HARRY HUGHES, Governor

3293

RESOLVED, That the Commission be assisted by the staffs
of the Maryland Environmental Service, the Water Resources
Administration, the Environmental Health Administration, the
Department of State Planning, and the Office of the Science
Advisor to the General Assembly, and that the Maryland
Environmental Service provide secretarial service and assign
a member of its staff to serve part time as the Commission's
staff; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Commission report its findings and
recommendations prior to the 1981 Session of the General
Assembly; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Commission and its duties and
responsibilities shall expire on January 14, 1981; and be it
further

RESOLVED. That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the
Governor of Maryland, the Honorable Harry Hughes.

Signed April 22, 1980.

No. 7

(Senate Joint Resolution No. 17)

A Senate Joint Resolution concerning

Consumer Contracts - Plain Language

FOR the purpose of requesting the appointment of a Plain
Language Study Committee to develop a proposal
establishing guidelines requiring consumer contracts to
be written in plain language.

WHEREAS. Each citizen enters into numerous consumer
contracts during the normal course of their lives; and

WHEREAS, Accurate and relevant information in an
understandable form is the key to the consumer decision
making process; and

WHEREAS, Because the basis of a contract between
parties is the meeting of their minds, the probability that
a contract will reflect a true and accurate record of an
agreement will increase if all parties understand that
agreement; and

WHEREAS. Readable and understandable contracts written
in clear and simple terms with provisions that follow a
logical sequential order would lessen the need for
governmental protection of consumers; now, therefore, be it