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ALBERT C. RITCHIE, GOVERNOR. 1455
agreement has been entered into between most of the Eastern
and Southern States under which an operator resident in one
State, but convicted in another State of driving under the in-
fluence of liquor or of other serious offenses, is not only re-
fused permission to continue to drive in the State of his con-
viction, but also suffers suspension or revocation of his license
in his home State. Senate Bill No. 103 would nullify this
reciprocal agreement so far as Maryland is concerned, and if
the bill were approved;, then Maryland operators could violate
the laws of adjacent States and be penalized there, but would
not be penalized in Maryland.
In addition to this, Senate Bill No. 108 apparently fixes
three months as the limit of suspension or revocation of an
operator's license. Under the present law, three months is
the minimum, and the Commissioner has the discretion of
extending the same beyond that time. There are many kinds
of violation of the motor vehicle laws which justify suspension
or revocation of the operator's license for a longer period than
three months.
For these reasons, the bill will be vetoed.
State Police Force.
(Chapter 527, House Bill No. 58. )
This bill gives the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles the
right to discharge or dismiss the motorcycle deputies who con-
stitute the State Police Force in his discretion and with or
without other cause than may appear to him sufficient. This
would remove the members of the State Police Force from the
protection of the State Merit System.
For this reason, the bill will be vetoed.
Operator^ Liability to Guest.
(Chapter 391, House Bill No. 530. )
This bill provides that the driver or the employer of the
driver shall not be civilly liable for injuries to a gratuitous
passenger without gross negligence on the driver's part. This
bill would change the established rules and standards of liabil-
ity for negligence in a special class of cases, and there seems
to be no sound reason for the distinction thus undertaken to be
made.
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