In this subtitle, “Committee” means the Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive, and Legislative Review.

There is a Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive, and Legislative Review, which is a joint committee of the Senate and the House.

The Committee consists of 20 members. Of the 20 Committee members: 10 shall be Senators, appointed by the President with the approval of the Senate; and 10 shall be Delegates, appointed by the Speaker with the approval of the House. The Senators appointed by the President shall be chosen so that each political party is represented in approximately the same proportion as the party is represented in the Senate. The Delegates appointed by the Speaker shall be chosen so that each political party is represented in approximately the same proportion as the party is represented in the House. Members shall be appointed at the beginning of each regular session of the General Assembly and shall serve until the beginning of the following regular session.

The Senate chair and the House chair of the Committee shall be appointed by the President and the Speaker, respectively, from the membership of the Committee. One shall be a Senator appointed by the President, and the other shall be a Delegate appointed by the Speaker. The presiding chairship and cochairship shall be alternated annually between the Senate and the House.

A majority of the full authorized membership of the Committee is a quorum. The Department of Legislative Services shall provide staff assistance to the Committee.

In addition to any powers set forth elsewhere, the Committee may: review proposed or adopted regulations of a unit of the Executive Branch of the State government; consider requests for emergency adoption of regulations; inquire into an alleged failure of an officer or employee of any branch of the State government to comply with the laws of the State; and review the operations of any unit of the Executive Branch of the State government. At least once a year, the Committee shall submit a report to the Legislative Policy Committee and, subject to § 2–1257 of this title, to the General Assembly. The report shall: describe the studies and other work of the Committee; and include any recommendations of the Committee on legislative action that is needed to change or reverse a regulation of a unit of the Executive Branch of the State government. The failure of the Committee to comment on or to object to a proposed or adopted regulation is not an indication that: the Committee approves the regulation; the statute under which the regulation is adopted authorizes the adoption; or the regulation conforms to the legislative intent of the statute.

In carrying out any of its functions or powers, the Committee may: issue subpoenas; compel the attendance of witnesses; compel the production of any papers, books, accounts, documents, and testimony; administer oaths; and cause the depositions of witnesses, who reside in or outside of the State, to be taken in the manner provided by law for taking depositions in a civil case. If a person fails to comply with a subpoena issued under this section or fails to testify on any matter on which the person lawfully may be interrogated, on petition of a member of the Committee, a circuit court may pass an order directing compliance with the subpoena or compelling testimony and may enforce the order by proceedings for contempt. Venue and procedures for a proceeding under paragraph (1) of this subsection to direct compliance with a subpoena or compel testimony are as provided in § 2–1803 of this title.