The Public Service Commission, established by Chapter 180, Acts of
1910, is composed of three members appointed by the Governor for
six-year terms, one term expiring every two years. The Governor also
appoints the General Counsel for a six-year term and the People's
Counsel, who serves at the pleasure of the Governor (Code 1957, Art.
78, sees. 5, 6, 12, 14). The Public Service Commission has jurisdiction
over common carriers, including steam and electric railroads, street
railways, sleeping car companies, bus lines, express companies, steam-
boat companies, power boats, ferry companies, carriers by aircraft,
toll bridges, and all carriers, generally, engaged in the public trans-
portation of passengers or freight within the State of Maryland,
except those carriers of passengers which come within the jurisdiction
of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Commission (Acts 1959,
Ch. 613); and over all taxicabs operating in the City of Baltimore.
The Commission also exercises jurisdiction over all gas, electric, tele
phone, telegraph, water, sewage disposal, heating and refrigerating
companies operating within the State. The Commission has the power
to fix both minimum and maximum rates and to suspend schedules
pending the determination of the reasonableness of the proposed rates.
Public utilities may not abandon or discontinue the exercise of any
franchise without permission of the Commission. The Commission
tests all gas and electric meters before installation; it also tests pre-
viously installed meters at the request of the consumer. It maintains
a laboratory in which it makes daily tests of gas furnished in the City
of Baltimore. It also makes regular and frequent tests of the gas and
electricity furnished in other parts of the State (Code 1957, Art. 78,
sees. 1-107).

The Commission is also authorized to make joint investigations,
hold joint hearings, and issue joint or other concurrent orders in
conjunction with any official board or commission of any state or the
Federal government under agreements and compacts between states,
under the concurrent powers of states to regulate interstate commerce
as an agency of the Federal government, or otherwise (Code 1957,
Art. 78, sec. 59). The Public Service Commission is also represented on
joint boards created by the Interstate Commerce Commission under
the Federal Motor Carriers Act to hear and pass upon applications
and proceedings pertaining to interstate motor carrier operation con-
ducted in or through not more than three states.

Appropriations 1961 1962

General Funds $293,594 $365,344
Staff: 41.

STATE ATHLETIC COMMISSION

Chairman: Charles Rosenbaum, 1963
Lee S. Gillis, 1965; D. Chester O'Sullivan, 1967
Jack Cohen, Executive Secretary

301 W. Preston Street, Baltimore I Telephone: 837-9000

The State Athletic Commission, established by Chapter 710, Acts of
1920, consists of three members appointed by the Governor for six-
year terms, one term expiring every two years. The Commission has
supervision over all boxing and wrestling matches scheduled and held
in the State of Maryland. It enacts and enforces such rules as are
necessary to govern these bouts. It licenses all corporations, associa-
tions or persons sponsoring such bouts, and all referees, managers,
seconds, and participants. The Commission collects from all sponsors