Ord. 09-217
Balt., Md., Code art. 1, § 1-4 (2026)
§ 1-4 Committee on Legislative Investigations.LinkCopy Citation
(a)Committee established.
A standing committee of the City Council is established, to be known as the Committee on Legislative Investigations.
(b)Composition.
(1)
The Committee comprises 5 Councilmembers, to be appointed from time to time by the Council President, with the approval of the City Council.
(2)
The President, with the approval of the Council, shall designate 1 member as the Committee’s Chair and another member as the Committee’s Vice-Chair.
(c)General functions.
On its own motion or at the request of any person, the Committee may:
(1)
study the continuing operations, efficiency, and functions of the several departments, bureaus, commissions, boards, and agencies of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore; and
(2)
investigate complaints or allegations of faulty operations, inefficiency, or malfunctioning in any of these departments, bureaus, commissions, boards, and agencies.
(d)Oaths and subpoenas.
(1)
In undertaking any study or investigation under this section, the Committee may:
(i)
on motion approved by a majority of its members, issue subpoenas:
(A)
to compel the attendance of witnesses;
(B)
to compel the production of any relevant papers, books, accounts, records, documents, and testimony; and
(C)
to cause the deposition of witnesses to be taken, in the manner provided by law for taking depositions in a civil case; and
(ii)
administer oaths to all witnesses.
(2)
For purposes of paragraph (1) of this subsection, papers, books, accounts, records, documents, and testimony are considered relevant if they:
(i)
refer or relate to the matters under study or investigation;
(ii)
assist in assessing the credibility of a witness;
(iii)
contradict or corroborate the testimony of a witness; or
(iv)
demonstrate the existence of undue influence on a witness.
(e)Service of subpoena.
A subpoena issued under this section shall be served:
(1)
in the manner provided by law for service of a subpoena in a civil action;
(2)
at least 10 calendar days before the time that the subpoena sets for attendance or for the production of papers, books, accounts, records, or documents; and
(3)
with the following:
(i)
a statement of the subject of the study or investigation to which the subpoena relates;
(ii)
if the subpoena requires the appearance of a person, notice that the person may be accompanied by counsel; and
(iii)
a copy of this section and of any rules adopted by the Committee under this section.
(f)Enforcement of oaths and subpoenas.
(1)
If a person subpoenaed under this section fails to comply with the subpoena or fails to testify on any matter on which the person may be lawfully interrogated:
(i)
the Committee may petition the Circuit Court of Baltimore City to order compliance with the subpoena; and
(ii)
on petition, the Court may:
(A)
pass an order directing compliance with the subpoena or compelling testimony; and
(B)
enforce its order by proceedings for contempt.
(2)
False swearing by a witness before the Committee is subject to the penalties of perjury.
(g)Committee rules.
(1)
The Committee may adopt rules to govern its procedures under this section, including the conduct of hearings under this section.
(2)
These rules may not be inconsistent with the provisions of this section or of any other applicable law.
(h)Reports and recommendations.
On completion of a study or investigation under this section, the Committee shall report to the members of the City Council, the Mayor, and the Board of Estimates:
(1)
the results of that study or investigation; and
(2)
any recommendations it may have for:
(i)
the more effective operation of any of these departments, bureaus, commissions, boards, and agencies;
(ii)
legislative, administrative, and budgetary improvements; and
(iii)
if the Committee has reasonable grounds to believe that a criminal offense has been committed, referral to the appropriate prosecuting authority.
History: Ord. 66-818
History: Ord. 14-213
History: Ord. 14-307
Balt., Md., Code art. 1, § 1-5 (2026)
§ 1-5 Agencies to provide budget status reports.LinkCopy Citation
(a)Reports required.
On or before November 1, February 1, May 1, and August 1 each year, the City agencies so requested shall file quarterly budget status reports with the Budget and Appropriations Committee of the City Council.
(b)Contents.
Each report shall contain the information required by the Committee and be in the format requested.
(c)Public hearing.
The Committee may hold a public hearing for those agencies not reporting or those showing a projected deficit for the fiscal year.
(d)“City agency” defined.
The words “City agencies” include the City trustees and all City sponsored and financed nonprofit corporations.
History: Ord. 72-211
History: Ord. 77-333
History: Ord. 81-568
History: Ord. 82-753
Balt., Md., Code art. 1, § 1-6 (2026)
§ 1-6 Agencies to provide legislative information.LinkCopy Citation
It shall be the duty of the head of every City department or bureau established by <cite data-doc="City of Baltimore, Md., Charter">the Baltimore City Charter</cite> or by ordinance to provide all technical materials, plats, drawings, and information that are requested by any member or the President of the City Council for the purpose of introducing legislation into the Council.
History: Ord. 76-080
Balt., Md., Code art. 1, § 1-7 (2026)
§ 1-7 Disorderly conduct prohibited.LinkCopy Citation
(a)Prohibited conduct.
No person shall act in a disorderly manner to the disturbance of the public peace at any meeting or committee meeting of the Baltimore City Council, whether the Baltimore City Council be meeting at Baltimore City Hall or at any other location.
(b)Penalties.
(1)
Any person who continues to violate the prohibitions of this section after a request for order by the presiding officer shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be subject to a fine of not more than $500 or be confined in jail for a period of not more than 60 days or be both fined and imprisoned in the discretion of the court.
(2)
Any person violating the provisions of this section after having been convicted of a prior violation of this section occurring within the preceding 12 months shall be fined not less than $100 for each violation and may be imprisoned for not more than 10 days if the fine is not paid.
History: Ord. 81-214