1620                             JOINT RESOLUTIONS

Senate Joint Resolution 54 of 1967 required the appointment of
a Commission to review the problems arising from the harmful use
of pesticides, and to suggest possible legislation in this area.

The Commission was appointed in December 1967 and has held
three meetings. The Commission has requested its continuance, since
it needs additional time to complete its data collection and to pre-
pare recommendations on education, research, and regulations on
the uses of pesticides in Maryland; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the General Assembly of Maryland, That the Gov-
ernor's Commission on Pesticides is continued and is instructed to
present its final report to the Legislative Council during the summer
of 1968; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this Resolution be sent to the Chairman
of the Commission, and the Chairman and Secretary of the Legisla-
tive Council.

Approved May 7, 1968.

No. 49
(House Joint Resolution 65)

House Joint Resolution requesting the Governor of Maryland to
appoint a commission to make a comprehensive study of the judi-
cial doctrine of sovereign immunity and to make a report with
recommendations on legislation in the nature of a State Tort
Claims Act.

Whereas, The present judicial doctrine of sovereign immunity
often operates capriciously and unjustly to preclude recovery on
many meritorious claims against state and local governments; and

Whereas, The Maryland Court of Appeals has recently ruled in
Weisner v. Board of Education of Montgomery County, 237 Md. 391,
206 A.2d 560 (1965), that the doctrine of sovereign immunity is so
firmly established in the law of this State that any change must come
from the legislature; and

Whereas, The delineation of those areas where justice dictates
that state and local governments be liable in tort and be responsible
for providing compensation to injured persons can best be accom-
plished through detailed legislation in the nature of a State Tort
Claims Act; and

Whereas, The General Assembly takes note of the fact that the
California Legislature enacted in 1963 a detailed Tort Claims Act
based on comprehensive study by the California Law Revision Com-
mission; and

Whereas, The liability of the State and its officers in tort poses
problems requiring a comprehensive study which cannot be made by