WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor

In accordance with Article II, Section 17 of the Maryland
Constitution, I have today vetoed House Bill 847.

This bill provides that, for sales tax purposes, the
American Red Cross would be a charitable organization and,
therefore, exempt from tax on materials purchased for
incorporation into real property of the organization.

Senate Bill 358, which was passed by the General Assembly
and signed by me on May 14, 1987, accomplishes the same purpose.
Therefore, it is not necessary for me to sign House Bill 847.

Sincerely,

William Donald Schaefer

Governor

House Bill No. 847

AN ACT concerning

Retail Sales Tax - Exemption for American National Red Cross

FOR the purpose of providing that, for sales tax purposes, the
American National Red Cross is a charitable organization;
and making a technical correction.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,

Article 81 - Revenue and Taxes

Section 326(i)

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1980 Replacement Volume and 1986 Supplement)

Preamble

WHEREAS, The Central Maryland Chapter of the American Red
Cross provides vital services to the residents of Maryland, its
vital role in the recent Amtrak tragedy being one among many
examples of its unwaivering commitment and contribution to this
State; and

WHEREAS, The American Red Cross, being somewhat unique, is
both an instrumentality of the United States and a charitable
nonprofit organization receiving no budgetary appropriation from
the Federal Government, and charged in 1905 by the United States
Congress to carry its humanitarian mission worldwide and to be
the disaster relief agency for the entire nation; and

WHEREAS, The State of Maryland exempts from the State sales
tax all nonprofit religious, charitable, and educational

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