2710                                            JOINT RESOLUTIONS                              No. 70

Marvin Mandel.
Approved May 17, 1976.

No. 71

(House Joint Resolution No. 49)

A House Joint Resolution concerning

Economic Impact of Regulatory Boards and Commissions

FOR the purpose of appointing a commission to study     the

economic impact that State regulatory boards   and

commissions have on consumers, commerce and

industry; providing for appointment of members   and
requiring a report by a certain date.

It has been a concern of many members of the General
assembly that State regulatory boards and commissions
have the power to limit competition in business and
industry through the licensing authority and through
restrictive regulations.

Many members of the General Assembly are interested
in the concept which provides for automatic and periodic
elimination of regulatory boards unless they are
affirmatively extended by the General Assembly, but
believe standards for such an extension or termination
must be carefully developed in advance of the
consideration of a particular board or agency, and that
detailed consideration should be given to the order in
which those agencies are brought up for review.

The appearance of bias occurs in many instances
because members of some boards and commissions are
actively engaged in the business or industry being
regulated.

It is important that a study be made of each
regulatory board and commission to ascertain the economic
impact on consumers resulting from restrictions imposed
on a trade or business.

It is equally important to determine if any
restriction promulgated by a board or commission has the
effect of limiting the number of persons or entities
entering a business or trade; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That
this Body appoint a Commission to study the economic
impact that State regulatory boards and commissions have
on consumers, commerce and industry to be composed of 15
members as follows: three members of the Senate and
three members of the House of Delegates to be appointed