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fosters and maintains contacts and liaison with
agencies and representatives of the federal govern-
ment concerning federal programs and activities,
and circulates information and data thus obtained
among the several agencies of the State and its
political subdivisions. It endeavors to advance co-
operation between the State and other units of
government when it seems advisable by formulat-
ing proposals for the adoption of compacts, the
enactment of uniform or reciprocal statutes, the
adoption of uniform or reciprocal administrative
rules, the informal cooperation of governmental
offices with one another, and whatever else is re-
quired to ensure that Maryland does its part in
bringing the various governments in the United
States into close contact (Code 1957, Art. 40,
secs. 16-20).

JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE
ON METROPOLITAN MASS TRANSIT

Co-Chairperson: Julian L. Lapides
Co-Chairperson: William H. Cox, Jr.

Members from the Senate: John J. Bishop, Jr.,
Victor Cushwa, Robert L. Douglass, John J.
Garrity.

Members from the House of Delegates: Thomas
W. Chamberlain, Sr., Gerald J. Curran, Hattie
N. Harrison, George T. Schmincke.

The Joint Legislative Committee on Metropoli-
tan Mass Transit was established by Chapter 630,
Acts of 1976, to review, evaluate, and make rec-
ommendations to the General Assembly with re-
spect to the rapid mass transit system in the
Baltimore Metropolitan Mass Transit District.
The Committee is composed of ten members, five
from the Senate appointed by the president and
five from the House of Delegates appointed by
the speaker. The chairperson is appointed jointly
by the president and the speaker.

The committee's review, evaluation, and recom-
mendations with respect to the Baltimore Rapid
Transit System include, but are not limited to,
items such as safety and security factors, environ-
mental standards, fiscal implications, total cost of
building and maintaining the system, cost/benefit
ratio for expenditures, and availability of federal
funds.

The Secretary of Transportation of Maryland is
required to submit to the Committee for its re-
view and evaluation any final plans for the future
development or extension of the rapid transit sys-

SPECIAL JOINT COMMITTEES AND
TASK FORCES

The Legislative Policy Committee periodically
establishes special joint committees and task
forces for particular purposes. The staff for these
special joint committees and task forces are coor-
dinated by the Department of Legislative Refer-
ence. A list of the committees and their member-
ship is published each summer by the Depart-
ment of Legislative Reference and is available on
request. Further information may be obtained
from the staff contact at the Department of Leg-
islative Reference.

Staff Contact: Michael I. Volk

90 State Circle
Annapolis 21401 Telephone: 841-3848

LEGISLATIVE AGENCIES

STATE DEPARTMENT OF
LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE

F. Carvel Payne, Director

90 State Circle
Annapolis 21401 Telephone: 841-3810

The State Department of Legislative Reference
was originally created by Chapter 565, Acts of
1906, to serve the City of Baltimore. The scope of
the Department was enlarged so that it would
also serve the State by Chapter 474, Acts of
1916. By Chapter 453, Acts of 1965, the State's
portion of the Department was transferred to the
Legislative Branch. The present Department dates
its current organization from Chapter 571, Acts
of 1966, which separated this Department from
the department of the same name in Baltimore
City.

The Department collects, compiles, and indexes
information on all questions of proposed legisla-
tion. It investigates and reports on the laws of
Maryland and other states at the request of the
Governor, any committee or member of the Gen-
eral Assembly, or any State agency. At the re-
quest of a member of the General Assembly, the
Department prepares or aids in the drafting of
any law or resolution. Each department of the
State government must transmit to the Depart-