4018

VETOES

(d)  To keep records relating to the annual inspections of
fire and rescue apparatus, equipment, and facilities; and

(e)  To establish and maintain a data base on manpower
availability and training, operational cost, apparatus
availability, response time, State and local financial support,
and other relevant factors in providing fire and rescue services.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall
take effect July 1, 1985.

May 28, 1985
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 844 at the request
of the sponsor due to the unintended adverse impact this measure
would have on many sheltered workshops for the disabled in the
State.

House Bill 844 would amend Article 21, Section 8-201 of the
Annotated Code to limit the sheltered workshops eligible for the
State's preferential procurement program to those workshops
receiving accreditation from the Division of Vocational
Rehabilitation of the State Department of Education. In
addition, House Bill 844 would amend Article 100, Section 85 of
the Annotated Code to limit, to not less than 50% of the fixed
minimum wage, the discretionary authority of the Commissioner of
Labor and Industry to establish a sub-minimum wage payment
schedule, on an individual basis, for participants in a sheltered
workshop facility. It is this latter revision which would cause
unintended hardships for both the participants and operators of
many sheltered workshops in Maryland.

The original intent of adopting a limit on sub-minimum wages
paid in sheltered workshops was to restrict applicability of this
provision to those sheltered workshops benefitting from the
State's preferential procurement program. The rationale for
applying this requirement only to those sheltered workshops
participating in the State procurement program is because State
purchase prices unlike perhaps other buyers, is based on the fair
market value of goods and services. Consequently, this payment