Abnormal Effective Date Information - Laws of Maryland

Periodically, the Department of Legislative Services prepares a compilation of the sections of the Annotated Code of Maryland that are subject to limited duration, delayed effective dates, or contingencies not yet met.

Bills Signed, Vetoed, and Enacted (Including Veto Overrides)

A list of the bills signed, vetoed, and enacted for each session is compiled by legislative staff.

Bills and Messages Vetoed by the Governor

The Maryland Constitution requires the Governor to return each vetoed bill to the General Assembly with a statement of objections known as a veto message. The Department of Legislative Services prepares a compilation of these vetoed bills and gubernatorial messages following each session.

Constitution of Maryland/Constitution of the United States

After each election in which voters have approved amendments to the Constitution of Maryland, the Department of Legislative Services publishes the amended version. The publication also includes the Constitution of the United States.

Dates of Interest Calendars

Legislative staff compiles a list of dates of interest for each session of the General Assembly and for each interim.

Effective Dates of Enacted Legislation

Enacted legislation may become effective on June 1, July 1, October 1, or at some other date as specified in the legislation. Other than emergency bills, which take effect as soon as they are signed, June 1 is the earliest date for a bill to become effective. Budget, tax, and revenue bills usually take effect on July 1. By custom, October 1 is the usual effective date for most bills. However, bills may also have varying effective dates as specified in the bills. To notify the public, the Department of Legislative Services publishes an effective dates list prior to June 1, July 1, October 1, and January 1 of each year.

Executive Orders, State of Maryland

As required by law, each year the Department of Legislative Services compiles and indexes the executive orders issued during that year.

Final Status Report

This report contains a numerical listing of all legislation introduced during a session with each bill’s short title and final status.

Gubernatorial Appointments - Terms Requiring Senate Confirmation that are Due to Expire

The Department of Legislative Services compiles a list of these offices whose terms expire during the current calendar year. The offices listed include only those that require confirmation by the Senate of Maryland.

Indexes to Proposed Legislation

The index series, printed from the online bill status system, are published in separate volumes by subject, sponsor, committee, and statute.

Issue Papers

Prior to each session, the Department of Legislative Services prepares an information report on current issues that are likely to be considered during the next regular session. The Issue Papers publication is a compilation of the reports arranged by major topic.

Journals of the Senate and House of Delegates

The journals, prepared by the Secretary of the Senate and the Chief Clerk of the House, are the official record of the proceedings of the Senate and the House for the entire session.

Laws of Maryland (Session Laws)

After the Governor signs or vetoes bills, the Department of Legislative Services publishes the Laws of Maryland (Session Laws) for that year. The Session Laws are a set of volumes containing all laws adopted during the previous session and all bills vetoed by the Governor with the veto messages.

Legislative Ethics Guide

The Legislative Ethics Guide is based on the Maryland Public Ethics Law, Title 15 of the State Government Article. Topics discussed in the guide include conflicts of interest, gifts, prohibited employment and compensation, and financial disclosure. Ethics opinions and forms are also included.

Legislative Handbook Series

The Legislative Handbook Series is several volumes of books published every four years by the Department of Legislative Services. The volumes are Maryland Legislator's Handbook, Government Services in Maryland; Maryland’s Revenue Structure; Maryland’s Budget Process; Maryland State Personnel, Pensions, and Procurement; Maryland Local Government; Business Regulation in Maryland; and Maryland's Criminal and Juvenile Justice Process.

The series of books is designed to give members of the General Assembly an overview of the legislative process, the organization of the General Assembly, and the services and facilities available to legislators.

The Legislative Wrap-Up

Every week during session, Library and Information Services produces The Legislative Wrap-Up and distributes copies to members’ offices in the legislative complex. The publication follows the progress of some of the most important bills and events throughout the session. Short, neutral narratives of important bills are grouped according to major subject categories. The last issue of The Legislative Wrap-Up, published shortly after sine die, reviews the final status of the majority of the bills that had been tracked since the beginning of the session.

Major Issues Review

This document, published by the Department of Legislative Services during the interim of the fourth year of a four-year term, summarizes legislative activity over the term and includes discussion of all major issues, significant bills that did and did not pass, and gubernatorial vetoes of major legislation. Like The 90 Day Report, the Major Issues Review is divided into 13 parts, each dealing with a major policy area. Business and economic development, crime, education, health, State budget, taxes, and transportation are just some of the major issues discussed.

The 90 Day Report

Several days after the end of the regular session each year, the Department of Legislative Services publishes The 90 Day Report - a comprehensive review of legislation that was considered during the session. The 90 Day Report is divided into 13 parts, each dealing with a major policy area. Each part contains a discussion of the majority of bills passed in that policy area, including comparisons with previous sessions and current law, background information, and a discussion of significant bills that did not pass. Information relating to the operating budget, capital budget, and aid to local governments is included.

Public Local Laws - Compilation of the Changes

This annual compilation is not an official updating of the Code of Public Local Laws, but is prepared by the Department of Legislative Services as a guide to the current status of the public local laws in Maryland's counties and Baltimore City.

Public Local Laws - Compilation of Municipal Charters

The Department of Legislative Services, as required by law, has prepared and published a compilation of the charters of the municipal corporations of Maryland, along with annual supplements to the charters.

Roster and List of Committees

A Roster and List of Committees is issued for each session. The roster contains biographies of legislators, committee membership lists, Senate and House membership lists, and various appendices providing other pertinent legislative information.

Synopsis of Laws

The Synopsis of Laws, a quick reference that complements the use of the Session Laws, contains brief summaries of enacted session legislation, passed joint resolutions, and vetoed bills. The synopsis includes a subject index, as well as indexes that cross-reference bills to chapter numbers and to sponsors. Sections of the Annotated Code of Maryland and the Codes of Public Local Laws that were amended, added, or repealed during the session are also indicated.

Fiscal Briefing(s)

This overview of the budget and other significant fiscal issues is presented to the legislative committees by the Department of Legislative Services shortly after the Governor's introduction of the budget to the General Assembly. Periodic updates on specific issues are prepared throughout the year, mostly at the request of the fiscal committees or individual legislators.

Analysis of the Maryland Executive Budget

The Analysis of the Maryland Executive Budget documents include an agency-by-agency analysis of the budget submitted by the Governor, a summary of the State's operating and capital budgets, a forecast of State revenues and expenditures, and special studies relating to the State budget.

Effect of the Legislative Program on the Financial Condition of the State (Fiscal Effects Report)

After the Governor completes signing each session's bills into law, the Effect of the Legislative Program on the Financial Condition of the State (also called Fiscal Effects) lists enacted legislation that affects State and local finances, summarizes State revenues and appropriations, and discusses the major fiscal issues of the session.

Effect of the Long-Term Debt on the Financial Condition of the State.

This annual report includes a review of the recommendations of the Capital Debt Affordability Committee, an independent affordability analysis, and a market analysis. The report is prepared each November.