ALBERT C. RITCHIE, GOVERNOR. 1343

CHAPTER 542.

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact with amendments, Sections
447A of Article 23 of Bagby's Annotated Code of the Pub-
lic Civil Laws of Maryland, title "Corporations, " sub-title

''Public Service Commission, " as created by Chapter 445 of
the Acts of the General Assembly of Maryland of the year
1914, relating to the abandonment, discontinuance or sus-
pension in whole or in part of the exercise or franchises or
rights by gas and electrical corporations, and the failure to
file annual reports, and making said Section as hereby
amended apply to all other corporations subject to the pro-
visions of the said sub-title.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Mary-
land, That Section 447A of Article 23 of Bagby's An-
notated Code of the Public Civil Laws of Maryland, title '' Cor-
porations, " sub-title "Public Service Commission, " as created
by Chapter 445 of the Acts of the General Assembly of Mary-
lane of the year 1914, be and the same is hereby repealed and
re-enacted with amendments, so as to read as follows.

447A. No gas corporation or electrical corporation or other
person or corporation subject to the provisions of this sub-title,
shall abandon or discontinue in whole or in part the exercise of
any right or privilege under any franchise granted to it in this
state. in so far as such right or privilege is then actually being
exercised for the public service, without first having obtained
the permission and approval of the Commission, after due hear-
ing and the determination by the Commission that the present
or future public convenience and necessity permit of such
abandonment or discontinuance of the exercise of such franchise
or right. No such person or corporation shall exercise any right
or privilege under any franchise in this State, the exercise of
which for the public service shall have been suspended for more
than one year, without first having obtained the permission and
approval of the Commission; and no gas corporation or elec-
trical corporation, or other person or corporation subject to the
provisions of this sub-title, which prior to January 1, 1924, has
for five consecutive years failed to file, or has never filed, any
annual report with the Commission, pursuant to Section 445 of
this Article, shall begin any new construction, or exercise any
right or privilege under any franchise in this State, except in-
sofar as such right or privilege is now actually being exercised,