WM. PRESTON LANE, JR., GOVERNOR. 1509

16B. (Licenses.) The following institutions, agencies,
societies and individuals shall obtain a license from the State
for the activities herein mentioned: (a) all institutions, agen-
cies, and societies, whether incorporated or not, having the
legal or physical care, custody or control of one or more
minors; (b) all institutions, agencies and societies, whether
incorporated or not, and all individuals or sets of individuals,
who act as child placement agencies, whether for adoption or
otherwise; and (c) all individuals who are regularly engaged
in the business of providing foster homes for minors.

In each instance the license shall be issued by the State
Department of Public Welfare upon due proof of compliance
with rules and regulations designed to secure the proper care
of such minors, which rules and regulations the said State
Board of Public Welfare is hereby authorized to establish.

16C. (Investigations.) The State Department, acting
through any employee, officer, or agent it may designate, shall
have power to investigate the premises, facilities, policies, and
purposes of any such institution, agency, society, individual,
or set of individuals. Such investigation may be conducted
prior to the issue of any license under this sub-title, or in re-
lation to the possible revocation or suspension of any such
license.

16D. (Action.) It shall be the duty of the State Depart-
ment to take final action upon any application for a license
under this sub-title, either by way of issuance or refusal of such
license, and to notify the applicant of its decision, within sixty
days after the applicant has filed with the Department all in-
formation required by the Department's regulations to be filed
with the application.

16E. (Period of License.) All licenses issued under the pro-
visions of this sub-title shall be good and valid until and
unless revoked or suspended as provided elsewhere in this sub-
title.

16F. (Revocations and Suspensions.) The State Depart-
ment may at any time revoke permanently, or suspend for any
period not exceeding one year, any license issued by it under
this sub-title. A license may be revoked or suspended only for
an alleged violation of the provisions of this sub-title, or of
standards and regulations lawfully adopted. No license may
be either suspended or revoked without giving the licensee due
notice at least twenty days in advance of the contemplated
action, together with a statement of the grounds for such re-
vocation or suspension, and with an opportunity for the licensee
to be heard on such question of revocation or suspension.