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Amendment Of Us Constitution Process In Maryland
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Amendments must first be approved by three-fifths of all the members elected to each of the two houses of the General Assembly, then published in newspapers around the state and approved by a majority of Maryland voters.
Ratification. The process set out in the Constitution for its ratification provided for much popular debate in the States. The Constitution would take effect once it had been ratified by nine of the thirteen State legislatures; unanimity was not required.
Maryland's present constitution was ratified September 18, 1867, but has been amended approximately 200 times. The General Assembly can propose amendments to the Maryland Constitution. Each amendment must be proposed in a separate bill, embodying the constitutional article or section.
Congress must call a convention for proposing amendments upon application of the legislatures of two-thirds of the states (i.e., 34 of 50 states). Amendments proposed by Congress or convention become valid only when ratified by the legislatures of, or conventions in, three-fourths of the states (i.e., 38 of 50 states).
Marylanders were given further incentive to ratify when Virginia agreed to relinquish its western land claims, and so the Maryland legislature ratified the Articles of Confederation on March 1, 1781.
Ratification. From April 21-28, 74 delegates attended Maryland's Ratification Convention, meeting in the House of Delegates chamber of the Annapolis State House. On April 26, 63 delegates voted to approve the Constitution.
Maryland has had four state constitutions. The current state constitution has 20 articles. The current Maryland Constitution has been amended 240 times.
The founders set the terms for ratifying the Constitution. They bypassed the state legislatures, reasoning that their members would be reluctant to give up power to a national government. Instead, they called for special ratifying conventions in each state. Ratification by 9 of the 13 states enacted the new government.
A constitutional amendment can be initiated by the Legislature if it passes both houses by a two-thirds vote. A constitutional amendment does not need the Governor's signature, but becomes part of the constitution only if the electorate approves it at the next general election.
The amendment process is very difficult and time consuming: A proposed amendment must be passed by two-thirds of both houses of Congress, then ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the states. The ERA Amendment did not pass the necessary majority of state legislatures in the 1980s.