Marvin Mandel, Governor                           13

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 3-17(a) of Article 33 of the Annotated Code of Mary-
land (1971 Replacement Volume and 1971 Supplement), title "Elec-
tion Code," subtitle "Registration of Voters—How and by Whom
Conducted," be and it is hereby repealed and re-enacted, with
amendments, to read as follows:

3-17.

(a) (1) When the board shall learn that a registered voter has
removed from the ward, election district or precinct in which he is
registered and within [six months] thirty days from the date of
such removal has not applied to the board to have his address changed
on his registration records, the board shall notify the voter by United
States first class mail sent to his address as it appears on the board's
registration records that if he does not advise the board by a signed
writing of his correct address within two weeks of the date appear-
ing on the notice, his name will be removed from the registration
records and he will have to reregister before he can vote in future
elections.

(2) Any board, upon receipt of a signed authorization from a
voter to cancel his registration, shall remove that registration from
the registration records.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act is hereby de-
clared to be an emergency measure and necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public health and safety and having been passed
by a yea and nay vote supported by three-fifths of all the members
elected to each of the two Houses of the General Assembly, the same
shall take effect from the date of its passage.

Approved February 23, 1972.

CHAPTER 5
(Senate Bill 14)

AN ACT to add new Sections 89, 90 and 91 to Article 40 of the
Annotated Code of Maryland (1971 Replacement Volume) (1971
Supplement), title "General Assembly," to follow immediately after
Section 88 thereof and to be under the new subtitle "Ethics," to
establish a joint committee on ethics with the power to promulgate
rules of ethics for the members of the General Assembly subject
to adoption by both Houses.

It is essential to the proper operation of a democratic government
that its Legislators be independent and impartial, that public office
not be used for private gain other than compensation provided
by law, and that there be public confidence in the integrity of the
members of the General Assembly. The attainment of these ends is
impaired if there exists a conflict between the private interests of
the Legislator and his public duties. To allow the members of the
General Assembly to promote the public interest and enjoy the pub-
lic confidence, appropriate ethical standards must be established
with respect to situations in which such conflicts may exist.