1454                                         VETOES

House Bill No. 704—Weighing Motor Vehicles

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 315
(k) of Article 66½ of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1957 Edition)
title "Motor Vehicles," subtitle "Operation of Vehicles upon High-
ways," to authorize the trial magistrate to suspend the fine or im-
prisonment of a person found guilty of refusing to stop or drive upon
vehicle weighing scale, when so ordered by an authorized officer.

May 6, 1966.

Honorable Marvin Mandel
Speaker of the House of Delegates
State House
Annapolis, Maryland

Dear Mr. Speaker:

In accordance with the provisions of Article 2, Section 17 of the
Maryland Constitution, I have today vetoed House Bill 704.

House Bill 704 amends Section 315 of Article 66½ of the Code.
Under that Section a Trial Magistrate does not have the power to
suspend the fine or imprisonment provided as a penalty if the driver
of a vehicle sought to be weighed or measured refuses to stop after
being ordered by proper authority. This Bill eliminates the word
"not" and gives the Magistrate the right to suspend sentence in
such cases.

I am advised by the State Roads Commission that the pro-
hibition against Trial Magistrates suspending or reducing sentences
in weight and size violation cases has proved, over the years, to be
salutary. It has been an effective deterrent insofar as preventing
our highways from being unduly damaged by excessive weight loads
and this Bill would eliminate that deterrent. Bills somewhat similar
to this were vetoed by me in 1963 and for the same reasons I am
vetoing House Bill 704.

With kindest regards, I am

Sincerely yours,

(s) J. MILLARD TAWES,

Governor.

House Bill No. 841—Dorchester County—People's Court

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Sections 6
(f-l), 12,109, 112(a), 119(a) and 120 of Article 52 of the Annotated
Code of Maryland (1964 Replacement Volume and 1965 Supplement),
title "Justices of the Peace," subtitles respectively "Civil Jurisdic-
tion," and "Trial Magistrates System"; to add new Sections 25E,
97(g) and 110(d) to the said Article of the Code, subtitles re-
spectively "Criminal Jurisdiction," and "Trial Magistrates System";
to follow immediately, respectively after Sections 25, 97(f), and 110
(c) thereof; to repeal Sections 108(9) and 119 (n) of the said Article