would become law. But even if the General Assembly should sustain
my veto, it is probable that other efforts would be made by the Gen-
eral Assembly to secure a court test of the provisions of Senate Bill 8.

I am convinced that the best and most expeditious way to settle
the reapportionment problem is to follow the procedure that will
bring about a prompt court determination of the constitutionality of
Senate Bill 8. The only way this can be accomplished is for me to
sign Senate Bill 8 since I am advised that an unsigned bill has no
standing in the eyes of the court.

For the above stated reasons, I am signing both Senate Bills 5 and
8. I do so, confident that Senate Bill 5 will be the basis for an effec-
tive reapportionment of the General Assembly of Maryland.

STATEMENT BY GOVERNOR J. MILLARD TAWES
FOR RELEASE FRIDAY, MAY 6, 1966

Today, I take great pleasure in signing into law two companion
measures. The first is House Bill 44 which calls for a special election
to be held at the same time as the next primary election on September
13, 1966, to take "the sense of the people" on whether a Constitu-
tional Convention should be called between September 1, 1967, and
September 1, 1968. The second is Senate Bill 594 which designates
September 12, 1967, as the date for the convening of such a Conven-
tion if a majority of the people voting at the special election next
September vote in favor of a Constitutional Convention. This bill
also establishes the composition of such a Convention at 142 delegates.

The present Constitution of Maryland, adopted in 1867, has been
amended more than one hundred times, and many lawyers, judges,
legislators and students of political science have expressed to me the
opinion that it is too lengthy and too detailed to serve satisfactorily
as the basic law of our State.

Accordingly, on June 16, 1965, I appointed a Constitutional Con-
vention Commission and, among other things, "instructed it to con-
duct an inquiry into the necessity for... a revision of the Constitution
of Maryland, with particular respect to whether a Constitutional Con-
vention should be held. " This Commission very promptly reported
to me and to the citizens of Maryland that a complete revision of
the Constitution of Maryland was urgently needed and that a com-
plete revision could best be accomplished by means of a Constitutional
Convention.

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