THEODORE R. McKELDIN, GOVERNOR                   751

16.    (Merit System.)

All personnel of the commission except the commissioners, the
General Counsel, and the People's Counsel, shall be subject to and
included in the Merit System established under Article 64A.

Organization

17.    (Office.)

The principal office of the commission shall be in the City of Balti-
more at such place as the commission may select from time to time.
The commission's offices shall be open for business during regular
business hours from Monday through Friday, (excluding legal holi-
days) and at such other times as the commission deems necessary.

18.    (Meetings; Seal.)

The commission shall hold stated meetings at least once weekly,
at its principal office, and may hold such other meetings at such times
and places within this State as it may deem necessary. The commis-
sion shall have an official seal.

19.    (Quorum; Delegation of powers.)

A majority of the commission shall constitute a quorum. The com-
mission may delegate to any commissioner the authority to conduct
any proceeding within its jurisdiction, and to any personnel of the
commission which it deems qualified the authority to act as a hearing
examiner and to submit findings and recommendations to the com-
mission. No decision in any matter in which authority has been
delegated under this section shall be effective until made or confirmed,
and ordered filed, by the commission in its principal office.

20.    (Audit.)

The receipts and expenditures of the commission, and its fiscal
affairs, shall be thoroughly and comprehensively audited every two
years by the State Auditor, who shall promptly after completing his
audit furnish a full and detailed report thereof to the Governor, the
Comptroller, and the Treasurer.

21.    (Availability of records.)

(a)  Every public officer, without charge, shall furnish to the
commission upon its application, a certified copy of any document
or part thereof on file in his office, and receive from the commission
for entering, filing, docketing, or recording, any document authorized
or required to be filed in his office.

(b)  All proceedings of the commission, and all records in its pos-
session, shall be public records open to inspection by the public at all
reasonable times.

SUBTITLE III. PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANIES
In General

22.    (Applicability of subtitle.)

The provisions of this sub-title shall apply to all public service
companies, except as may be specifically otherwise provided.