RESEARCH DIVISION

A _ Research Division was established to make legal and factual
studies of legislation or proposed legislation referred to the Division
by the Council. The Division also prepares studies on any matters
which may be referred to it by any committee or commission appointed
by the Council, or by either or both Houses of the General Assembly,
or, with the consent of the Council, by any commission or committee
appointed by the Governor (Code 1957, as amended, Art, 40, sees.
27-39).

Appropriations 1961 1962

General Funds $40,000 $40,000
Staff: 23.

A HISTORY OF
THE 1960 SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The General Assembly of Maryland met in approximately its 326th
session on February 3, 196O. It adjourned on the evening of the 30th
day, being March 3.

A total of 298 bills was introduced, of which 127 were Senate bills
and 171 were House bills. Fifty-two Senate bills passed both Houses
and the Governor signed all of them. Seventy House bills passed both
Houses, and of these, the Governor signed 66 and vetoed 4.

Since the Governor made these 4 vetoes after the General Assembly
had adjourned, these bills were returned to the House at the 1961
Session, and the vetoes were sustained.

Thirty-one joint resolutions were introduced, II in the Senate and 20
in the House. Five Senate Joint Resolutions and 13 House Joint Reso-
lutions passed both Houses.

The General Assembly of 1960 revised the Interstate Compact on the
Potomac River Basin in order to broaden the powers of the Interstate
Commission on the Potomac River Basin. This Compact of 1958 was
passed by the 1959 Legislature to supersede the Compact of 1785 in
controlling relationships between Maryland and Virginia concerning
fisheries in the Potomac River. It was subsequently ratified by the
voters of Maryland at the November 1960 election.

An important piece of legislation enacted at the 1960 Session was
the State Boat Act. It provides for the numbering and regulation of
boats jointly by the Department of Tidewater Fisheries and the De-
partment of Game and Inland Fish. Under this Act, boating accidents
must be reported to the Department of Tidewater Fisheries. The Act
also regulates operators of boats towing water skiers.

Another Act dealing with the out-of-doors was the "Open Spaces"
bill. The Legislature enacted this bill in order to conserve Maryland's
natural and scenic resources which are in danger of obliteration by
urban development.

The Maryland Commission on Alcoholism was established by the
1960 General Assembly in recognition of the public health problem
created by alcoholism. The Commission's purpose is to prescribe laws
and programs to control and treat the illness.

Two uniform acts were adopted. One was designed to govern the
transfer of securities by fiduciaries. The other uniform law regulates
the use of facsimile signatures and seals of public officials on certifi-
cates of indebtedness.