MARVIN MANDEL, Governor

3989

House Bill No. 373 — Alcoholic Beverages Laws

AN ACT concerning

Alcoholic Beverages Laws — [[Technical Corrections]]

FOR the purpose of correcting certain technical errors in
the laws relating to alcoholic beverages [[.]]; and
providing for certain causes of actions under the
Beer Franchise Fair Dealing Act.

May 15, 1975.
Honorable John Hanson Briscoe
Speaker of the House of Delegates
State House
Annapolis, Maryland

Dear Mr. Speaker:

In accordance with Article II, Section 17 of the
Maryland Constitution, I have today vetoed House Bill
373.

This bill was originally drafted with the intent to
correct certain technical errors in the alcoholic
beverages laws. However, the bill was amended in order
to provide for certain causes of action under the Beer
Franchise Fair Dealing Act. This was done by adding an
amended version of Section 203G of Article 2B to the
bill. This raises the initial question of whether the
final version of House Bill 373 embraces more than one
subject in contravention of Article III, Section 29 of
the Maryland Constitution.

Without discussing this question further, there are
other reasons for the veto of this bill. House Bill
1581, which was enacted by the General Assembly and
signed by me on May 15, 1975, accomplishes the same
purpose as that intended by the General Assembly in
amending Section 203G into House Bill 373.

In addition, House Bill 575, which was enacted by
the General Assembly and signed by me on March 25, 1975,
repeals Section 158(d)(3) of Article 2B, a provision
relating to the operation of stag bars in Anne Arundel
County. Should I now sign House Bill 373, Section
158(d)(3) would be reinstated into law by virtue of a
corrective amendment made by the bill to Section 158(d).
The result would be in direct conflict with the intent of
the General Assembly in enacting House Bill 575.