In conjunction with the Constitutional amendment increasing the
number of signers on referendum petitions, statutory provisions relat-
ing to the form and requirements of referendum petitions were revised
and tightened.

Two acts passed at the 1960 session, the one creating the State
Commission on Alcoholism, and the other enacting the State Boat
Act, were extensively revised in 1962.

The Maryland Securities Act was passed as a result of the report of
a Gubernatorial Commission appointed in 1961, revising State laws
regulating securities.

A State bond issue of $500,000 was authorized by the General
Assembly to assist in financing projects under Public Law 87-27 of
Congress, known as the Area Redevelopment Act.

The Maryland Savings-Share Insurance Corporation, a non-profit
corporation, was established as another step in the State's scrutiny
of the savings and loan business, begun in the 1961 session. The cor-
poration was established for the purpose of guaranteeing and insur-
ing the deposits of savings and loan associations in the State.

The laws applicable to the State Department of Correction were
completely revised during the session. Also the State civil defense
laws were revised and recodified. A new and comprehensive regulatory
and licensing act was passed for the home improvement business in
the State.

In the field of crimes, two new offenses were created by the session.
One makes a misdemeanor the deliberate sniffing or inhaling of sub-
stances toxic to the brain or nervous system, commonly found in glues
and nail polishes. The other act makes it a misdemeanor to manu-
facture or possess amphetamines in the State.

The State racing laws were amended to change the share of betting
retained by race track licensees, and to allocate fixed sums to purses
and to Maryland-bred races. The Maryland Bred-Racing Fund was
established to encourage breeding and racing of horses in the State.

No general increase in State taxes was enacted at this session.
Changes were made in selective taxes, such as the tax on passenger
motor buses.

A bill to require that all persons, regardless of race or color, be
served in places of public accommodation failed to pass and was the
subject of a special session which followed the regular session.

A budget totaling $665,035,241 was proposed by the Governor and
passed by the General Assembly. The budget appropriated $273,-
602,680 in general funds, $186,153,761 in special funds, and $96,378,800
in federal funds. The 1962 Session also authorized the issuance of
$22,366,000 in State bonds to finance construction of buildings for
the State.

A HISTORY OF

THE FIRST SPECIAL SESSION OF THE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF 1962

By his proclamation the Governor convened the General Assembly
in special session for its 330th meeting. The special session met for
one day, March 9, 1962.

A total of 42 bills was introduced, of which 12 were Senate bills
and 30 were House bills. Ten Senate bills passed both Houses; eight
were signed by the Governor and two were vetoed. Twenty-two House
bills passed both Houses, and all were signed by the Governor.

Although the bills vetoed following adjournment of the Session
were not required to be returned, under constitutional provisions, the