SEC. 16. The Governor shall convene the Legislature,
or the Senate alone, on extraordinary occasions; and when-
ever from the presence of an enemy, or from any other
cause, the Scat of Government shall become an unsafe place
for the meeting of the Legislature, he may direct their
sessions to be held at some other convenient place.

SEC. 17.³⁸ (a) To guard against hasty or partial legis-
lation and encroachment of the Legislative Department
upon the co-ordinate Executive and Judicial Departments,
every Bill passed by the House of Delegates and the Senate,
before it becomes a law, shall be presented to the Governor
of the State. If the Governor approves he shall sign it, but
if not he shall return it with his objections to the House in
which it originated, which House shall enter the objections
at large on its Journal and proceed to reconsider the Bill.
Each House may adopt by rule a veto calendar procedure
that permits bills that are to be reconsidered to be read and
voted upon as a single group. The members of each House
shall be afforded reasonable notice of the bills to be placed
on each veto calendar. Upon the objection of a member,
any bill shall be removed from the veto calendar. If, after
such reconsidcration, three-fifths of the members elected
to that House pass the Bill, it shall be sent with the
objections to the other House, by which it shall likewise
be reconsidered, and if it passes by three-fifths of the
members elected to that House it shall become a law. The
votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and nays,
and the names of the persons voting for and against the Bill
shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively.

(b) If any Bill presented to the Governor while the
General Assembly is in session is not returned by him with
his objections within six days (Sundays excepted), the bill
shall be a law in like manner as if he signed it, unless the
General Assembly by adjournment, prevents its return, in
which case it shall not be a law.

(c) Any Bill presented to the Governor within six days
(Sundays excepted), prior to adjournment of any session of
the General Assembly or after such adjournment, shall
become law without the Governor's signature unless it is
vetoed by the Governor within 30 days after its
presentment.

(d) Any Bill vetoed by the Governor shall be returned
to the House in which it originated immediately after the
House has organized at the next regular or special session
of the General Assembly. The Bill may then be reconsidered
according to the procedure specified in this section. Any
Bill enacted over the veto of the Governor, or any BiU
which shall become law as the result of the failure of the
Governor to act within the time specified, shall take effect
30 days after the Governor's veto is over-ridden, or on the
date specified in the Bill, whichever is later. If the Bill is an
emergency measure, it shall take effect when enacted. No
such vetoed Bill shall be returned to the Legislature when
a new General Assembly of Maryland has been elected and
sworn since the passage of the vetoed Bill.

(c) The Governor shall have power to disapprove of
any item or items of any Bills making appropriations of
money embracing distinct items, and the part or parts of
the Bill approved shall be the law, and the item or items of
appropriations disapproved shall be void unless repassed

Constitution of Maryland/749

according to the rules or limitations prescribed for the
passage of other Bills over the Executive veto.

SEC. 18. It shall be the duty of the Governor, semi-
annually (and oftener, if he deem it expedient) to examine
under oath the Treasurer and Comptroller of the State on
all matters pertaining to their respective offices; and inspect
and review their Bank and other Account Books.

SEC. 19. He shall, from time to time, inform the
Legislature of the conditions of the State and recommend
to their consideration such measures as he may judge
necessary and expedient.

SEC. 20. He shall have power to grant reprieves and
pardons, except in cases of impeachment, and in cases, in
which he is prohibited by other Articles of this Constitu-
tion; and to remit fines and forfeitures for offences against
the State; but shall not remit the principal or interest of any
debt due the State, except in cases of fines and forfeitures;
and before granting a nolUproscifUl, or pardon, he shall give
notice, in one or more newspapers, of the application made
for it, and of the day on, or after which, his decision will
be given; and in every case, in which he exercises this
power, he shall report to either Branch of the legislature,
whenever required, the petitions, recommendations and
reasons, which influenced his decision.

SEC. 21.³⁹ The Governor shall reside at the scat of
government, and, from and after the fourth Wednesday in
January 1967, shall receive for his services an annual salary
of Twenty-five Thousand Dollars, except that beginning in
the year 1978 the salary of the Governor shall be as
provided in Section 21A of this Article.

SEC. 21A.⁴⁰ (a) The salaries of the Governor and
Lieutenant Governor shall be as provided in this section.

(b) The Governor's Salary Commission is created. It
consists of seven members: The State Treasurer; three
appointed by the President of the Senate; and three ap-
pointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates. Mem-
bers of the General Assembly and officers and employees
of the State or a political subdivision of the State are not
eligible for appointment to the Commission. The members
of the Commission shall elect a member to be chairman,
and the concurrence of at least five members is required for
any formal Commission action. The terms of members shall
be for 4 years, except that the persons first appointed to
the Commission shall serve from June 1,1977 until May
31,1980. The members of the Commission are eligible for
reappointment. Members shall serve without compensa-
tion but shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred in carry-
ing out responsibilities under this section.

(c) Within ten days after the commencement of the
regular session of the General Assembly in 1978, and
within ten days after the commencement of the regular
session of the General Assembly each fourth year thereafter,
the Commission shall make a written recommendation to
the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and other members of
the General Assembly as to the salary of the Governor and
Lieutenant Governor.

(d) The recommendation shall be introduced as a joint
resolution in each house of the General Assembly not later