EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*sb0894*
SENATE BILL 894
L2 4lr2342
SB 758/23 – JPR CF HB 732
By: Senator Carter
Introduced and read first time: February 2, 2024
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: March 2, 2024
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Baltimore City – Control Over Powers of Police Commissioner 2
FOR the purpose of repealing a prohibition on certain Baltimore City ordinances or acts of 3
certain municipal officials from conflicting, impeding, obstructing, hindering, or 4
interfering with the powers of the Baltimore City Police Commissioner; making a 5
portion of this Act contingent on the passage and ratification, by a certain date, of a 6
certain Baltimore City Charter amendment; and generally relating to the Baltimore 7
City Police Commissioner. 8
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 9
The Charter of Baltimore City 10
Article II – General Powers 11
Section (27) 12
(2007 Replacement Volume, as amended) 13
(As enacted by Chapters 39 and 40 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 2009) 14
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16
The Charter of Baltimore City 17
Article II – General Powers 18
The Mayor and City Council of Baltimore shall have full power and authority to 19
exercise all of the powers heretofore or hereafter granted to it by the Constitution of 20 2 SENATE BILL 894
Maryland or by any Public General or Public Local Laws of the State of Maryland; and in 1
particular, without limitation upon the foregoing, shall have power by ordinance, or such 2
other method as may be provided for in its Charter, subject to the provisions of said 3
Constitution and Public General Laws: 4
(27) 5
To have and exercise within the limits of Baltimore City all the power commonly 6
known as the Police Power to the same extent as the State has or could exercise that power 7
within the limits of Baltimore City[; provided, however, that no ordinance of the City or act 8
of any municipal officer, other than an act of the Mayor pursuant to Article IV of this 9
Charter, shall conflict, impede, obstruct, hinder or interfere with the powers of the Police 10
Commissioner]. 11
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 12
(a) Section 1 of this Act shall take effect contingent on the passage of an 13
amendment to the Charter of Baltimore City that provides for the appointment, terms of 14
office, and the powers and duties of the Baltimore City Police Commissioner and the powers 15
and duties of the Baltimore City Police Department and its ratification by the voters of 16
Baltimore City at the 2024 general election. 17
(b) If an amendment to the Charter of Baltimore City that provides for the 18
appointment, terms of office, and the powers and duties of the Baltimore City Police 19
Commissioner and the powers and duties of the Baltimore City Police Department is 20
ratified at the 2024 general election, Section 1 of this Act shall take effect January 1, 2025. 21
(c) If an amendment to the Charter of Baltimore City that provides for the 22
appointment, terms of office, and the powers and duties of the Baltimore City Police 23
Commissioner and the powers and duties of the Baltimore City Police Department is not 24
passed and ratified at the 2024 general election, Section 1 of this Act, with no further action 25
required by the General Assembly, shall be null and void. 26
SECTION 2. 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That , except as provided in 27
Section 2 of this Act, this Act shall take effect June 1, 2024. 28