The Council shall be composed of nine (9) members, nominated and elected as provided in Section 303 of the Charter. The Council shall exercise all legislative powers granted the County under the State Constitution and the laws of the State, as provided in Section 302 of the Charter. The Council shall be organized, qualified, and compensated as provided in the Charter.

Council sessions for the enactment of legislation shall be held on the first and third Tuesday of January, February, March, April, May, June, July, September, October, and November, except: November in a Councilmanic Election Year; The following Wednesday if a legal holiday; or, Such additional days as the Council determines not to exceed forty-five (45) days, or as limited by the State Constitution. Council session for the performance of other duties may be held at such times as determined by the Council. Council session shall be held at the County Administration Building, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and such other places as the Council shall designate.

Upon the death, resignation, removal or expiration of the term of a County Council member, an audit shall be made of the accounts maintained by the County Council member. If, as a result of any audit, a County Council member shall be found to be indebted to the County, the County Executive shall proceed forthwith to collect the indebtedness.

The provisions of this Section shall apply only to a vacancy on the County Council that occurs during the first three (3) years of a term. When there is a vacancy in the office of a Council Member that occurs during the first three (3) years of a term, the Council shall, within seven (7) days after such vacancy occurs, adopt a Resolution directing that a special primary and special election by the registered voters of the Council District concerned be held to fill the vacancy. The Resolution shall specify: The date by which a certificate of candidacy must be filed with the Board of Supervisors of Elections; The date for the special primary election; and The date for the special election. The date of the special primary election shall be any Tuesday that is at least forty-five (45) calendar days, but not more than sixty (60) calendar days, following the occurrence of the vacancy. The date of the special election shall be any Tuesday which is at least sixty (60) calendar days, but not more than ninety (90) calendar days, following the occurrence of the vacancy. Polling places shall be open between the hours of 7 A.M. and 8 P.M. No special primary election or special election shall be held within thirty (30) calendar days prior to any regularly scheduled election. The Council shall consult with the Board of Supervisors of Elections before adopting the Resolution described in Subsection (b). The County shall provide funding to cover the costs for the special primary election and special election. The Board of Supervisors of Elections shall identify the costs incurred and submit a request for a supplemental budget appropriation to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget within sixty days after the special election. Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Section, and except where such construction would be unreasonable, the provisions of Article 33, Annotated Code of Maryland, the County Charter, and the County Code shall be applicable to special primary elections or special elections. Within seven calendar days after the adoption of the Resolution directing a special election, the Board of Supervisors of Elections shall publish once in at least one newspaper of general circulation a notice that a vacancy has occurred, that a special primary election and special election will be held on the dates specified to fill the vacancy. In order to have the name of a proposed candidate placed on the ballot, the candidate shall file with the Board of Supervisors of Elections a certificate of candidacy not later than twenty-eight (28) days prior to the special primary election. At least 10 days prior to the special primary election and special election, the Board of Supervisors of Elections shall mail a specimen ballot to the household of each registered voter in the councilmanic district in which the vacancy occurs. The specimen ballot shall contain the names of the candidates in the order and form in which they are to be printed on the ballot, together with a statement, not to exceed 500 words, provided by each candidate. When there is a vacancy in the office of a Council Member that occurs during the last year of a term, a majority of the remaining members of the Council shall appoint a qualified person to fill the vacancy within thirty (30) calendar days.

Definitions. In this Section, the following words and phrases have the following meanings: Director means the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. Fiscal impact means an estimate of changes in future County revenue and expenditures attributable to a change in the law. Legislation means a bill or resolution under consideration by the Council. Fiscal impact statements. The Director shall submit a statement to the Council describing the fiscal impact, if any, of each piece of legislation. The Director shall submit a separate statement for each piece of legislation. Time for submission. A fiscal impact statement should be submitted to the Council: no later than 7 days before the first Committee session at which the legislation is considered on each bill or resolution presented or introduced, respectively, by the Council Chair at the request of the County Executive; and the earlier of no more than: twelve (12) days after a bill or resolution sponsored by a Councilmember is presented or introduced, respectively; or two (2) days before the first Committee session at which the legislation is considered. If the Director is unable to submit the statement within the time required by paragraph (2), the Director shall notify the Council Chair in writing of the delay, the reason for the delay, and the revised delivery date. If the Council Chair finds that the revised delivery date is unreasonable, the Council Chair may set a different delivery deadline. Content of fiscal impact statement. Each fiscal impact statement shall include: the sources of information, assumptions, and methodologies used; an estimate of changes in County revenues and expenditures regardless of whether the revenues or expenditures are assumed in a recommended or approved budget; revenue and expenditure estimates covering at least the next four (4) fiscal years; analysis of the full personnel cost of the legislation; an estimate of additional staff and resources needed to implement the legislation; an explanation of revenue or expenditures that are uncertain or difficult to project; and if the legislation is likely to have no fiscal impact, why that is the case. Compliance. Council action on legislation that is otherwise valid is not invalid because of any failure to follow the requirements of this Section.

In the event the State Senator or a member of the House of Delegates of Prince George's County dies during his term of office, beginning with the session opening in January, 1963, the Council shall pay to the surviving spouse of the deceased Senator or Delegate such sum as will equal the amount of money he would have received from the State had he lived until the end of the year in which he died. If there is no surviving spouse such sums shall be paid to heirs at law of the deceased Senator or Delegate.

The members of the County Council shall receive compensation for the performance of their public duties under the Charter of: no increase in the County Council Member salaries in December 2026, year one of the term. For year one of the term, the County Council Member salaries will remain at $145,432, the same level established in December 2025. For year one of the term, the Council Chair's salary will remain at $152,703, the same level established in December 2025. For year one of the term, the Council Vice-Chair's salary will remain $149,068, the same level established in December 2025; payment in the amounts adjusted annually, beginning in year two (2027), in year three (2028) and in year four (2029), respectively, with a percentage increase equal to the percentage by which the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for September shall have increased from the preceding September up to a maximum of 3.0% in each of year two, year three, and year four of the term; and for any year the CPI-U is applied for salary adjustment purposes, should the CPI-U for that year reflect a decrease in the year-over-year rate, the salaries of the County Council Members shall remain at the previous year's salary level. The compensation of the Chair of the County Council shall be fixed at five percent (5%) per annum in excess of the compensation of the other Council Members during such person's term as Chair, and the compensation of the Vice-Chair of the County Council shall be fixed at two and one half percent (2.5%) per annum in excess of the compensation of the other Council Members during such person's term as Vice-Chair. The County contribution for County Council Members to the County's ICMA 401 Defined Contribution Plan shall increase from five percent (5%) to ten percent (10%), while the County Council Members will continue to contribute five percent (5%) of base salary. The compensation of Members of the County Council shall be determined in accordance with Section 308 of the Charter and applicable State law.