Constitutional Amendment - Form of County Government - Requirement to Adopt Charter Home Rule

HB 28 proposes a constitutional amendment requiring all Maryland counties and Baltimore City to adopt a government charter by December 31, 2031. Counties without existing charters must appoint a charter board (5-9 members) by January 2028 to draft a charter within 18 months, which must then be published and voted on by county commissioners. The adopted charter must mandate elections for county executive and council members by district. This bill directly affects all 23 Maryland counties and Baltimore City, changing how they structure local government under state constitutional requirements.