HARRY HUGHES, Governor

5063

(a) The [State Court Administrator, ] GENERAL ASSEMBLY
shall determine the amount of all court costs and charges
for the circuit courts of the counties and the courts of the
Supreme Bench of Baltimore City, SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL OF
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, BY JOINT RESOLUTION. THE RESOLUTION
MAY ADOPT, MODIFY OR REJECT ANY OR ALL OF THE FEES AND
CHARGES DETERMINED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR. THE ADMINISTRATOR
SHALL IMPLEMENT THE FEES AS SET BY THE RESOLUTION[ with the
approval of the Board of Public Works]. The fees and charges
shall be uniform throughout the State.

The Comptroller of the State shall require clerks of
court to collect all fees required to be collected by law.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the
schedules of court fees, costs, and charges set by the State
Court Administrator with the approval of the Board of Public
Works which are in effect at the time of the enactment on
the effective date of this Act shall remain in effect until
they are revised by the General Assembly.

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act
shall take effect July 1, 1982.

June 1, 1982
The Honorable James Clark, Jr.
President of the Senate
State House
Annapolis, Maryland 21404

Dear Mr. President:

In accordance with Article II, Section 17 of the
Maryland Constitution, today I have vetoed Senate Bill 408.

That bill, like Senate Bill 58 which I vetoed following
the 1981 Session of the General Assembly, provides that the
costs and fees to be charged by the clerks of the courts of
this State, as determined by the State Court Administrator,
are subject to the approval of the General Assembly. Under
the bill enacted in 1981, the approval of two committees of
the General Assembly was needed. As I pointed out then, the
Maryland Constitution clearly infers that any modification
to the schedule of court fees requires action by the entire
Legislature in the manner set forth in Article III. 1981
Laws of Maryland at 3327-28.

Senate Bill 408 requires schedules of court costs and
fees to be submitted to the General Assembly for approval by
joint resolution. The resolution "may adopt, modify or
reject any or all of the fees determined by the