CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF MARYLAND

	CONSTITUTION OF 1867	PROPOSED CONSTITUTION OF 1968
	suspension of sentence by the Court in
	criminal cases; (b) for any form of the
	indeterminate sentence in criminal cases,
	and (e) for the release upon parole in what-
	ever manner the General Assembly may
	prescribe, of convicts imprisoned under
	sentence for crimes.
	Sec. 61. (a) The General Assembly may	See Section 1.16, Eminent Domain, p. 13; Sec-
	authorize and empower any county or any	tion 3.22, General Application of Laws, p. 31;
	municipal corporation, by public local law:	Section 7.04, Powers of Counties, p. 89.
	(1) To carry out urban renewal projects
	which shall be limited to slum clearance in
	slum or blighted areas and redevelopment
	or the rehabilitation of slum or blighted
	areas, and to include the acquisition,
	within the boundary lines of such county
	or municipal corporation, of land and prop-
	erty of every kind and any right, interest,
	franchise, easement or privilege therein, by
	purchase, lease, gift, condemnation or any
	other legal means. The term "slum area"
	shall mean any area where dwellings pre-
	dominate which, by reason of depreciation,
	overcrowding, faulty arrangement or de-
	sign, lack of ventilation, light or sanitary
	facilities, or any combination of these factors,
	are detrimental to the public safety, health
	or morals. The term "blighted area" shall
	mean an area in which a majority of build-
	ings have declined in productivity by rea-
	son of obsolescence, depreciation or other
	causes to an extent they no longer justify
	fundamental repairs and adequate mainte-
	nance.
	(2) To sell, lease, convey, transfer or
	otherwise dispose of any of said land or
	property, regardless of whether or not it has
	been developed, redeveloped, altered or im-
	proved and irrespective of the manner or
	means in or by which it may have been
	acquired, to any private, public or quasi
	public corporation, partnership, association,
	person or other legal entity.
	No land or property taken by any county
	or any municipal corporation for any of the
	aforementioned purposes or in connection
	with the exercise of any of the powers
	which may be granted to such county or
	municipal corporation pursuant to this
	section by exercising the power of eminent
	domain shall be taken without just com-
	pensation, as agreed upon between the
	parties, or awarded by a jury, being first
	paid or tendered to the party entitled to
	such compensation.
	All land or property needed, or taken
	by the exercise of the power of eminent

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