Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-26
By GENE GOODWIN

concerned whether they can con-
fine a special General Assembly
session planned for next month
to consideration of the Balti-
more port authority bill.
The need for port authority
legislation is the only reason the
special session is being called.
Gov. McKeldin has announced
that tentatively he plans to call
the special session for the week
of January %. about week be-
fore the regular 30-day session
convenes on February /,
But Maryland law does not
allow the Governor to restrict
the special session to considera-
ton of any single legislative
subject.
There's no limit on what can
be considered in a special ses-
sion." Maryland Attorney Gen.
eral C. Ferdinand Sybert told
The Star yesterday.
In past special sessions-the
last one was held on November
10, l950-some legislators have
attempted to bring UP matters
other than those for which the
session was called. In many cases.
they have succeeded in getting
their irrelevant bills passed and
signed into law
Pressure to Be Strong
Pressure will be strong at the
Forthcoming special session to-
consider other bills besides the
port authority measure because:
/. The regular 30-day session
is restricted by the Constitution
to fiscal, emergency and general
public welfare matters. and some
legislators may want to introduce
local bills they do not feel can
wait a year until the 90-day
session in 1857.
2. This particular special ses-
sion is going to have to consider
other matters in any event. be-
cause, by law, it will have to act
on the Governors vetoes Of bills
passed last winter.
Some of these vetoed measures
are controversial, such as the one
putting of for another year the
proposed increases in motor
vehicle registration fees. now
scheduled to take effect this
spring.
Leaders are afraid that some
legislators may introduce extra
bills to use as weapons in the
heated debates that may occur
over the vetoed measures.
Rules Committee Urged
The only restraint against the
introduction of bills not germane
to the session will be a gentle
mems agreement not to do so.
Senate President Louis IL
Goldstein-who got q local
Calvert County bill passed during
a special session on December II,
1949-said he hopes next
months special session win set
up special rules committees in
both the House and Senate toI
clear any bills that may be in
PRODUCED.
Senator Goldstein, Calvert
County Democrat. said he and
other legislative leaders had
agreed in a conference earlier
this month with Gov. McKeldin
that the special session should
be held before rather than after
the regular session next year.
even if the vetoed bills do
threaten to complicate q Janu-
airy meeting.
IF we held it after the reg
ular session." Mr.. Goldstein
said, there wouldn't be any
necessity for winding UP the
special session in a hurry and
1t could go on indefinitely"
Avoids Legality Issue
Backers of LEGISLATION to create
q Baltimore port authority ST.
milar to the New York au-
thority have convinced the Gov
ernor and legislative leaders that
1t should be passed during q spe-
cial session. That would avoid
any question as to whether such
a bill legally could be passed
during a 30-day session.
Leaders Of the legislative dele
cations from Montgomery and
Prince Georges Counties in
dicated. meanwhile. that there
might be some local matters
they would like to bring before
the special session if the gentle.
mans agreement goes by the
boards.
Senator H. Winship Wheatley,
jr., Democrat Of Prince Georges.
said he and the county's six
delegates will get together on
January 8 to discuss what ac-
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