MARVIN MANDEL, Governor                        2849

Sincerely,
Marvin Mandel
Governor

House Bill No. 1626 — Equine Anemia Testing

AN ACT concerning

Horses — Infectious Equine Anemia Testing

FOR the purpose of requiring horses or equines to undergo
certain testing at a certain time before being
allowed to be shipped into Maryland; requiring these
horses or equines to be accompanied by a certificate
which verifies that the testing was performed in a
certain laboratory and which displays certain
information with regard to this test and the animals
involved; and providing definitions.

May 17, 1976.
Honorable John Hanson Briscoe
Speaker of the House of Delegates
State House
Annapolis, Maryland 21404

Dear Mr. Speaker:

In accordance with Article II, Section 17 of the
Maryland Constitution, I have today vetoed House Bill
1626.

This bill provides that a horse or equine may not be
brought into the State after January 1, 1977, unless it
has had a negative test for equine infectious anemia
within six months prior to shipment.

Last year I vetoed a similar bill, partly because
the Secretary of Agriculture informed me that he was then
developing regulations to require the testing of horses
entering Maryland on a twelve month basis. Those
regulations are now effective in Maryland.

The Maryland Racing Commission has requested that I
veto House Bill 1626. The Commission informs me that the
six month testing period of the bill will conflict
directly with its regulations, as well as those of the
Department of Agriculture. All racing states evidently
strive for uniformity on the matter of testing of horses;
traditionally, this testing period has been twelve
months. The uniform approach is obviously for the