Every law of the County shall be styled: "Be it enacted by the County Council of Prince
George's County, Maryland." The Council shall enact no law except by bill. The subject
of every law shall be described in its title. Every law enacted by the Council, except
the budget law and supplementary appropriation laws, shall embrace but one subject.
No law or section of law shall be revived or amended by reference to its title only.
A bill may be introduced by any member of the Council on any legislative session-day
of the Council. On the introduction of any bill, a copy thereof and notice of the
time and place of the public hearing on the bill shall be posted by the Clerk of the
Council within ten days on an official bulletin board to be set up by the Council
in a public place and by any other such methods as the Council shall dictate. Additional
copies of the bill shall be made available to the public and to the press. Every copy
of each bill shall bear the name of the member of the Council introducing it and the
date it was introduced. Within ten days following the introduction of a bill the Clerk
of the Council shall schedule and give public notice of a public hearing on the bill,
which hearing shall not be less than fourteen days after its introduction. The Council
may reject any bill on its introduction without a hearing by a majority vote of the
members of the full Council. Such public notice shall be published in the County newspapers
of record and in media for public notice as defined in Section 1008 of this Charter. The public hearing may, but need not be, held on a legislative session-day
and may be adjourned from time to time. After the public hearing, a bill may be finally
enacted on a legislative session-day with or without amendment, except, that if a
bill is amended before enactment and the amendment constitutes a change of substance,
the bill shall not be enacted until it is reprinted or reproduced as amended and a
public hearing shall be set thereon and proceedings had, as in the case of a newly
introduced bill. Any bill not enacted by the last day of November of each year shall
be considered to have failed. To meet a public emergency affecting the public health,
safety, or welfare, the County may enact emergency bills. Every emergency bill shall
be plainly designated as such and shall contain, after the enacting clause, a declaration
stating that an emergency exists and describing the claimed emergency in clear and
specific terms. The term "emergency bill" shall not include any measure creating or
abolishing any office; changing the compensation, term, or duty of any officer; granting
any franchise or special privilege; or creating any vested right or interest. No bill
shall be enacted except by the affirmative vote of a majority of the full Council.
No emergency bill shall be enacted except by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of
the members of the full Council. In the event of an emergency declared by the Governor
pursuant to provisions of State law, which emergency affects any part or all of Prince
George's County, the Council may provide, by law, for modification of voting, quorum,
and publication requirements consistent with State law, for matters relating to and
necessary to respond to the emergency.
