WM. PRESTON LANE, JR., GOVERNOR. 1737

or alter the amount thereof in accordance with the circum-
stances. Any assistance paid before the recipient has come
into possession of such property or income and in excess of
his need shall be recoverable by the County Department as
a debt due. The net amount realized from all such claims
shall be divided among the State, the county, and the Federal
Government in proportion to the amount of the assistance
paid by each respectively.

17. (Recovery from the Estate.) On the death of any
recipient, the total amount of assistance paid under this
Article shall be allowed as a claim against the estate. The
net amount realized from all such claims shall be divided
among the State, the county, and the Federal Government
in proportion to the amount of the assistance paid by each
respectively; provided, that no such claim shall be enforced
against any real estate of a recipient while it is occupied
by the recipient's surviving spouse or dependents.

19. (Annual Appropriations.) The County Commissioners
of each county and the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore
shall annually levy or appropriate an amount sufficient to
provide for one-sixth of all assistance paid or to be paid
within said county or city. Provided, however, that the
County Commissioners of each county and the Mayor and
City Council of Baltimore shall not be obligated to pay any
sums as assistance in excess of one-sixth of the total of all
assistance paid or to be paid within said county or city
hereunder, except to the extent that funds may be available
in the State Treasury.

21. (Fraudulent Acts.) Whoever knowingly obtains, or
attempts to obtain, or aids, or abets any person to obtain
by means of a wilfully false statement or representation,
or by impersonation, or other fraudulent device, assist-
ance to which he is not entitled, or assistance greater than
that to which he is justly entitled; or whoever knowingly or
wilfully sells or aids or abets in selling, or whoever know-
ingly and wilfully buys or aids or abets in buying or in any
way disposing of the property, either personal or real, of
a recipient of assistance, while such person is receiving as-
sistance or while his application for assistance is pending,
without the consent of the County Department, and with the
intent to defeat the purposes of this Article, shall be guilty
of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be
fined not more than five hundred dollars ($500) or be im-
prisoned for not more than one year, or be both so fined
and imprisoned in the discretion of the Court. In assessing