2334

VETOES

Senate Bill 1022, which was enacted by the General
Assembly and signed by me on May 1, 1979, accomplishes the
same purpose.

Therefore it is unnecessary for me to sign House Bill
1716.

Sincerely,
Harry Hughes
Governor

House Bill No. 1771

AN ACT concerning

Natural Resources - Deer Hunting Fee

FOR the purpose of requiring the Secretary of Natural
Resources to pay a certain sum for each deer killed to
the certain county government governments in which the
a deer is killed.

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 1771.

This bill provides that any county which hires any
additional officer during the deer hunting season shall be
reimbursed by the Secretary of Natural Resources for this
additional expense in an amount up to $1 for each deer
killed in that county.

The additional local revenue which this bill would
generate for the respective subdivisions is negligible and
the fiscal impact on the State might seem insignificant.
However, the revenues derived from hunting license fees have
not increased as rapidly as costs; consequently, even a
modest loss places the Department and the program at a
significant financial disadvantage. The economic impact of
hunters upon the revenue of a local government is, in my
view, more than sufficient to offset the slight cost
associated with their regulation.