WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 948
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Chapter 948
(Senate Bill 894)
AN ACT concerning
Baltimore City – Control Over Powers of Police Commissioner
FOR the purpose of repealing a prohibition on certain Baltimore City ordinances or acts of
certain municipal officials from conflicting, impeding, obstructing, hindering, or
interfering with the powers of the Baltimore City Police Commissioner; making a
portion of this Act contingent on the passage and ratification, by a certain date, of a
certain Baltimore City Charter amendment; and generally relating to the Baltimore
City Police Commissioner.
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
The Charter of Baltimore City
Article II – General Powers
Section (27)
(2007 Replacement Volume, as amended)
(As enacted by Chapters 39 and 40 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 2009)
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
The Charter of Baltimore City
Article II – General Powers
The Mayor and City Council of Baltimore shall have full power and authority to
exercise all of the powers heretofore or hereafter granted to it by the Constitution of
Maryland or by any Public General or Public Local Laws of the State of Maryland; and in
particular, without limitation upon the foregoing, shall have power by ordinance, or such
other method as may be provided for in its Charter, subject to the provisions of said
Constitution and Public General Laws:
(27)
To have and exercise within the limits of Baltimore City all the power commonly
known as the Police Power to the same extent as the State has or could exercise that power
within the limits of Baltimore City[; provided, however, that no ordinance of the City or act
of any municipal officer, other than an act of the Mayor pursuant to Article IV of this
Charter, shall conflict, impede, obstruct, hinder or interfere with the powers of the Police
Commissioner].
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: Ch. 948 2024 LAWS OF MARYLAND
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(a) Section 1 of this Act shall take effect contingent on the passage of an
amendment to the Charter of Baltimore City that provides for the appointment, terms of
office, and the powers and duties of the Baltimore City Police Commissioner and the powers
and duties of the Baltimore City Police Department and its ratification by the voters of
Baltimore City at the 2024 general election.
(b) If an amendment to the Charter of Baltimore City that provides for the
appointment, terms of office, and the powers and duties of the Baltimore City Police
Commissioner and the powers and duties of the Baltimore City Police Department is
ratified at the 2024 general election, Section 1 of this Act shall take effect January 1, 2025.
(c) If an amendment to the Charter of Baltimore City that provides for the
appointment, terms of office, and the powers and duties of the Baltimore City Police
Commissioner and the powers and duties of the Baltimore City Police Department is not
passed and ratified at the 2024 general election, Section 1 of this Act, with no further action
required by the General Assembly, shall be null and void.
SECTION 2. 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That , except as provided in
Section 2 of this Act, this Act shall take effect June 1, 2024.
Approved by the Governor, May 16, 2024.