HARRY HUGHES, Governor                                         4061

several properties in the same county may include and join in one
proceeding [any number of the said certificates. HOWEVER, IF
MORE THAN ONE PROPERTY OWNER IS INVOLVED,] A MAXIMUM OF 10
CERTIFICATES MAY BE JOINED IN ONE PROCEEDING. The bill of
complaint filed in any such proceeding CONTAINING NOT MORE THAN
10 CERTIFICATES shall not be subject to objection on the ground
of multifariousness.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall
take effect July 1, 1984.

May 29, 1984
The 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 952.

House Bill 952 and Senate Bill 857 are identical bills which
establish a State Donations Oversight Committee, of which 6
members would be legislators, to certify, in accordance with
certain criteria, State projects for which private donations may
be solicited in the State income tax information booklet-

The Attorney General has determined in the attached letter
that the certification of State projects for which private
donations may be solicited is the implementation of policy and is
thus an exercise of an essential executive function which may not
be usurped by a committee the composition of which includes
members of the legislature. Exercising such a function by the
Committee violates the separation of powers clause and therefore
the bill is unconstitutional.

For that reason I have decided to veto House Bill 952 and
Senate Bill 857.

Sincerely,
Harry Hughes
Governor

May 24, 1984
The Honorable Harry Hughes