1. It is important for the Association to take an active role in legislation of concern to the membership and to the general legal community, and to participate in the formulation of such legislation. It is equally important to establish guidelines that will enable the Association to participate in the legislative process in the most effective manner possible.

The Board of Governors shall pursue these two objectives in the following manner:

(a) Determine from the sections and committees through the use of the Committee on Laws and its liaison, issues of concern which may be appropriate for inclusion in a preliminary legislative program that contains general issue areas and general legislative goals;

(b) Review the preliminary legislative program and provide direction to the Committee on Laws and its liaison for inclusion in a final legislative program;

(c) Approve a final legislative program in advance of the legislative session which authorizes the Association to take action on general issue areas with specific legislative goals;

(d) Approve additional issues to the final legislative program during the legislative session.

2. When the membership of the Association or the Board of Governors takes action on a legislative matter in anticipation of or during a legislative session, such action shall be deemed to apply specifically to the terms of the legislative matter on which action is expressed and to expire with the session of the General Assembly unless the action of the membership expressly provides otherwise.

3. In all cases where the Board of Governors takes action on a legislative matter in the interim between meetings of the membership, it shall conform to the provisions of Article IV, Section 5 of the Bylaws.

4. The Executive Committee is authorized and empowered to adopt positions on behalf of the Board of Governors with respect to legislation pending before the Maryland General Assembly during the legislative session provided that:

(a) the position receives the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Executive Committee;

(b) a copy of the bill and the position taken by the Executive Committee is promptly mailed to each member of the Board of Governors.

If time constraints make polling the Executive Committee impracticable the President is authorized to adopt positions on behalf of the Executive committee. The President-Elect is authorized to act if the President is unavailable.

(Board of Governors - 1/12/88)

Return to 2002 Final State Legislative Program Table of Contents

Back To Top