358                             LAWS OF MARYLAND                      CH. 306]

CHAPTER 305
(House Bill 820)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 156 of
Article 27 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1967 Replacement
Volume and 1967 Supplement), title "Crimes and Punishments,"
subtitle "Fire—False Alarm," and Section 109(21) of Article 26
of said Code (1966 Replacement Volume), title "Courts," subtitle
"Municipal Court of Baltimore City," to provide that Municipal
Court of Baltimore City shall have jurisdiction over the offense of
giving false alarms of fire.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 156 of Article 27 of the Annotated Code of Maryland
(1967 Replacement Volume and 1967 Supplement), title "Crimes
and Punishments," subtitle "Fire—False Alarm," and Section 109
(21) of Article 26 of said Code (1966 Replacement Volume), title
"Courts," subtitle "Municipal Court of Baltimore City," be and they
are hereby repealed and re-enacted, with amendments, all to read as
follows:

156.

It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to give or cause to
be given any false alarm of fire by means of the telegraph box con-
nected with any fire alarm telegraph or by means of telephone or
telegraph system, or by any other means or method. Any person
violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a mis-
demeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be subject to a fine of
not more than two thousand dollars, or to imprisonment not exceed-
ing twenty-four months, or to both fine and imprisonment. In Balti-
more City, the Municipal Court of Baltimore City shall have juris-
diction to try persons charged with violating this section, provided
that persons so convicted in the Municipal Court shall not be sen-
tenced to the penitentiary by that court.

109.

(21) False report of fire under City Code, Article 9, Section 5
and under Section 156 of Article 27 of the Annotated Code of
Maryland.

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

Approved April 10, 1968.

CHAPTER 306
(House Bill 821)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 140 of
Article 27 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1967 Replacement
Volume and 1967 Supplement), title "Crimes and Punishments,"