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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING 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.
Italics indicate opposite chamber/conference committee amendments.
*hb1178*
HOUSE BILL 1178
L3 EMERGENCY BILL (6lr2994)
ENROLLED BILL
— Government, Labor, and Elections/Education, Energy, and the Environment —
Introduced by Delegates Harrison and Toles
Read and Examined by Proofreaders:
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
Sealed with the Great Seal and presented to the Governor, for his approval this
_______ day of _______________ at ________________________ o’clock, ________M.
______________________________________________
Speaker.
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Municipalities – Annexation – Limitations 2
FOR the purpose of prohibiting requiring a municipality from annexing that is seeking to 3
annex land that is located in a different legislative district than a legislative district 4
in which the municipality is located without first obtaining the consent of notifying 5
to notify certain members of the General Assembly in a certain manner; prohibiting 6
a municipality from annexing land that is owned by the United States, the State, a 7
political subdivision of the State, or a unit of the State or a political subdivision of 8
the State, or a certain tax –exempt entity, unless the municipality first obtains the 9
consent of the governmental entity or tax –exempt entity; and generally relating to 10
municipal annexation. 11
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 12
Article – Local Government 13
Section 4–401 14
2 HOUSE BILL 1178
Annotated Code of Maryland 1
(2013 Volume and 2025 Supplement) 2
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 3
Article – Local Government 4
Section 4–406(a) 5
Annotated Code of Maryland 6
(2013 Volume and 2025 Supplement) 7
BY adding to 8
Article – Local Government 9
Section 4–406(g) 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2013 Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14
Article – Local Government 15
4–401. 16
(a) Subject to subsections (b) and (c) of this section, the legislative body of a 17
municipality may enlarge its boundaries by annexation as provided in this subtitle. 18
(b) The power of annexation applies only to land that: 19
(1) is contiguous and adjoining to the existing boundaries of the 20
municipality; and 21
(2) does not create an unincorporated area that is bounded on all sides by: 22
(i) real property presently in the boundaries of the municipality; 23
(ii) real property proposed to be in the boundaries of the municipality 24
as a result of the proposed annexation; or 25
(iii) any combination of real property described in item (i) or (ii) of 26
this item. 27
(c) A municipality may not annex land that is: 28
(1) in another municipality; OR 29
(2) LOCATED IN A DI FFERENT LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT THAN A 30
LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT IN WHICH THE MUNICIP ALITY OR ANY PART OF THE 31
HOUSE BILL 1178 3
MUNICIPALITY IS LOCA TED WITHOUT FIRST OB TAINING THE CONSENT OF 1
NOTIFYING THE MEMBERS OF THE D ELEGATION TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR 2
THE DISTRICT IN WHICH THE LAND IS LOCATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBSECTION 3
(D) OF THIS SECTION; 4
(3) OWNED BY THE UNITED STATES, THE STATE, A POLITICAL 5
SUBDIVISION OF THE STATE, OR A UNIT OF THE STATE OR A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION 6
OF THE STATE, WITHOUT FIRST OBTAINING THE CONSENT OF THE GOVERNMENTAL 7
ENTITY THAT OWNS THE LAND; OR 8
(4) OWNED BY AN ENTITY T HAT IS EXEMPT FROM F EDERAL INCOME 9
TAXES UNDER § 501 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE WITHOUT FIRST OBTAINING 10
THE CONSENT OF THE ENTITY. 11
4–406. 12
(a) After an annexation resolution is introduced, the chief executive and 13
administrative officer of the municipality shall publish notice in accordance with the 14
requirements of this section that: 15
(1) briefly and accurately describes the proposed annexation and the 16
applicable conditions and circumstances; and 17
(2) specifies the date, time, and place that the legislative body sets for the 18
public hearing on the proposed annexation. 19
(D) (G) AFTER AN IF A MUNICIPALITY IS SEEKING T O ANNEX LAND THAT 20
IS LOCATED IN A DIFF ERENT LEGISLATIVE DI STRICT THAN THE LEGI SLATIVE 21
DISTRICT IN WHICH TH E MUNICIPALITY OR AN Y PART OF THE MUNICI PALITY IS 22
LOCATED, AFTER THE ANNEXATION RESOLUTIO N IS INTRODUCED , THE 23
MUNICIPALITY SHALL P ROVIDE WRITTEN NOTIC E TO THE MEMBERS OF THE 24
GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR THE DISTRICT IN WHICH THE LAND IS LOCATED AND FOR 25
THE DISTRICT TO WHICH THE LAND IS BEING ANNEXED BY: 26
(1) ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION; AND 27
(2) UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE. 28
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act is an emergency 29
measure, is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health or safety, has 30
been passed by a yea and nay vote supported by three –fifths of all the members elected to 31
each of the two Hous es of the General Assembly, and shall take effect from the date it is 32
enacted. 33