Rule 10-13 Public Testimony Required at all Hearings on Bills
Current through 2024. Source: DLR publication. Published by the Baltimore City Department of Legislative Reference.
Balt., Md., Council Rules r. 10-13 (2026)
Rule 10-13 Public Testimony Required at all Hearings on BillsLinkCopy Citation
(a)
In General. All committee hearings on bills shall have an opportunity to hear testimony from members of the general public.
(b)
Testimony given when attending virtually –Discretion of Chair.
(1)
The chair of each committee shall establish at the first meeting of their service whether they will permit members of the public attending virtually to testify.
(2)
The chair’s decision shall be binding for the length of their service as chair.
(3)
The chair’s decision shall be posted to the legislative public information portal.
(c)
Time Limit on Public Testimony. Each member of the general public that wishes to testify shall give testimony no more than three minutes in length.
(d)
Discretion of Committee Chair. The committee chair may:
(1)
set a time limit on public testimony of less than three minutes at their discretion; and
(2)
invite individuals to testify for more than three minutes, whose names shall be shared with the Councilmembers present and the Office of Council Services prior to the start of the meeting.
(e)
Voting sessions. Subsection (a) of this Rule does not apply for a hearing on a bill where testimony from members of the general public was taken at a previous committee hearing on the same bill.