2114 VETOES

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

February 12, 1951

Hon. John C. Luber
Speaker of the House of Delegates
State House
Annapolis, Maryland

Dear Mr. Speaker:

Herewith I return House Bill No. 66 and House Bill No.
67 without my approval. *

The first of these bills is applicable to Baltimore County only
and the second is of State-wide application. The object is to
require the Governor to fill a vacancy in the office of the
County Commissioner from a person whose name shall be sub-
mitted to him in writing by the State Central Committee of
the political party with which the County Commissioner so
vacating has been affiliated. The effect of this bill is to
take away all discretion from the Governor in the filling of
the vacancy and to make him a rubber stamp for the State
Central Committee.

While I do not think any legislation necessary in respect to
this subject matter, I would consider signing a bill that re-
quires the Governor to appoint a person belonging to the same
political party as the person whose death, resignation or re-
moval created the vacancy; but to provide that the Governor
shall have no choice but to name the person previously selected
for him by the State Central Committee merely preserves the
Governor's power in name and form. For this reason, I have
disapproved both measures.

Sincerely yours,

THEODORE R. MCKELDIN,

Governor

TRMcK/o'c

DISORDERLY CONDUCT

May 7, 1951

Hon. John C. Luber
Speaker of the House of Delegates
State House
Annapolis, Maryland

Dear Mr. Speaker:

The title of House Bill No. 594 purports to include Howard
County in the provisions of section 132 of Article 27 of the An-

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* These two bills were passed over the Governor's vetoes.