HARRY HUGHES, Governor

2291

House Bill No. 741

AN ACT concerning

Physicians — Specialization and Advertising

FOR the purpose of authorizing the State Board of Medical
Examiners to provide for certification identification
of physicians as specialists; providing for certain
penalties; and generally relating to certification
identification in medical specialties.

May 29, 1979

Honorable Benjamin L. Cardin
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 741.

This bill provides for the Board of Medical Examiners,
a constituent agency of the Department of Health and Mental
Hygiene, in cooperation with the Medical and Chirurgical
Faculty, to identify licensed physicians as specialists.
Under the bill, a person may not represent himself as a
specialist in any area of medicine after July 1, 1980 unless
identified as such by the Board.

It is clearly in the best interest of the people of
Maryland that an agency of State government provide a ready
source of referral for verifying the credentials of medical
specialists. It is not, in my judgment, in the best
interest of Maryland to statutorily mandate the direct
involvement of a private organization in this process.

For this reason I have decided to veto House Bill 741.

Sincerely,
Harry Hughes
Governor

House Bill No. 760