and action is complete. The bill is reprinted, or
enrolled, to include the added amendments before
it is submitted to the Governor.

If the chamber of origin votes to reject the
amendments, the amending chamber may be
asked to withdraw its amendments. If it refuses,
either chamber may request that a conference
committee be appointed to resolve the differences
between the two chambers.

Conference Committee: Appointed by the Senate
President and the House Speaker, a conference
committee consists of three members of each
house. The committee reports back to both cham-
bers where its recommendations are adopted or
rejected without amendment. If the report is
adopted, the bill is voted upon for final passage in
each house. If the report is rejected by either
house, the bill fails.

Presentation of Bills to the Governor: All bills,
except the budget bill and constitutional amend-
ments, must be presented to the Governor within
twenty days following adjournment of a session.
The Governor may veto such bills within thirty
days after presentation to him. If the Governor
does not veto a bill, it becomes law. The budget
bill, however, becomes law upon its final passage
and cannot be vetoed. Constitutional amendments
become law only upon their ratification by the
voters at the next general election.

Vetoed Bills: The power to override a veto rests
with the General Assembly. If the Governor ve-
toes a bill during a regular session, the General
Assembly immediately considers the Governor's
veto message. If the Governor vetoes a bill
presented after the session, the veto message must
be considered immediately at the next regular or
special session of the Legislature. The General As-
sembly may not override a veto during the first
year of a new term. A three-fifths vote of the
elected membership of both chambers is necessary
to override a veto.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON THE
STATUS OF BILLS

Elected Officials. The most effective source of
information on the status of a bill is often a con-
stituent's State Senator or Delegate, who usually
has information resources not available to the
general public.

Department of Legislative Reference. The Libra-
ry and Information Services Division of the De-
partment of Legislative Reference answers any re-
quest for information about the status of a bill.

Library .............. Baltimore area: 841-3810
.......................... D.C. area: 858-3810
........ Other areas: 1-800-492-7122, ext. 3810
................. TDD for Deaf: 841/858-3814

Information Desk, State House ground floor
..................... Baltimore area: 841-3886
.......................... D.C. area: 858-3886
........ Other areas: 1-800-492-7122, ext. 3886
................. TDD for Deaf: 841/858-3814

The Department of Legislative Reference offers
a subscription service known as the Bin Service to
persons or organizations with a broad continuing
need for bill information. Subscriptions are filed in
Room G-17 of the Legislative Services Building
(Phone: Baltimore area 841-3883; D.C. area
858-3883; other areas 1-800-492-7122).
Bin Service Subscription Rates: Picked up in
Annapolis —$100 for bills (first reader, third
reader, enrolled); $25 for synopses, proceedings,
hearing schedules. Mailed Out —$500 for bills;
$275 for first reader copies only; $225 for third
reader copies only; $200 for synopses; $100 for
proceedings; $50 for hearing schedules.

Newspapers. Newspapers often publish public
hearing schedules of General Assembly commit-
tees and sometimes publish articles about bills in-
troduced.

Bibliography: Legislator's Handbook Depart-
ment of Fiscal Services, Annapolis, 1986, 176 pp.
Student Legislative Handbook, Cornelia Connelly,
Maryland General Assembly, Annapolis, n.d., 31
pp. Your Voice in Annapolis, Maryland General
Assembly, Annapolis, n.d., 16 pp. Rules of the
House a/Delegates of Maryland, Maryland Gener-
al Assembly, 1986, 123 pp. Rules of the Senate of
Maryland. Maryland General Assembly, 1987,
106 pp.

1985 SESSION

The General Assembly convened on January 9,
1985, for the 389th session of the legislative
branch of Maryland Government. The Legislature
adjourned 90 days later on April 8.

In all, 2,601 bills were introduced (878 in the
Senate and 1,723 in the House). Of the Senate
bills, 325 were passed by both houses, 281 signed
into law, and 44 vetoed. Of the House bills, 557
were passed by both houses, 508 signed by the
Governor, and 49 vetoed.