THEODORE R. McKELDIN, GOVERNOR                  1297

Under the circumstances above set forth, while I am sympathetic
with the purpose of this legislation to afford speedy bail, I am con-
strained to withhold my approval.

Respectfully,

(s) THEODORE R. MCKELDIN,

Governor
TRMcK :mg

House Bill No. 101—Packaging Soap and Soap Products

AN ACT to repeal

[See page image for strike-through]

RELATING TO PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO the packag-
ing of soap in bar and cake form.

April 28, 1955

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

Dear Mr. Speaker:

I return herewith House Bill No. 101 which I have today dis-
approved. The bill repeals a section of the Weights and Measures
Law contained in Article 97 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1951
Edition) which exempts the packaging of soap, soap products and
detergents from operation of the law. The title of the bill would
appear to be misleading by its reference solely to the packaging of
soap "in bar and cake form" and the omission of any reference to
soap products and detergents.

Aside from possible deficiencies in the title of the bill, its legislative
history apparently fails to reflect full awareness of the facts. I am
informed that, as originally introduced, the bill represented an agreed
compromise between representatives of the soap industry and the
Weights and Measures Association in order to initiate workable
regulation in the field. As ultimately amended and passed, the bill
disregarded the compromise and totally repealed existing exemptions.
No opportunity was given the interests affected to be heard in con-
nection with the matter, and it is represented to me that enactment
of this bill would have serious consequences for the general public.
Soap when manufactured has a high water content which is subject
to varying degrees of evaporation, depending upon the climate, season
of the year, method of handling, method of storage and other factors,
which make it very expensive and virtually impossible to regulate sale
by weight. At the very least, it appears that the cost of attempting to
comply with the requirements of this law would greatly increase the
cost of soap products to the ultimate consumer without any equivalent
benefit. Since both the enforcing agencies and the affected industry
are in agreement as to the effect of this repealer and both are likewise
in agreement as to the desirability of enactment of workable regula-