The Maryland General Assembly could hold virtual committee hearings with little fear of violating the state’s Constitution, the Attorney General’s office told the legislative leaders on Friday.

But if lawmakers attempted to take final action on bills or override a gubernatorial veto while meeting online or outside the City of Annapolis, a legal challenge would be more difficult to defend, the legislature’s presiding officers were told.

The opinions were delivered by the General Assembly’s counsel, Sandra Benson Brantley, a member of Attorney General Brian E. Frosh’s legal team, following her review of the state’s constitutional requirements and the legislature’s rules.

Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore) and House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore County) requested a ruling from the state’s top lawyers about the possibility of meeting virtually during the spring, after canceling tentative plans to hold a special session in late May.

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