HERBERT R. O'CONOR, GOVERNOR. 1987

In order that the next General Assembly may have the bene-
fit of the most careful thought and study of this entire subject
matter, I intend to have this important question studied by
the special commission which I intend to appoint, as announced
several days ago in vetoing Senate Bill 176 affecting motor
carriers. This representative commission will be asked to
study all phases of this situation in order that uniformity may
be established, under a fair and equitable system both to the
State and those affected by this particular levy.

JUDGES' PENSION.
SENATE BILL 123.

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section
48 of Article 26 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1943
Supplement), title "Courts", sub-title "Pensions for Judges",
relating to judges' pensions.

Senate Bill 123 was introduced for the avowed purpose of
providing a Judge's pension for a former member of the Bench
who served for a period through appointment.

In connection with the proposal it was contended that,
through inadvertence, the General Assembly of 1943, in pro-
viding pensions to cover the various classes, failed to extend
the legal provisions to the case of one particular individual.
In fact, the contention was made that others, who had served
shorter periods on the Bench, are receiving pensions under the
present system.

If this enactment affected only the individual case, I would
give executive approval to it. However, unintentionally per-
haps, the original intended provisions of the new bill were
changed and, as it now reads, the amendment to the law
would make an important change in the existing system as it
affects Judges appointed since June 1943.

This bill if signed by me eliminates the provision now in
effect which gives to Judges credit for the period served by
them through appointment providing they are subsequently
elected. This provision was made after careful consideration
by representatives of the Maryland State Bar Association and
of the Bar Association of Baltimore City.

It was thought in 1943, after extensive work by members
of the bar and subsequently by the Legislators, that a fair
and equitable pension system for Judges had been placed on
the statute books of Maryland. The general plan, it has been
agreed, is the product of lengthy consideration and extended