394                               Laws OF Maryland                      [Ch. 314

than twenty per centum of the persons who are qualified to vote in
municipal general elections.

(h) If the petition for a referendum complies with the require-
ments of this section, the legislative body shall by resolution, passed
as in its normal legislative procedure, specify the day and the hours
for the election at which the question shall be submitted to the voters
of the municipal corporation. This may be at either the next regular
municipal general election or at a special election, in the discretion
of the legislative body. In the event a special election is designated,
it shall be held within a period of not less than forty days nor more
than sixty days after the final passage of the resolution providing
for the referendum. The resolution providing for the referendum
shall specify the exact wording which is to be placed on the ballots
or voting machines when the question is submitted to the voters of
the municipal corporation.

14. Initiation by petition.

(a)   Twenty per centum or more of the persons who are qualified
to vote in municipal general elections in the particular municipal
corporation may initiate a proposed amendment or amendments to
the municipal charter, by a petition presented to the legislative body
of the municipal corporation, by whatever name known. The petition
shall contain the complete and exact wording of the proposed amend-
ment or amendments, and the proposed amendment or amendments
shall be prepared in conformity with the several requirements con-
tained in sub-sections (b) and (c) of Section 13 of this sub-title.
Each person signing it shall indicate thereon both his name and
residence address. Upon receiving the petition, the legislative body
is directed to verify that any person who signed it is qualified to
vote in municipal general elections, and shall consider the petition
as of no effect if it is signed by fewer than twenty per centum of
the persons who are qualified to vote in municipal general elections.
If the petition complies with the requirements of this section, the
legislative body shall by resolution, passed as in its normal legis-
lative procedure, and not later than sixty days after the petition
shall have been presented to it, specify the day and the hours for
the election at which the question shall be submitted to the voters
of the municipal corporation. This may be at either the next regular
municipal general election or at a special election, in the discretion
of the legislative body. In the event a special election is designated,
it shall be within a period of not less than forty days nor more than
sixty days after the final passage of the resolution. In the resolution,
the exact wording shall be specified which is to be placed on the
ballots or voting machines when the question is submitted to the
voters of the municipal corporation.

(b)   Provided, however, that if the legislative body shall approve
of the amendment or amendments provided for in the petition pre-
sented to it under sub-section (a) above, it shall have the right by
resolution to adopt the amendment or amendments thereby proposed
and to proceed thereafter in the same manner as if the amendment
or amendments had been initiated by such legislative body and in
compliance with the provisions of Section 13 of this article.

17. Form and registration of amendments.

(a) In any proposal to amend an existing charter of a municipal