parties, to study and propose how to better organize the administrative
apparatus of our State government. It shall be titled the Commission
for the Modernization of the Executive Branch of the Maryland
Government. I also request that the Legislature, at its current session,
appropriate $50, 000 for the Commission to conduct its inquiry and
prepare conclusion for submission to the next Governor not later than
February 1, 1967. Members of the Commission will serve without
compensation, but the importance, promptness and technical nature
of the inquiry require an expert staff headed by an executive director
with significant experience in state government. Outside consultants
may also be required, such as were used by several of the previous
independent studies of the State's administrative arm of government.
I am asking all departments, agencies and commissions of the execu-
tive branch, including appointive, elective and quasi-judicial offices,
to cooperate with the Commission through its designated chairman.
The Commission will be free to make a comprehensive study, without
limitation, of the organization and operation of the administrative
departments, boards, commissions and other activities, and submit
recommendations for their improvement to the next Governor. The
inquiry should cover all aspects of those administrative units, from
their relations with the Governor's office down through central staff
services and ending with field organization, institutions and services.
The study will be expected to analyze and make recommendations
concerning the existing governmental machinery, and consider pos-
sible innovations and new methods of operation in the light of
changes in governmental purposes and programs now going on at the
state, local and national levels.

SPECIFIC CHARGES

In addition to those general charges, I am asking the Commission
to address itself to the following specific endeavors:

1. It should recommend steps to eliminate any duplication, over-
lapping or historical obsolescence that it finds among the existing
administrative units of government.

2. It should propose steps to merge or otherwise relate the remain-
ing administrative units to the maximum extent possible.

In support of that objective, the Commission should seek to co-
ordinate closely connected activities and reduce the total number of
agencies to the extent that is administratively sound, and necessary
programs and services can still be effectively carried out.

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