J. MILLARD TAWES, Governor                       1667

tire ratings and standards. In addition, one of the local tire manu-
facturing companies has given assurance that their representatives
would not oppose the provisions of the Bill if the Federal Trade
Commission saw fit to incorporate them in legislation setting forth
standards for tires on a national scale.

In view of the foregoing reasons, I have felt compelled to veto

Senate Bill 353.

With kindest personal regards, I am

Sincerely yours,

(s) J. MILLARD TAWES,

Governor.

Senate Bill No. 434—Motor Vehicle Axle Weights

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, subsection (f)
of Section 315 of Article 66½ of the Annotated Code of Maryland
(1957 Edition), title "Motor Vehicles," subtitle "Operation of Vehi-
cles Upon Highways," relating to violation of axle load limits and
permitting redistribution of loads to accomplish compliance with such
limits.

May 4, 1965.

Honorable William S. James
President of the Senate
State House
Annapolis, Maryland

Dear Mr. President:

I have today vetoed Senate Bill 434, and in accordance with our
constitutional provisions, I am returning the same to you along with
my veto message.

This particular bill proposes that if a commercial motor vehicle
is detected haying an overweight axle, but is not in violation of the
gross weight limitations, the operator, if possible may reposition the
load to bring the overweight axle within the legal limits and thus
not be charged with any violation. This is true only if overloading
of the axle results from the cargo having shifted while in transit.

Last year a somewhat similar bill was passed by the General
Assembly and I vetoed it. At that time I expressed the view in my
veto message that to permit these corrections to be made after they
had been detected by a law enforcement officer would encourage care-
less loading practices of our commercial vehicles. That bill can be
distinguished from the present bill by the fact that under the lan-
guage of the bill before me, the shift in weight must have occurred
"in transit" before the operator of the vehicle can receive the benefits
of the law.

I can visualize some merit to this type of legislation and I am,
to an extent, sympathetic with what it tries to accomplish. However,
I am afraid that I cannot give this matter my approval.