MARVIN MANDEL, Governor                       1817

Letter from Department of Chesapeake Bay Affairs—H.B. 1340.

April 7, 1969.
Mr. John C. Eldridge
Chief Legislative Officer
Executive Department
Annapolis, Maryland 21404

Dear Mr. Elridge:

H.B. 1340 was introduced by the chairman of the Committee on
Environmental Matters at the request of the Department. The bill
makes it unlawful to take oysters with patent tongs unless the boat
is anchored by the bow. The bill was intended to enable the Marine
Police to apprehend persons illegally using patent tongs as dredges,
a practice which suddenly became a problem in 1969.

No opposition to the bill was heard until after its enactment, but
I have been receiving numerous calls from patent tongers who seem
to feel that the provisions of the act would seriously interfere with
employment of patent tongs in the usual manner of operation. I do
not fully agree with them, but certainly must respect their opinions.
Enactment of H.B. 1341 provides for the first time a catch-all pen-
alty clause for regulations promulgated by the Department. I believe
the Department could accomplish its purpose by adopting a regula-
tion providing that no patent tong may be operated while any lines
other than the suspension cable and the hydraulic line are attached.
If H.B. 1341 is to be signed by the Governor, I would recommend
that H.B. 1340 be vetoed.

Sincerely yours,

/s/ Joseph H. Manning,

Director.

House Bill No. 1435—Loitering in Charles and Queen Anne's Counties

AN ACT to add new Section 122-1 to Article 27 of the Annotated
Code of Maryland (1967 Replacement Volume and 1968 Supplement),
title "Crimes and Punishments," subtitle "Crimes and Punishments,"
subheading "Disturbance of the Public Peace," to follow immediately-
after Section 122 thereof, creating the crime of loitering, fixing the
penalty therefor, MAKING THIS ACT APPLICABLE ONLY TO
CHARLES AND QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTIES, and matters gen-
erally related thereto.

May 21, 1969.

Honorable Thomas Hunter Lowe
Speaker of the House of Delegates
State House
Annapolis, Maryland

Dear Mr. Speaker:

In accordance with Article II, Section 17, of the Maryland Con-
stitution, I have today vetoed House Bill 1435 and am returning it
to you.