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.
*hb0237*
HOUSE BILL 237
G1, P5 5lr0946
SB 140/24 – EEE (PRE–FILED) CF SB 171
By: Delegates Palakovich Carr and Griffith
Requested: September 25, 2024
Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
Assigned to: Ways and Means
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 27, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
General Assembly Vacancy – Political Party Central Committees – Procedures 2
FOR the purpose of establishing requirements for the filling of a vacancy in the office of 3
Senator or Delegate in the General Assembly by a central committee of a political 4
party under the Maryland Constitution relating to applications, public notice, public 5
meetings, and voting; and generally relating to the procedures of a central committee 6
of a political party for filling a vacancy in the General Assembly. 7
BY adding to 8
Article – Election Law 9
Section 4–206 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 12
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14
Article – Election Law 15
4–206. 16
(A) THIS SECTION APPLIES ONLY TO THE PROCESS OF FILLING A VACANCY 17
IN THE OFFICE OF SENATOR OR DELEGATE IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY UNDER 18
ARTICLE III, § 13 OF THE MARYLAND CONSTITUTION. 19 2 HOUSE BILL 237
(B) (1) THE APPLICATION PERIO D TO APPLY TO A CENT RAL COMMITTEE 1
TO FILL A VACANCY SHALL BE : 2
(I) OPEN FOR AT LEAST 7 DAYS; AND 3
(II) ADVERTISED IN A CONS PICUOUS MANNER BY TH E CENTRAL 4
COMMITTEE FILLING TH E VACANCY BY A PUBLI C NOTICE THAT INCLUD ES: 5
1. THE CENTRAL COMMITTE E’S INTENT TO MEET TO FILL 6
THE VACANCY ; 7
2. THE TIME AND PLACE O F ANY MEETINGS TO BE HELD 8
TO DISCUSS OR VOTE O N THE FILLING OF THE VACANCY; 9
3. THE PROCESS FOR FILL ING THE VACANCY ; AND 10
4. THE MANNER IN WHICH INDIVIDUALS MAY APPL Y TO 11
FILL THE VACANCY . 12
(2) THE NOTICE REQUIRED U NDER PARAGRA PH (1)(II) OF THIS 13
SUBSECTION SHALL BE TRANSLATED INTO A LA NGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH IF 14
THE LOCAL BOARD FOR THE COUNTY IN WHICH THE CENTRAL COMMITTE E IS 15
LOCATED IS REQUIRED TO TRANSLATE ELECTIO N MATERIALS INTO THA T LANGUAGE 16
UNDER § 203 OF THE FEDERAL VOTING RIGHTS ACT. 17
(C) ALL APPLICATIONS SUBM ITTED TO A CENTRAL C OMMITTEE TO FILL A 18
VACANCY SHALL : 19
(1) BE POSTED ONLINE PRO MPTLY AFTER THE APPL ICATION 20
DEADLINE BY THE COUN TY CENTRAL COMMITTEE OR THE STATE CENTRAL 21
COMMITTEE OF THE POL ITICAL PARTY; AND 22
(2) REMAIN POSTED ONLINE UNTIL AT LEAST 30 DAYS AFTER THE 23
CENTRAL COMMITTEE VO TES ON AN INDIVIDUAL TO FILL THE VACANCY . 24
(D) THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE SHALL HOLD A PUBLIC MEETING TO 25
INTERVIEW THE INDIVI DUALS WHO APPLIED TO FILL THE VACANCY . 26
(E) A MEETING HELD BY A CENTRAL COMMITT EE TO DISCUSS OR VOT E ON 27
FILLING A VACANCY SH ALL BE: 28
(1) OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ; AND 29
HOUSE BILL 237 3
(2) ANNOUNCED AT LEAST 3 DAYS BEFORE THE MEET ING. 1
(F) (1) THE VOTE BY A CENTRAL COMMITTEE TO CHOOSE AN INDIVIDUAL 2
TO FILL A VACANCY SH ALL BE: 3
(I) BY ROLL CALL VOTE OR BY SIGNED BALLOTS ; AND 4
(II) IN A MEETING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. 5
(2) A MEMBER OF THE CENTRA L COMMITTEE WHO HAS APPLIED TO 6
FILL THE VACANCY SHA LL RECUSE THEMSELVES FROM: 7
(I) ADMINISTERING THE PR OCESS OF FILLING THE VACANCY, 8
INCLUDING ADVERTISING THE VACANCY , REVIEWING APPLICATIO NS, AND 9
INTERVIEWING CANDIDA TES; AND 10
(II) VOTING ON THE INDIVI DUAL TO FILL THE VAC ANCY. 11
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 12
October 1, 2025. 13
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.