WM. PRESTON LANE, JR., GOVERNOR. 165

Article 27 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1939 Edi-
tion), title "Crimes and Punishments", to be under a new
sub-title "Destitute Children", said new sections to be
known as Sections 97A to 97G, inclusive, and to follow
immediately after Section 97 of said Article, as said Sec-
tion 97 was amended by Chapter 114 of the Acts of 1945,
to read as follows:

Destitute Children

97A. Any person who has an adult child destitute of
means and unable to support himself by reason of mental
or physical infirmity, who is possessed of or able to earn
means sufficient to provide such child with necessary
shelter, food, care and clothing and who neglects or re-
fuses so to do, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon
conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $1,000.00
or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.

97B. Whenever any child destitute of means of sub-
sistence and unable either by reason of mental or physical
infirmity to support himself shall, in writing under oath
filed with a State's Attorney (the term State's Attorney
as used in this sub-title includes Deputy State's Attorney
or Assistant State's Attorney acting under authority
given by the State's Attorney) accuse his parent of being
possessed of or able to earn means sufficient to provide
him with necessary shelter, food, care and clothing and
has failed to do so, the State's Attorney may require
witnesses other than the parent accused to appear before
him for such examination of witnesses as may be deemed
in the public interest. After such examination or inquiry
the State's Attorney may file an information in the Cir-
cuit Court of the county or the Criminal Court of Balti-
more City, as the case may be, against the accused parent
charging him with the offense of non-support.

Nothing in this section, however, shall prevent the
State's Attorney, if he sees fit, from submitting any such
non-support case to the grand jury, as in other criminal
cases, for such action as it may deem proper, instead of
proceeding by way of information.

97C. The State's Attorney may, for the purpose of
facilitating the handling of such cases, issue subpoenas
and summonses requiring the personal attendance of any
person, firm, corporation or association, other than the
accused parent, to give testimony in connection with such
examination or inquiry, or requiring the production of
any and all documentary matter in connection with such