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<section article="glg" article_name="Local Government" number="4-304" title_number="4" title_name="In General" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Amendment or Repeal of Charter">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The legislative body of a municipality may initiate a proposed amendment to the municipal charter by a resolution that, except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, is adopted in the same manner as other resolutions in the municipality by a majority of all the individuals elected to the legislative body.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Before adopting a resolution initiated by the legislative body of a municipality that proposes an amendment to the municipal charter, the legislative body shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>hold a public hearing on the proposed amendment; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>give at least 21 days’ advance notice of the public hearing.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The chief executive officer of the municipality shall give notice of the resolution that proposes an amendment to the municipal charter by:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>posting an exact copy of the resolution at the main municipal building or other public place for the 40 days after the resolution is adopted; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <level label="1">
          <text>publishing a fair summary of the proposed amendment in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality:</text>
        </level>
        <level label="A">
          <text>at least four times;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="B">
          <text>at weekly intervals; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="C">
          <text>within the 40 days after the resolution is adopted; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <level label="A">
            <text>publishing a fair summary of the proposed amendment in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality at least once; and</text>
          </level>
        </level>
        <level label="B">
          <text>delivering a copy of a fair summary of the proposed charter amendment either by hand or by mail once to every residence in the municipality.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The delivery required under paragraph (1)(ii)2B of this subsection may be accomplished by including a fair summary of the proposed charter amendment in a printed newsletter or any other regular municipal publication.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The municipality delivering a copy of a fair summary under paragraph (1)(ii)2B of this subsection shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>maintain a record of or a copy of the receipt for the delivery under the records retention and document disposal schedule of the municipality; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>make the record or copy available to the general public in accordance with the Maryland Public Information Act.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>Unless a petition meeting the requirements of subsection (d) of this section is presented to the legislative body of a municipality on or before the 40th day after the legislative body adopts a charter amendment resolution, the amendment shall take effect as a part of the municipal charter on the 50th day after the resolution is adopted.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A petition for a referendum on a proposed charter amendment shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>be signed by at least 20% of the qualified voters for the municipal general election; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>request that the proposed amendment be submitted to referendum of the qualified voters of the municipality.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Each individual signing the petition shall indicate on the petition the individual’s name and residence address.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The petition shall be delivered to the legislative body of the municipality by:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>presentment; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>certified mail, return receipt requested.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <level label="i">
        <text>On receiving the petition, the legislative body shall verify that each individual who signed the petition is a qualified voter for the municipal general election.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The petition has no effect if it is signed by less than 20% of the qualified voters for the municipal general election.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>If the petition complies with this section, the legislative body shall specify by resolution adopted in accordance with its normal legislative procedure:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the day and hours for the referendum; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the exact text that is to be placed on the ballot.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <level label="i">
        <text>The legislative body may schedule the referendum for the next regular municipal general election or at a special election.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>If the legislative body schedules a special election, it shall be held not less than 40 days or more than 60 days after the resolution scheduling the referendum is adopted.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
