Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1917-12-29
PREPARES MANY BILLS
FOR LEGISLATIVE MILL
Atty Zen. Richie CaapIetes Drafts
For The SoIons
FOR REVISION OF AUTO LAWS
Additional Safeguards Are Sought
Against Reckless Speeding Rem
edy to Stop Congestion Dur
Ing Closing DAYS.

Attorney General Rltchie has sent
to the Governor and to each member
Of the General Assembly printed
copies Of his annual report for 1917.
ealing with subjects OF proposed
legislation.
The subjects are of two classes.
The first relates to measures, the
necessity for which has been brought
20 the attorney generals attention from
actual experience in handling the law
work CT the State Two Of these sub
iects involve questions Of government
tai policy, for the State administra-
lion to pass upon. The other six are
all administrative Bills covering
them have already been prepared BY
The attorney general and are ready
.or Introduction.
The other class of subjects en-
braces departmental bills. In Novenl-
Der the attorney general communicat-
ed with the different State depart
ments, with view to having the
measures desired by them ready be-
ARAN TITO A%EADlcAA4E AAEt.
As a result Of this communication,
The attorney general has now pre-
pared, ready for introduction, IS bills,
which cover all the legislation desired
BY the 10 departments which reported
that they wished bills prepared. These
departments are the Adjutant Cen
aral, the Bank Commissioner. the
Comptroller, the State Board OF
Health. the Lunacy Commission, the
Commissioner Of Motor Vehicles, the
Police Board of Baltimore, and tbs
State Board of Prison Control
For Early recommendations
The bill for the Commissioner Of
Motor Vehicles, which was drafted By
Mr. Perlman, comprises q complete
revision of the automobile laws Of the
state The bills desired BY the Con-
servation Commission have been
drafted by them. and their form has
been approved by the attorney general
Every bin desired by these diHeFent
departments is now prepared and
ready for introduction. Col Baugh-
rman is seeking additional safeguards
against reckless speeding.
Outside of this departmental legis-
lation, the measures which are Of the
greatest public interest relate to re.
form in the drafting Of bills and to the
congestion of bills at the close Of the
ession, and to the soldiers vote
The attorney general recommends
that & legislative counsel bureau be
created for the purpose Of aiding the
legislators and others interested, by
Investigating and compiling statistics
data and information bearing upon
subjects of proposed legislation, and
that it be made the duty Of this bu-
reau, upon the request of legislators,
to draft bills desired by them and to
approve all bills and amendments be-
fore their passage with respect to
form, arrangement. phraseology ana
heir coordination with existing laws
which it is not desired to affect
The attorney general recognizes
hat the congestion OF bills during
the closing days Of the session is very
difficult to remedy, because it is
chiefly duto to conditions beyond leg
lslative control re thinks, however,
hat legislation can promote the
earlier passage of the many bills
which affect the State government.
To this end he has recommended a
law requiring each State department
to report the legislation it desires TO
he Governor not later than November
lis preceding each meeting Of the
legislature. and that the Governor
then transmit such reports, with his
recommendations. to the attorney gen
\ eraI. who will then draft the bills in
time for Introduction on the first day
| of the session. The object Of this is to
extend the principle of the budget
system to all departmental legislation
SO that all bills affecting the State
government may be introduced and
| ready for consideration as soon as the
legislature meets.
With reference TO the soldiers vote
bin. the attorney general says that
the only bill which will comply with
the Maryland Constitution is the one
introduced at the extra session, which
provides for vote by mail. He says,
however. that the machinery for a
mail vote Is necessarily cumbersome
and difficult TO operate when GIT sol
diers are abroad He recommends
the constitutional amendment, which
did not pass 1T the extra session. and
which will authorize the votes to be
cast in the camps, or wherever the
soldiers may be, and then sent back
10 the state to be counted He also
recommends that the legislature pass
such a law. TO so into effect upon the
massage of this amendment.
The other six bills recommended
bv the attorney general have al
been prepared and are ready for in
production. They provite that State
contractors bonds shall guarantee
the payment OF labor and material
that unexpended balances Of an
nropriations he reverted unless the
departments give due notice 70 the
comptroller that there are obliga-
tions outstanding against them; that
the charters of corporations be for