HARRY HUGHES, Governor

3821

Signed May 15, 1984.

No. 12

(Senate Joint Resolution No. 32)

A Senate Joint Resolution concerning

Study Commission - Emergency Laws - Militia

FOR the purpose of requesting the appointment of Governor to
appoint a study commission to examine the numerous
provisions of State law pertaining to times of public crises
and other emergencies.

WHEREAS, Numerous provisions of the State law confer powers
on the civil and military authorities during times of emergency;
and

WHEREAS, Any or all of these provisions may apply to a
specific situation; and

WHEREAS, The provisions appear throughout articles of the
Code, including Article 16A, Article 27, § 594C, Article 41, §§
15B through 15B-2, 58, and 452 through 456 and Article 65; and

WHEREAS, The dispersement disbursement dispersal of these
provisions throughout the Code confuses their interrelationship
and hinders ready identification of any overlapping and
conflicting aspects; and

WHEREAS, Federal law also applies during an emergency and,
to some extent, dictates requirements for State law; and

WHEREAS, It is particularly important that, in times of
emergencies, the civil and military authorities have a single,
cohesive body of law under which to operate; and

WHEREAS, This goal is more easily obtainable if the
applicable laws, including the Militia Law, are studied and the
substantive issues are resolved; and

WHEREAS, The resolution of these substantive issues would
facilitate the also needed, nonsubstantive revision of these
laws; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That, to study
and make recommendations on the State laws that relate to the
powers of civil and military authorities during emergencies, a
commission should be appointed by the Governor, composed of
representatives of the General Assembly and the appropriate civil
and military authorities; and be it further