SPIRO T. AGNEW, Governor                      1765

would be detrimental to its objectivity and possibly work some
impediment to its independent judgment and recommendations.

Sincerely yours,

(s) Spiro T. Agnew,

Governor.

House Bill No. 523—Well Drillers

AN ACT to repeal Section 2 of Article 96A of the Annotated
Code of Maryland (1964 Replacement Volume and 1966 Supplement),
title "Water Resources," subtitle "General Provisions"; to repeal
Sections 30 through 43 of said Article and title of the Code, subtitle
"Well Drillers"; and to enact new Section 2 and new Sections 30
through 43 in lieu thereof, to stand in the place of the sections so
repealed, Sections 30 through 37 to be under the new subtitle "Well
Drilling" and Sections 38 through 43 to be under the new subtitle
"State Board of Well Drillers"; to revise the laws applicable to per-
sons engaged in well drilling in the State, to create a State Board of
Well Drillers to issue licenses to water-well contractors and well
drillers, to provide for the compensation, powers and duties of the
Board, to require permits from the Department of Water Resources
for well drilling, to provide penalties for violations and to relate
generally to well drilling in the State.

May 4, 1967.

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

Dear Mr. Speaker:

In accordance with Section 17 of Article II of the Maryland Con-
stitution, I have vetoed today House Bill 523.

This bill would create a State Board to license and regulate, and
would otherwise modify laws applicable to, well drillers.

The attached copy of an opinion on the bill by the Attorney
General, which is to be considered a part of this message, although
it does not declare the bill totally lacking in form and legal sufficiency,
points out such substantial conflicts with associated laws and raises
such troublesome questions of interpretation that I feel compelled
to veto it.

This is not to say that I am opposed to, or even unsympathetic
toward, the principles involved in the measure; and I would hope that
a bill adequately meeting the points raised by the Attorney General
can be introduced in a future session of the General Assembly to
overcome what I understand to be difficult problems encountered by
persons engaged in the business of well-drilling.

Nevertheless, for the reasons given, I must veto this bill.

Sincerely yours,

(s) Spiro T. Agnew,

Governor.