2932

JOINT RESOLUTIONS

Fully cognizant of its constitutional mandate
principally to recommend gubernatorial salaries to the
General Assembly, the Commission nevertheless determined
that it must review and comment upon matters closely related
to salaries, viz., allowances and expenditures related to
operation of Government House, the gubernatorial retirement
plan, and a code of public conduct applicable to the offices
of Governor and Lieutenant Governor- Thus, the report of
the Commission, in addition to recommending salaries for the
Governor and Lieutenant Governor, suggests to the General
Assembly four companion measures to be considered together
with the Commission's salary proposals. These suggestions
include:

{1) Legislation consolidating appropriations
related to operation of Government House and providing that
expenditures from these accounts be regularly accounted for
on a vouchered and audited basis.

(2)    Legislation revising the gubernatorial
retirement law to establish a pension for governors entering
office after January 17, 1979, equivalent to one—third a
governor's highest annual salary with ensuing cost of living
adjustments, in accordance with those provided retirees from
the State Employees' Retirement System, provided the
governor has served at least one full term and has attained
age 55; to provide basic retirement allowances of $12,500
annually to governors leaving office prior to January 17,
1979, with ensuing cost—of—living adjustments; and to
provide benefits for widows of governors equivalent to
one—half the retirement benefits available to governors.

(3)    Legislation providing a transition
allowance of $20,000 to be paid in six monthly installments
to governors leaving office after serving at least one full
term, such persons to be ineligible for gubernatorial
retirement plan benefits during receipt of the transition
allowance.

(4)    A request for the promulgation of a Code of
Public Conduct specifically applicable to the Governor and
Lieutenant Governor.

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That the
annual salaries recommended by the Governor's Salary
Commission be adopted as follows, to be effective January
17, 1979, for four-year terms of office: Governor, $60,000;
Lieutenant Governor, $52,500.

Approved April 11, 1978.

No. 2