WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor

In accordance with Article II, Section 17 of the Maryland Constitution, I have today
vetoed House Bill 661.

This bill requires owners and operators of underground facilities to be members of a
one-call telephone number system filed with the Public Service Commission for
advance notification of any proposed excavation.

Senate Bill 224, which was passed by the General Assembly and signed by me on May
29, 1990, accomplishes the same purpose. Therefore, it is not necessary for me to sign
House Bill 661.

Sincerely,

William Donald Schaefer

Governor

House Bill No. 661

AN ACT concerning

Public Service Commission - Underground Facilities

FOR the purpose of requiring that the owners of certain underground facilities be
members of certain communication systems, make a certain determination within
a certain time after receipt of a notice from a contractor, notify a contractor
within a certain time if certain underground facilities will be disturbed or
damaged, use a certain color code when marking the location of an underground
facility, remark the location of certain underground facilities within a certain time,
excavate in a timely manner if a certain election is made, and advise a contractor
within a certain time that certain marking is unnecessary; providing for
certification of certain communication systems by the Public Service Commission;
altering certain requirements for determining if certain underground facilities will
be disturbed or damaged; requiring that contractors intending to perform certain
excavation notify certain persons not more than a certain time before starting, give
repeat notification under certain circumstances, and notify the owner of an
underground facility under certain circumstances; specifying the liability for
damages of certain owners and certain contractors under certain circumstances;
specifying the responsibility for maintenance of certain marked underground
facilities; providing for a change in a certain measurement after a certain time and
under certain conditions; providing for local governments to assess certain fees
and expenses; providing for a delayed effective date; providing that local
governments may not be required to submit to a one-call system certain facilities
plans or records that do not physically exist as of a certain date; defining and
redefining certain terms; making stylistic changes; and generally relating to the
protection of underground facilities.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article 78 - Public Service Commission Law
Section 28A

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