1880                                       JOINT RESOLUTIONS

No. 50
(House Joint Resolution 16)

House Joint Resolution requesting that the executive departments prepare and
distribute news releases concerning changes in the rules and regulations of each
department.

The Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review of the
General Assembly has conducted a series of hearings since its inception, on the
problem of effective notification of the public of changes in the rules and
regulations of the various executive departments. A complaint heard from time to
time concerned the fact that some people affected by rule changes do not know of
the change, which operates to their detriment.

The Committee considered various proposals to meet this problem. After
extensive testimony, the Committee has decided to encourage the executive
departments to prepare and widely distribute press releases covering important rule
changes. This press release approach was considered preferable to another proposal
originally considered which would have required the departments to place paid
advertisements in every newspaper of the State. The objection to this is that the
paid advertising would be placed in the classified section of the various newspapers
and attract little popular notice. This approach is also quite expensive.

Since the editors of the newspapers throughout the State are not being
compelled to publish the press release on every rule change, they can select those
which are most important to their reading public. Thus, the Committee believes
the goal of better informing the public can be met; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That the
executive departments which promulgate rules and regulations which affect the
public be encouraged to prepare and widely distribute press releases to the
newspapers of the State of Maryland regarding these rule changes; and be it
further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution be sent to the Secretary of each
major Secretariat within the executive department and to each independent agency
of that department.

Approved May 21, 1973.

No. 51
(House Joint Resolution 29)

A House Joint Resolution urging the various newspapers, television and radio
stations throughout Maryland to devote a daily column or portion of a daily
news broadcast to news of a pleasant and inspiring nature.

WHEREAS, The citizens of our State are subjected daily, without let up, to an
unending stream of news about war, bombings, killing, terrorism, criminal activity
of every kind, and injustices and outrages perpetrated against innocent people the
world over; and