MARVIN MANDEL, Governor

2747

Senate Bill No. 289 - Open Meetings

AN ACT concerning

Open Meetings of Public Bodies

FOR the purpose of requiring public todies in exercising
legislative, quasi-legislative, or advisory
functions to hold open meetings, to give notice of
their meetings and to keep minutes which are open to
public inspection; allowing meetings of such public
bodies to be closed for certain specified and other
reasons; allowing minutes of closed meetings to
remain secret; authorizing suits by private persons
to enforce this subtitle; providing that this
subtitle is to prevail over conflicting provisions
of [[existing law]] other laws unless they are more
stringent; and generally relating to the meetings of
public bodies.

May 25, 1976.
Honorable Steny H. Hoyer
President of the Senate
State House
Annapolis, Maryland 21404

Dear Mr, President;

In accordance with Article II, Section 17 of the
Maryland Constitution, I have today vetoed Senate Bill
289.

This bill requires nearly all municipal, county, and
State "public bodies" to hold open meetings unless the
circumstances fall into one of the exemptions stated in
the bill, and provides for the voiding of actions taken
by these public bodies in the event of non—compliance.
The governments of eighteen counties and Baltimore City
have requested that it be vetoed.

I am aware that the bill was the subject of much
discussion and debate in the Legislature, and has
generally been represented as a mechanism to allow
greater public participation in governmental
decision—making. I want, therefore, to make clear at the
outset that I have no quarrel whatever with the purpose
and objective of the bill, and, from their letters,
neither do the county governments. My sole concern is
that, as worded, it will work against, rather than for,
the public interest. My particular objections, which are
set forth below, can, in my judgment, be corrected; and,
as the bill would not become effective until July 1, 1977
in any event, these can be made in the next session of
the Legislature without causing any delay in the