J. MILLARD TAWES, Governor                     1385

General Assembly and to request the introduction of proposed legis-
lation before the legislature convenes, thus contributing to an or-
derly and effective procedure in this General Assembly, and be it
further

Resolved, That the Secretary of State of Maryland is requested to
send copies of this resolution under the Great Seal of the State of
Maryland, to the Governor of this State, to the Maryland Municipal
League and to the County Commissioners Association, and be it
further

Resolved, That the Governor of Maryland and also the executive
heads of the Maryland Municipal League and of the County Com-
missioners Association are requested to circulate the contents of this
resolution among all their agencies and members in order that all
persons and agencies haying a public interest on behalf of a govern-
mental unit in legislation to be considered by this General As-
sembly of Maryland, cooperate with the members of the Legislature
in their efforts to improve the workings and the procedures of the
legislative process in Maryland.

Approved May 6, 1966.

No. 40
(House Joint Resolution 2)

House Joint Resolution requesting the Legislative Council during
1966 to add to its agenda for study the proposal of the Attorney
General of Maryland to establish an Office of Consumer Protection
for Maryland.

The General Assembly is requesting the Legislative Council to
study during 1966, possibilities for setting up an Office of Consumer
Protection in the State government.

Such a study has been requested by the Attorney General of Mary-
land. He points out that at least ten states afford assistance to and
protection for the consumer through an agency of State government.
In some states there is an office of Consumer's Counsel to the Governor
or some such designation. In others, the Attorney General is empow-
ered to conduct certain investigations designed to protect the inter-
ests of the buying public.

Maryland at this time has no one State agency charged with con-
sumer protection in general. The Attorney General's office does not
have subpoena and other powers necessary properly to perform this
function. Actually, that office has few powers of law enforcement,
these matters being left to the respective State's Attorneys.

There are certain abuses to which the public is exposed in services
or in marketing which have a Statewide pattern, or at least the
problem is Statewide in scope, and it becomes quite apparent that
there should be some central State agency which can act quickly and
effectively to combat the situation.