536 ARTICLE 15A

nected with, directly or indirectly, any contract or bid for furnishing
materials, supplies or equipment to any of the using authorities. Neither
shall the Director or any employee of the Department accept or receive
from any person to whom any contract may be awarded, directly or in-
directly, by rebate, gift or otherwise, any money or things of value what-
soever, or any promise, obligation or contract for future reward or com-
pensation for any such party. If the Director or any employee of the
Department shall violate any provision of this section, he shall be deemed
guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be fined not less than
$1,000 or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both, in: the dis-
cretion of the Court.

All contracts for printing for the State or for any using authority, in-
cluding the General Assembly of Maryland, with the exception of records
and briefs for the State Law Department, and the printing of the Mary-
land Reports authorized in Article 80 of the Annotated Code of Mary-
land, title "Reporter and Codifier—State", shall be made through or with
the approval of the Director.

On or before September 1st prior to the reconvening of each session of
the General Assembly, the Director shall obtain from the President and
Secretary of the Senate, and from the Speaker and Chief Clerk of the
House of Delegates, estimates of materials, supplies and equipment needed
during the session; and the Director shall contract for the purchase of
such supplies and equipment, including all printing needed by the Gen-
eral Assembly.

It shall be the duty of the Director to report his action in regard to
materials, supplies and equipment for the General Assembly to the presid-
ing officer of each House on the first day of session.

1939, ch. 64, sec. 25.

25. In purchasing materials, supplies and equipment for the using
authorities, the Director shall give a preference to products manufactured
or produced in Maryland, except when in the judgment of the Director such
purchases would operate to the disadvantage of the State.

1939, ch. 64, sec. 26.

26. The Director shall prepare such reports and make such studies
and perform such other duties as the Governor may direct, and shall furnish
to the using authorities copies of awards for any and all materials,
supplies and equipment requisitioned by them.¹

¹ Secs. 7 and 8 of ch. 64, 1939, reads as follows:

SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That if any provision of this Act, or the
application thereof to any person or circumstances, is held invalid, the remainder
of the Act and the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances
shall not be affected thereby.

"SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That all laws or parts of any Public General
or Public Local Laws inconsistent with the provisions of this Act be and the same
are hereby repealed to the extent of such inconsistency."