Text of MD HB 1176 (2010)

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW. [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law. *hb1176* HOUSE BILL 1176 D4 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 0lr3281 By: Delegate Conaway Introduced and read first time: February 17, 2010 Assigned to: Judiciary A BILL ENTITLED AN ACT concerning 1 Marriage – Valid Between Consenting Adults 2 FOR the purpose of adding a new section to the Maryland Constitution to establish 3 that a marriage between consenting adults is valid in this State; and submitting 4 this amendment to the qualified voters of the State of Maryland for their 5 adoption or rejection. 6 BY proposing an addition to the Maryland Constitution 7 Article XV – Miscellaneous 8 Section 4 9 SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF 10 MARYLAND, (Three–fifths of all the members elected to each of the two Houses 11 concurring), That it be proposed that the Maryland Constitution read as follows: 12 Article XV – Miscellaneous 13 4. 14 A MARRIAGE BETWEEN CONSENTING ADULTS IS VALID IN THIS STATE. 15 SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the General Assembly 16 determines that the amendment to the Maryland Constitution proposed by this Act 17 affects multiple jurisdictions and that the provisions of Article XIV, § 1 of the 18 Maryland Constitution concerning local approval of constitutional amendments do not 19 apply. 20 SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the aforegoing section 21 proposed as an amendment to the Maryland Constitution shall be submitted to the 22 legal and qualified voters of this State at the next general election to be held in 23 November, 2010 for their adoption or rejection pursuant to Article XIV of the 24 2 HOUSE BILL 1176 Maryland Constitution. At that general election, the vote on this proposed amendment 1 to the Constitution shall be by ballot, and upon each ballot there shall be printed the 2 words “For the Constitutional Amendment” and “Against the Constitutional 3 Amendment,” as now provided by law. Immediately after the election, all returns shall 4 be made to the Governor of the vote for and against the proposed amendment, as 5 directed by Article XIV of the Maryland Constitution, and further proceedings had in 6 accordance with Article XIV. 7