MARVIN MANDEL, Governor                          3029

Commission to Review Laws Governing Workmen's
Compensation Laws and the Legislative Council to
study the feasibility of an Interstate Workmen's
Compensation Compact.

WHEREAS, The State of Maryland, like other states,
has long had the responsibility for providing the legal
and administrative framework for the protection of
employers and employees against liability for work
injuries and the consequences thereof; and

WHEREAS, The structure and operation of government
at the state level is best suited to the formulation of
policy and implementation of workmen's compensation lavs;
and

WHEREAS, The State of Maryland has created,
implemented and administered an excellent body of
workmen's compensation laws and the continuing and
effective implementation of changes and administration of
workmen's compensation laws are important to and of great
benefit to the citizens of Maryland; and

WHEREAS, The State is responsive to periodic
suggestions that workmen's compensation laws be improved
through change and supplement; and

WHEREAS, Interstate cooperation can contribute
greatly to the improvement of the workmen's compensation
laws of Maryland; and

WHEREAS, Failure of the State to maintain effective
administration of workmen's compensation laws may result
in assumption by the federal government of authority in
what previously has been primarily a state function; and

WHEREAS, A specific federal legislative item, S.
2008 (Javits), entitled "The National Workers'
Compensation Standards Act of 1973", if passed, could
undermine the current workmen's compensation law systems
in many states by, among other things, making uniform all
significant policy decisions applicable within the State
and creating an unnecessarily rigid pattern of
administrative procedures; and

WHEREAS, The Southern Governors Conference, on
September 26, 1973, unanimously adopted a resolution
urging that an Interstate Compact be created to include
member states for the purposes of (1) reforming the
workmen's compensation laws through mutual exchange of
information, and (2) preserving effective state
administration of workmen's compensation laws; now,
therefore, be it