62 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 12

granted and/or payments made on applications heretofore
signed by the applicant and witnessed, shall be deemed valid
payments for the purposes of this Article.

8. INVESTIGATION OF APPLICATION. Whenever a County
Department receives an application for assistance under this
Article, an investigation and record shall promptly be made
of the circumstances of the applicant in order to ascertain
the facts supporting the application and in order to obtain
such other information as may be required by the rules of the
State Department.

9. GRANTING OF ASSISTANCE. Upon the completion of such
investigation the County Department shall decide whether the
applicant is eligible for assistance under the provisions of this
Article, and determine in accordance with the rules and regu-
lations of the State Department the amount of such assistance
and the date on which such assistance shall begin. The County
Department shall notify the applicant of its decision. Such
assistance shall be paid monthly to the applicant upon order
of the County Department from funds allocated to the County
Department for this purpose.

10. ASSIGNMENTS OF PROPERTY. Any County Department,
with the consent of the State Department, may require as a
condition for granting assistance under the provisions of this
Article, that every applicant having an interest in any per-
sonal property, tangible or intangible, shall dispose of or trans-
fer to the County Department, any or all such property, in
accordance with such rules and regulations as the State De-
partment may prescribe. Provided, however, if any applicant
at the time shall have in his possession any insurance policy,
be it endowment, industrial, or life insurance, $300. 00 of the
face value of the said insurance policy shall remain the sole
and exclusive property of the applicant and shall not be assign-
ed to the local County Department. Any property transferred
to a County Department under the provisions of this section
shall be held by it in trust to sell, pledge, lease, surrender or
transfer the same, to pay all claims against it and to do all
things necessary for the protection, preservation and manage-
ment thereof, to collect the income therefrom, and to disburse
the principal and income thereof for the benefit of said appli-
cant, in accordance with such rules and regulations as the
State Department may prescribe. If the assistance granted to
any recipient be discontinued during his lifetime, the property
remaining in the hands of the County Department at such
time or the proceeds thereof, shall be returned to the recipient,
after deducting therefrom the sums paid as assistance. In the
event of the recipient's death, the remaining property, or the