EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0171*
SENATE BILL 171
G1, P5 5lr0941
HB 347/24 – W&M (PRE–FILED) CF HB 237
By: Senator Lam
Requested: September 25, 2024
Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
A BILL ENTITLED
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
(B) (1) THE APPLICATION PERIO D TO APPLY TO A CENT RAL COMMITTEE 20
TO FILL A VACANCY SHALL BE: 21
(I) OPEN FOR AT LEAST 7 DAYS; AND 22 2 SENATE BILL 171
(II) ADVERTISED IN A CONS PICUOUS MANNER BY TH E CENTRAL 1
COMMITTEE FILLING TH E VACANCY BY A PUBLI C NOTICE THAT INCLUD ES: 2
1. THE CENTRAL COMMITTE E’S INTENT TO MEET TO FILL 3
THE VACANCY ; 4
2. THE TIME AND PLACE OF AN Y MEETINGS TO BE HEL D 5
TO DISCUSS OR VOTE O N THE FILLING OF THE VACANCY; 6
3. THE PROCESS FOR FILL ING THE VACANCY ; AND 7
4. THE MANNER IN WHICH INDIVIDUALS MAY APPL Y TO 8
FILL THE VACANCY . 9
(2) THE NOTICE REQUIRED U NDER PARAGRAPH (1)(II) OF THIS 10
SUBSECTION SHALL BE TRANSLATED INTO A LA NGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH IF 11
THE LOCAL BOARD FOR THE COUNTY IN WHICH THE CENTRAL COMMITTE E IS 12
LOCATED IS REQUIRED TO TRANSLATE ELECTIO N MATERIALS INTO THA T LANGUAGE 13
UNDER § 203 OF THE FEDERAL VOTING RIGHTS ACT. 14
(C) ALL APPLICATIONS SUBM ITTED TO A CENTRAL C OMMITTEE TO FILL A 15
VACANCY SHALL : 16
(1) BE POSTED ONLINE PRO MPTLY AFTER THE APPL ICATION 17
DEADLINE BY THE COUN TY CENTRAL COMMITTEE OR THE STATE CENTRAL 18
COMMITTEE OF THE POL ITICAL PARTY; AND 19
(2) REMAIN POSTED ONLINE UNTIL AT LEAST 30 DAYS AFTER THE 20
CENTRAL COMMITTEE VO TES ON AN INDIVIDUAL TO FILL THE VACANCY . 21
(D) THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE SHALL HOLD A PUBLIC MEETING TO 22
INTERVIEW THE INDIVI DUALS WHO APPLIED TO FILL THE VACANCY . 23
(E) A MEETING HELD BY A CENTRAL COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS OR VOTE O N 24
FILLING A VACANCY SH ALL BE: 25
(1) OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ; AND 26
(2) ANNOUNCED AT LEAST 3 DAYS BEFORE THE MEET ING. 27
(F) (1) THE VOTE BY A CENTRAL COMMITTEE TO CHOOSE AN INDIVIDUAL 28
TO FILL A VACANCY SH ALL BE: 29
SENATE BILL 171 3
(I) BY ROLL CALL VOTE OR BY SIGNED BALLOTS ; AND 1
(II) IN A MEETING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. 2
(2) A MEMBER OF THE CENTRA L COMMITTEE WHO HAS APPLIED TO 3
FILL THE VACANCY SHA LL RECUSE THEMSELVES FROM: 4
(I) ADMINISTERING THE PR OCESS OF FILLING THE VACANCY, 5
INCLUDING ADVERTISING TH E VACANCY , REVIEWING APPLICATIO NS, AND 6
INTERVIEWING CANDIDA TES; AND 7
(II) VOTING ON THE INDIVI DUAL TO FILL THE VAC ANCY. 8
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 9
October 1, 2025. 10