2226                                      VETOES

May 2, 1963.

Honorable Marvin Mandel
Acting Speaker
House of Delegates
State House
Annapolis, Md.

Dear Mr. Mandel:

In accordance with the provisions of Article 2, Section 17, of the
Maryland Constitution, I am returning to you House Bill 718, ac-
companied by my veto message.

House Bill 718 provides that it shall be the duty of the Chief
Personnel Officer of the Baltimore City Police Department to classify
and evaluate the results of investigations into the character and
experience of candidates for appointment and promotion upon the
basis of the juvenile laws under Sub-title 'Juvenile Causes' in Article
26 of the Annotated Code of Maryland.

Both the Police Commissioner of Baltimore City and the Chief
Personnel Officer of the Baltimore City Police Department have
indicated to me their opposition to this Bill.

Both have suggested that the intent of House Bill 718 may have
been to authorize the Baltimore City Police Department to use dis-
cretion in reviewing certain juvenile offenses on the part of appli-
cants for appointment.

But they also point out that the Bill, as drawn, is ambiguous and
not sufficiently clear as to its purpose. House Bill 718 also does
not indicate what action should be taken by the Chief Personnel
Officer after he classifies and evaluates the results of his investiga-
tions. It should also be noted that Article 26 of the Annotated Code
defines a juvenile as a person under the age of 18, whereas the
juvenile provisions relate to persons under the age of 16 in Balti-
more City.

The Police Commissioner and the Chief Personnel Officer also
have advised me that the present law which specifically states the
procedures to be followed by the Chief Personnel Officer permit
sufficient discretion and that the present law is adequate and satis-
factory. For these reasons, I have vetoed House Bill 718 and am
returning this Bill to you.

With kindest personal regards, I am

Sincerely yours,

(S) J. MILLARD TAWES,

Governor.
JMT/Jd/Encl.

House Bill No. 728—People's Court of Prince George's County

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 98A
(d) of Article 52 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1962 Supple-
ment), title "Justices of the Peace," subtitle "Trial Magistrates
System," providing for the appointment of two substitute judges
of the People's Court for Prince George's County.