WM. PRESTON LANE, JR., GOVERNOR. 1923

VETOES

BILLS PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF 1949 AND

VETOED BY GOVERNOR LANE AND HIS REASONS

IN EACH CASE FOR THE SAME

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF BILLS VETOED IS 91

All of these Mils were vetoed 'by the Governor after the ad-
journment of the Legislature, either having been presented
to him after the adjournment of the Legislature or not in
sufficient time to require executive action before adjourn-
ment.

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

HOUSE BILL No. 226

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section
103 of Article 2B of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1947
Supplement), title "Alcoholic Beverages", sub-title "Restric-
tions Upon Licensees", relating to sales of alcoholic bev-
erages to minors and misrepresentations by minors and
other persons of their ages for the purpose of obtaining
alcoholic beverages and excepting certain counties from cer-
tain provisions of said section.

This Bill concerns the jurisdiction of Liquor License Board
in cases where the licensee has been tried in the Criminal
Court or before a magistrate on a charge of selling to minors.

As the law now stands, the Board has the right to hear
such cases regardless of the action of the courts. The pro-
visions of this Bill takes away all jurisdiction of the Board,
not only in cases where there is an acquittal by the Court,
but also in the case of conviction where there is a special
finding of fact that the person involved diligently exercised
every reasonable effort to ascertain, and was justified in be-
lieving that the minor was not under twenty-one years of age.

The functions of the courts and the Board are separate and
distinct. The jurisdiction of the Board is not criminal. It is
a regulatory and fact-finding body, charged with the duty of
supervising retail outlets.

I feel that it would be a mistake to take away from a fact-
finding body, which has the power to grant, transfer, suspend