A 30-day session was entirely too short
to consider the budget, so they amended
that constitutional amendment to make it
170 days, and the only reason they did that
was to get an increase in salary.
We increased the 90 days to 90 and 30
day annual sessions because we were re-
ceiving $5.00 a day and many of us were
paying to Carvel Hall $7.50 for a room,
after receiving $5 for that. We did raise
our salary then up to $1,000, and we
changed the date of the session; we are now
changing the dates of the session to give
$2,400. Ladies and gentlemen, 90 days was
always regarded as enough time to con-
sider both general legislation and the
budget.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Della, you
have one minute.
DELEGATE DELLA: Thank you.
The biggest thing that persuaded me to
have a constitutional amendment was to
give the business world anopportunity to
survey what the General Assembly had
done and to cause their sights, through
taxation and regulations, to regulate their
business for the rest of the year. I think
that is one of the more important reasons
that led many of the members of the Com-
mittee to go along with a constitutional
restriction of 90-30-30.
THE CHAIRMAN: The Chair recog-
nizes Delegate Byrnes to speak in favor
of the amendment.
DELEGATE BYRNES: Mr. Chairman,
I had the honor and the opportunity last
session to serve in an administrative capac-
ity with the legislature in the Senate. I
was responsible for legislative analysis and
for administration of that committee and
I can tell you without the slightest hesita-
tion that the 90 days is completely insuffi-
cient for creative response to the legisla-
tion. They can respond but they cannot re-
spond creatively.
I think what they should have, is per-
haps two days a week all year, or a meeting
every other month. There is value in that.
Another suggestion might be that they
meet in session for a month, and in com-
mittees for a month. There is value in that.
I think the issue before us is not whether
90 days is sufficient, plus 30 plus 30 be-
cause I say again 90 is not sufficient, but
rather whether or not the Legislature
should in the future, 20, 30, 40 years from
now, have the ability to adjust to the cir-
cumstances that I am confident face them |
now and will face them with ever-increas-
ing fervor in the future.
THE CHAIRMAN: Does any other dele-
gate desire to speak in opposition to the
amendment?
Delegate Harry Taylor?
DELEGATE H. TAYLOR: Mr. Chair-
man, may it please the Committee of the
Whole, I rise to speak against the amend-
ment. In doing so, I will tell you of
Murphy's Law, something about the Gen-
eral Assembly and insomnia in less than
three minutes.
Murphy's Law is "A job will expand to
fill the time in which you have to do it."
If you have a little time, you will do the
work, you go do it effectively, you will not
dawdle, you will get the job done.
I think this Convention is probably a
good demonstration of the operation of
Murphy's Law.
We optimists look toward December 12
and are making plans to do other things
on December 13. If we had more time, the
ship would not be run as tight, the amend-
ment to the rules limiting debate would
not be necessary. This is what we need in
the General Assembly. If the General As-
sembly were able to set its time, they would
not get down to work quickly doing the
effective important work that they need to
do. They would spread it out a little bit,
but if you give them a time deadline, they
will do the important things and let the
less important things go.
Getting to insomnia, I have heard many
times that there are many good citizens of
Maryland who say that they never sleep
well until the General Assembly adjourns
sine die. I for one will not contribute to
keeping these people awake.
(Applause)
THE CHAIRMAN: Does any other dele-
gate desire to speak in favor?
The Chair recognizes Delegate Grum-
bacher.
DELEGATE GRUMBACHER: In the
first place, I do not conceive the job of the
legislature as one to keep the governor
happy, although I advise him on that. I
consider it the job of the legislature also
to make sure that the people of Maryland
sleep well. The job of the legislature is to
participate in the governing of Maryland,
to pass laws necessary for the governing of
our state. |
