746                         LAWS OF MARYLAND.                  [CH. 291

CHAPTER 291.

AN ACT to add a new section to Article 16 of the Annotated
Code of Public General Laws of Maryland (1924 Edition),
title "Chancery, " said new section to follow Section 116, to
be known as Section 116A, and to provide for the disposi-
tion of property belonging to charitable and religious cor-
porations, upon the dissolution thereof, or upon the cessation
of their activities.

'Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of
Maryland, That a new section be and the same is hereby added
to Article 16 of the Annotated Code of Public General Laws
of Maryland (1924 Edition), title "Chancery, 7' such new sec-
tion to follow Section 116, to be known as Section 116A, and
to read as follows:

116A. Whenever any charitable or religious corporation is
dissolved or about to be dissolved, or for any reason it is im-
practicable or inexpedient to continue the corporation activi-
ties, and all or any part of the corporate property is not needed
for the payment of the corporate debts, a court of equity shall
have power to determine by its decree the disposition of said
property; and, in such case, in so far as any donors of property
to the corporation, or their successors in interest, may not be
entitled to such property as a result of the cessation of the cor-
porate activities, or may fail to assert any claim thereto, after
having received notice of the substance and object of the bill
or petition either by personal summons or by such publication
as the court shall direct, the court shall, so far as possible,
direct or provide for the transfer of such property to any other
corporation or association of this or another State, having a
similar or analogous character or purpose, or in some way as-
sociated or connected with the corporation to which the prop-
erty has previously belonged, the intent of this act being that
courts of equity may in such cases exercise the judicial power
of cy pres, in order to carry out, in spite of the change of cir-
cumstances, the general purpose of the donor, or donors of the
property as regards the application and utilization of the gift
or gifts.

Approved April 17, 1931.