Maryland Code § CONST-II-17

Section CONST-II-17
Open in Lexace · Ask the AI about this section
(a) To guard against hasty or partial legislation and encroachment of the
Legislative Department upon the co-ordinate Executive and Judicial Departments,
every Bill passed by the House of Delegates and the Senate, before it becomes a law,
shall be presented to the Governor of the State. If the Governor approves the Bill, the
Governor shall sign the Bill. Except for the Budget Bill, if the Governor disapproves
the Bill, the Governor shall return it with objections to the House in which it
originated, which House shall enter the objections at large on its Journal and proceed

to reconsider the Bill. Each House may adopt by rule a veto calendar procedure that
permits Bills that are to be reconsidered to be read and voted upon as a single group.
The members of each House shall be afforded reasonable notice of the Bills to be
placed on each veto calendar. Upon the objection of a member, any Bill shall be
removed from the veto calendar. If, after such reconsideration, three-fifths of the
members elected to that House pass the Bill, it shall be sent with the objections to
the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if it passes by three-
fifths of the members elected to that House it shall become a law. The votes of both
Houses shall be determined by yeas and nays, and the names of the persons voting
for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively.
(b) If any Bill presented to the Governor while the General Assembly is in
session is not returned by the Governor with objections within six days (Sundays
excepted), the Bill shall be a law in like manner as if the Governor signed it, unless
the General Assembly, by adjournment, prevents its return, in which case it shall not
be a law.
(c) Any Bill presented to the Governor within six days (Sundays excepted),
prior to adjournment of any session of the General Assembly, or after such
adjournment, shall become law without the Governor's signature unless it is vetoed
by the Governor within 30 days after its presentment.
(d) Any Bill, except the Budget Bill, vetoed by the Governor shall be
returned to the House in which it originated immediately after the House has
organized at the next regular or special session of the General Assembly, other than
in extraordinary session convened under subsection (g) of this section. The Bill may
then be reconsidered according to the procedure specified in this section. Any Bill
enacted over the veto of the Governor, or any Bill which shall become law as the result
of the failure of the Governor to act within the time specified, shall take effect 30 days
after the Governor's veto is over-ridden, or on the date specified in the Bill, whichever
is later. If the Bill is an emergency measure, it shall take effect when enacted. No
such vetoed Bill shall be returned to the Legislature when a new General Assembly
of Maryland has been elected and sworn since the passage of the vetoed Bill.
(e) Except for the Budget Bill, the Governor shall have power to disapprove
of any item or items of any Bills making appropriations of money embracing distinct
items, and the part or parts of the Bill approved shall be the law, and the item or
items of appropriations disapproved shall be void unless repassed according to the
rules or limitations prescribed for the passage of other Bills over the Executive veto.
(f) (1) The Governor may approve or disapprove items in the Budget Bill
as provided in this subsection.

(2) The Governor may veto only items relating to the Executive
Department that have been increased or added by the General Assembly. The
Governor may not veto any other items in the Budget Bill.
(3) If the Governor vetoes an item that had been increased by the
General Assembly and the General Assembly does not override the veto under
subsection (g) of this section, that item shall revert to the proposed appropriation
submitted by the Governor. The proposed appropriation shall then be law
immediately without further action by the Governor.
(4) If the Governor vetoes an item that had been added by the
General Assembly and the General Assembly does not override the veto under
subsection (g) of this section, that item shall be void.
(5) Items not disapproved by the Governor shall be law immediately
without further action by the Governor.
(g) (1) If the Governor vetoes an item in the Budget Bill, the General
Assembly may convene in extraordinary session within 30 days after the date of the
veto to consider whether to override the veto. If the General Assembly wishes to
consider whether to override the Governor's veto of an item in the Budget Bill, the
President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Delegates jointly shall issue
a proclamation specifying the date on which to convene in extraordinary session.
(2) (i) The Budget Bill shall be returned by the Governor to the
House in which it originated, and each vetoed item shall be considered individually.
(ii) If three-fifths of the members elected to that House vote to
override the veto of an item, it shall be sent to the other House for consideration.
(iii) If three-fifths of the members of that House vote to
override the veto of the item, that item shall revert to the appropriation originally
passed by the General Assembly. The appropriation as originally passed shall then
become law immediately, without further action by the Governor or the General
Assembly.

‹ Prev All Maryland sections Next ›


Lexace provides legal information, not legal advice, and no attorney–client relationship is created. Statute text is provided for general information and may not reflect the most recent amendments; verify against the official state code.