66 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 12

assistance in any proceeding hereunder, or with respect to any
application, whether such fee or charge be paid by the appli-
cant or recipient or by any other person or persons, provided,
however, that this prohibition shall not extend to criminal pro-
ceedings brought pursuant to the provisions of this Article.
Any person who violates the provisions of this Section shall
be subject to a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars
($500. 00).

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, assistance to which
he is not entitled, or assistance greater than that to which he
is justly entitled; or whoever aids or abets in buying or in
any way disposing of the property, either personal or real, of a
recipient of assistance without the consent of the County De-
partment, 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. 00) or be imprisoned for not more than one year, or be
both so fined and imprisoned in the discretion of the court. In
assessing the penalty the court shall take into consideration,
among other factors, the amount of money fraudulently re-
ceived.

22. LIMITATIONS OF ACT. All assistance granted under this
Article shall be deemed to be granted and to be held subject
to the provisions of any amending or repealing Act that may
hereafter be passed, and no recipient shall have any claim for
compensation, or otherwise, by reason of his assistance being
affected in any way by any amending or repealing Act.

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That if any provisions of
this Act, or the application thereof to any person or circum-
stances, 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. 5. And, be it further enacted, That all laws or parts
of laws, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act be and
they are hereby repealed to the extent of such inconsistency.

SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take
effect on June 1, 1937.

Approved May 28, 1937.