646                               LAWS OF MARYLAND                       [CH. 453

offices of the Registers of Wills in this State, commensurate with the
increases then being granted to the State employees generally.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
June 1, 1965.

Approved April 8, 1965.

CHAPTER 453
(House Bill 1080)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 140 of
Article 41 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1957 Edition),
title "Governor—Executive and Administrative Departments," sub-
title "Department of Legislative Reference"; to add a new Sec-
tion 140A to said Article and subtitle to follow immediately after
Section 140 thereof; to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Sec-
tion 146 of said Article and subtitle; and to add a new Section 9C
to Article 64A of said Code (1964 Replacement Volume), title
"Merit System" to follow immediately after Section 9B thereof;
providing that the State Department of Legislative Reference
shall be an agency of the Legislative Branch of State government,
changing the manner of appointment for the Director of the State
Fiscal Research Bureau, relating generally to the status and
powers of the Department of Legislative Reference; providing for
the merit system status of certain employees in that Department,
and providing also for the appointment, tenure and status of cer-
tain other employees and officials in the Department of Legislative
Reference and the Fiscal Research Bureau.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 140 of Article 41 of the Annotated Code of Maryland
(1957 Edition), title "Governor—Executive and Administrative De-
partments," subtitle "Department of Legislative Reference," be and
it is hereby repealed and re-enacted, with amendments; that new
Section 140A be and it is hereby added to said Article and subtitle
to follow immediately after Section 140 thereof; that Section 146
of said Article and subtitle be and it is hereby repealed and re-enacted,
with amendments; and that new Section 9C be and it is hereby
added to Article 64A of said Code (1964 Replacement Volume), title
"Merit System" to follow immediately after Section 9B thereof, and
all to read as follows:

140.

The Department of Legislative Reference shall be assigned to the
[Executive] Legislative Department. [It shall, through its executive
officer, appointed as at present, have and exercise the rights, powers,
duties, obligations and functions now or hereafter conferred by law;
and, in addition, shall report in writing annually to the Governor, on
or before the first day of January, upon the performance during the
preceding year of the duties imposed by Sections 142 and 143 of this
article.]