2002 Montgomery County Ballot Questions

Question A - Charter Amendment by Act of County Council

Special Legal Counsel

Amend Section 108 of the County Charter to allow the Council by law to authorize special legal counsel to advise, assist or represent any office of the legislative branch without the approval or supervision of the County Attorney.

For the Charter Amendment
Against the Charter Amendment

Question B - Charter Amendment by Act of County Council

Open Meetings, Public Information - Consistency with State Laws

Amend Sections 109 and 505 of the County Charter to confirm that:

• the County Council may meet in closed sessions only when expressly allowed by its own rules of procedure;
• the Council rules of procedure must allow the same or greater public access to Council sessions as the State Open Meetings Act; and
• the County government may exempt from disclosure public records that the State Public Information Act or another applicable state or federal law requires or allows to be exempted.

For the Charter Amendment
Against the Charter Amendment

Question C - Charter Amendment by Act of County Council

Expedited Legislation

Amend Sections 111, 112, 113, and 115 of the County Charter to retitle "emergency" legislation as "expedited" legislation, delete the requirement for a declaration of emergency, broaden the reasons the Council may enact expedited legislation, and modernize language and punctuation.

For the Charter Amendment
Against the Charter Amendment