HARRY W. NICE, GOVERNOR. 349

Comptroller; Provided, that no such lien shall be en-
forced against any real estate of the recipient while it is
occupied by the recipient's surviving spouse.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That Sections 16, 17,
18, 19 and 21 of Article 70-A of the Annotated Code of
Maryland, 1935, Supplement, title "Old Age Pensions, " be,
and the same are hereby repealed.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That two new sec-
tions be, and the same are hereby added to Article 70-A of
the Annotated Code of Maryland, (1935 Supplement) title
"Old Age Pensions, " to follow immediately after Section
7, to be known as Sections 7-A and 7-B, and to read as
follows:

7-A, The Local Board of each County and the Depart-
ment of Welfare of Baltimore City shall require as a condi-
tion to granting a pension in any case, that the applicant
submit a properly acknowledged agreement to reimburse
the State and the County for all assistance granted. In
such agreement the applicant shall assign as collateral se-
curity for assistance, such part of his personal property
as the Local unit shall require.

(a) If the local unit shall deem it necessary, it may re-
quire as a condition for granting of a pension in any case,
that any or all property in which the applicant has an in-
terest be disposed of or be transferred to said local unit.
Such property if so transferred, shall be managed by the
local unit under rules and regulations of the Board of State
Aid and Charities. The local unit shall have the power to
sell or lease or transfer such property, and defend or prose-
cute all suits concerning it and to pay all such claims
against it and to do all things necessary for the protection,
preservation and management thereof, and shall pay the
net income thereof to the applicant.

(b) If the pension granted to an applicant is discon-
tinued during his lifetime, any property transferred to the
local unit pursuant to Paragraph (a) hereof, shall be re-
turned to him subject to a lien on such property for any
sum paid him as assistance under this title, or the remain-
der of such property, after deducting therefrom the sums
paid as assistance, shall be returned to him. In the event
of his death, the remainder of such property after deduct-
ing therefrom the sums paid to him as assistance, shall be