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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0979*
HOUSE BILL 979
G1, P5 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 6lr2379
By: Delegates Hornberger and Stewart
Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2026
Assigned to: Rules and Executive Nominations
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
State Constitutional Convention – Question on Ballot – Passage by Majority of 2
Votes Cast 3
FOR the purpose of requiring the General Assembly to organize and hold a Convention to 4
amend the State Constitution if a majority of the votes cast on the question of calling 5
for a Convention, rather than a majority of voters voting at the election, are for the 6
holding of a Convention; and prohibiting any changes or amendments to the State 7
Constitution adopted by the Convention and submitted to the voters of the State 8
from becoming effective unless the majority of votes cast on the question are in favor 9
of the adoption, rather than the changes or amendments being adopted by a majority 10
of the voters voting thereon. 11
BY proposing an amendment to the Maryland Constitution 12
Article XIV – Amendments to the Constitution 13
Section 2 14
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15
(Three–fifths of all the members elected to each of the two Houses concurring), That it be 16
proposed that the Maryland Constitution read as follows: 17
Article XIV – Amendments to the Constitution 18
2. 19
It shall be the duty of the General Assembly to provide by Law for ta king, at the 20
general election to be held in the year nineteen hundred and seventy, and every twenty 21
years thereafter, the sense of the People in regard to calling a Convention for altering this 22
Constitution; and if a majority of [voters] THE VOTES CAST ON THE QUESTION OF 23
CALLING A CONVENTION at such election or elections [shall vote for] ARE IN FAVOR OF 24
a Convention, the General Assembly, at its next session, shall provide by Law for the 25
2 HOUSE BILL 979
assembling of such convention, and for the election of Delegates thereto. Each County, and 1
Legislative District of the City of Baltimore, shall have in such Convention a number of 2
Delegates equal to its representation in both Houses at the time at which the Convention 3
is called. But any Constitution, or change, or amendment of the existing Constitution, 4
which may be adopted by such Convention, shall be submitted to the vo ters of this State, 5
and shall have no effect unless [the same shall have been adopted by a ] THE majority of 6
the [voters voting thereon] VOTES CAST ON THE QUESTION ARE IN FAVOR OF THE 7
ADOPTION. 8
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the General Assemb ly 9
determines that the amendment to the Maryland Constitution proposed by Section 1 of this 10
Act affects multiple jurisdictions and that the provisions of Article XIV, § 1 of the Maryland 11
Constitution concerning local approval of constitutional amendments do not apply. 12
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the amendment to the 13
Maryland Constitution proposed by Section 1 of this Act shall be submitted to the qualified 14
voters of the State at the next general election to be held in November 2026 for adoption or 15
rejection in accordance with Article XIV of the Maryland Constitution. At that general 16
election, the vote on the proposed amendment to the Constitution shall be by ballot, and on 17
each ballot there shall be printed the words “For the Constitutional Amendment” and 18
“Against the Constitutional Amendment ”, as now provided by law. Immediately after the 19
election, all returns shall be made to the Governor of the vote for and against the proposed 20
amendment, as directed by Article XIV of the Maryland Constitu tion, and further 21
proceedings held in accordance with Article XIV. 22