HARRY HUGHES, Governor                               2239

This bill would prohibit the closing of a public school
in Anne Arundel County without the approval of the County
Executive and a majority of the County Council.

Current law provides that local school boards determine
facility needs and recommend school closings to the State
Superintendent of Schools for approval. This procedure
reflects the sound policy that such decisions involve
considerations which are primarily educational in nature
(e.g., suitability for educational programs, efficiency of
operation, utilization, and existence of suitable
alternative educational facilities) and which are properly
the primary responsibility of local school boards.

Although this is a local bill, there is considerable
and, in my opinion, valid concern that it would create a
precedent for future legislation for all counties, and that
political pressures in this time of declining enrollment
would make it virtually impossible to responsibly close
unneeded school facilities.

Senate Bill 625 has been presented to me because of the
alleged lack of responsiveness of the Anne Arundel County
Board of Education to the citizens of some northern county
communities. If such unresponsiveness exists and if it
persists in spite of the loud and clear message which the
passage of this measure has sent, it may adequately be dealt
with through the appointments process or through the
enactment of legislation providing for an elected board. In
the meantime, it is my judgment (and apparently that of a
majority of the members of the Anne Arundel County Council)
that the drastic action proposed by this measure is
unnecessary and undesirable.

For these reasons I have decided to veto Senate Bill
625.

Sincerely,
Harry Hughes
Governor

Senate Bill No. 632

AN ACT concerning

Labor and Industry — Filing Fees and Court Costs

FOR the purpose of waiving the payment of any filing fees or
court costs by the Commissioner of labor and Industry
in connection with the performance of his duties.