Text of MD HB 1532 (2010)

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW. [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law. *hb1532* HOUSE BILL 1532 D4 EMERGENCY BILL 0lr3588 CF 0lr3599 By: The Minority Leader Introduced and read first time: March 8, 2010 Assigned to: Rules and Executive Nominations A BILL ENTITLED AN ACT concerning 1 Recognition of Out–of–State Same–Sex Marriages – Changes in Governmental 2 Policies – Moratorium 3 FOR the purpose of prohibiting, until the issue of the recognition by this State of 4 same–sex marriages legally performed in other jurisdictions is decided by the 5 Court of Appeals or addressed by the General Assembly of Maryland through 6 the enactment of a law, a unit of State or local government from altering a 7 certain policy, procedure, rule, or regulation on the basis of certain legal advice 8 of the Attorney General; providing for the application of this Act; making this 9 Act an emergency measure; and generally relating to the recognition of 10 out–of–state same–sex marriages. 11 SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF 12 MARYLAND, That, until the issue of the recognition by this State of same–sex 13 marriages legally performed in other jurisdictions is decided by the Court of Appeals of 14 Maryland or addressed by the General Assembly of Maryland through the enactment 15 of a law, a unit of State or local government may not, on the basis of legal advice 16 rendered in the Opinion of the Attorney General dated February 23, 2010 (95 Op. Att’y 17 Gen. 3 (2010)), alter any policy, procedure, rule, or regulation in effect on February 22, 18 2010, the application of which requires or depends on a determination of whether a 19 marriage shall be recognized by this State. 20 SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall be 21 construed to apply retroactively and shall be applied to and interpreted to affect any 22 policy, procedure, rule, or regulation of a unit of State or local government in effect on 23 or after February 22, 2010. 24 SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act is an emergency 25 measure, is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health or safety, 26 has been passed by a yea and nay vote supported by three–fifths of all the members 27 2 HOUSE BILL 1532 elected to each of the two Houses of the General Assembly, and shall take effect from 1 the date it is enacted. 2