1006                            LAWS OF MARYLAND                        CH. 542

mated balance of the fund at the beginning of the next registration
license year will be insufficient to meet such needs, the Board shall
recommend to the Commissioner and the Commissioner shall assess
the estimated deficiency:

(1)  Against insurers, an aggregate sum which shall not exceed 2%
of the aggregate net direct written premiums of all insurers during
the preceding calendar year as shown by the records of the Insur-
ance Commissioner, which assessment shall not be deducted from
any other assessment or tax required below.

Provided, that the aggregate sum shall be apportioned among in-
surers in the proportion that the net direct written premiums of
each bears to the aggregate net direct written premiums of all in-
surers during the preceding calendar year as shown by the records
of the Commissioner of Insurance, and

(2)  Against those persons registering uninsured motor vehicles
during the ensuing registration license year the remainder of the
estimated deficiency, with each such person paying for each unin-
sured motor vehicle he registers a sum to be determined by dividing
the remainder of the estimated deficiency by the number of uninsured
motor vehicles registered during the last preceding registration
license year; provided that for the purpose of rounding out the
amount so determined the Unsatisfied Claim and Judgment Fund
Board, in its discretion, may increase it by a sum not exceeding
forty-nine cents ($.49). Whenever the formula under the previous
sentence results in a fee for uninsured motorists which in the
opinion of the Board may be difficult of collection because of the
amount of the fee, the Board may in its discretion set the unin-
sured fee at a lesser sum which is more collectible and which will
produce optimum revenue for the fund. Any person registering a
motor vehicle other than an uninsured motor vehicle shall, if such
motor vehicle becomes an uninsured motor vehicle at any time dur-
ing the registration license year, immediately notify the Commis-
sioner thereof and shall pay the amount prescribed in this sub-
paragraph or return his registration certificate and plates prior to
the time when such motor vehicle becomes uninsured. If it shall
appear that such motor vehicle has become an uninsured motor ve-
hicle for not longer than twenty days, and evidence of the existence
of insurance in effect is submitted to the Commissioner, the amount
so payable shall be limited to twenty-five per centum (25%) of such
charge.

Any person who shall fail to notify the Commissioner as herein-

above required that a motor vehicle registered by such person has

become uninsured shall be subject to payment of an additional charge
of twenty five dollars ($25.00). Any person who fails to comply with
a notice by the Commissioner hereunder to return his registration
certificate and plates or pay the amount prescribed hereunder within
the time specified in such notice, shall be subject to an additional
charge of twenty-five dollars ($25.00). Such charges shall be in
addition to any other amounts due under this section and the pro-
ceeds of all such charges shall be paid into the fund.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
July 1, 1968.

Approved May 7, 1968.