Marvin Mandel, Governor                         2143

increase confusion in the minds of the public concerning the ques-
tions of who may make small loans, and what interest and other
charges may be levied on such loans.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Francis B. Burch,

Attorney General.

House Bill No. 32—Expenses of Selection of Juries

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 4(b)
(i) of Article 51 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1969 Supple-
ment), title "Juries," to provide that the counties of the state and
Baltimore City shall pay the compensation and other expenses of
jury commissioners designated under juror selection plans EX-
PENSES OF THE JUROR SELECTION PLAN SHALL BE CON-
SIDERED EXPENSES OF THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF
THE COURT.

May 26, 1970.

Honorable Thomas Hunter Lowe
Speaker of the House of Delegates
State House
Annapolis, Maryland

Dear Mr. Speaker:

In accordance with Article II, Section 17, of the Maryland Con-
stitution, I have today vetoed House Bill 32.

This bill provides that the cost of juror selection plans be financed
by the offices of the Clerks of the Courts of the various counties and
of Baltimore City.

Chapter 408 of the laws of 1969 generally revised jury selec-
tion in Maryland, and provided for the establishment of a uniform
jury selection system under the supervision of the Circuit Court
of each county and the Supreme Bench of Baltimore City. If House
Bill 32 were signed, it would have a serious fiscal impact on the
operations of the Clerks of the Courts. The control of the expenses
of the jury selection system would be under the Judiciary, while the
funds would be required to be supplied by the various Clerks' offices.
For example, in Baltimore City, employees in the Jury Commission-
er's office will be under the sole supervision of the Supreme Bench
of Baltimore City without any control as to number of employees,
amount of salaries, or supervision by the Clerk of the Court. In
fact, if House Bill 32 were signed there would be no normal budgetary
control with respect to these expenses.

I believe that the responsibility for payment of the jury selec-
tion program should receive further study so that a uniform policy
can be established whereby the payment for the cost of the jury selec-
tion system should be levied upon the office which operates the system
and so that there would be regular budgetary control of expenditures.