658 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 294

SEC. 10. (Costs). In any proceeding under this Act
the court may make such award of costs as may seem
equitable and just.

SEC. 11. (Parties). When declaratory relief is sought
all persons shall be made parties who have or claim any
interest which would be affected by the declaration, and
no declaration shall prejudice the rights of persons not
parties to the proceeding. In any proceeding which in-
volves the validity of a municipal ordinance or franchise,
such municipality shall be made a party, and shall be
entitled to be heard, and if the statute, ordinance or fran-
chise is alleged to be unconstitutional, the Attorney-Gen-
eral of the State shall also be served with a copy of the
proceeding and be entitled to be heard.

SEC. 12. (Construction). This Act is declared to be
remedial; its purpose is to settle and to afford relief
from uncertainty and insecurity with respect to rights,
status and other legal relations; and is to be liberally
construed and administered.

SEC. 13. (Words Construed). The word "person"
wherever used in this Act, shall be construed to mean
any person, partnership, joint stock company, unincor-
porated association, or society, or municipal or other cor-
poration of any character whatsoever.

SEC. 14. (Provisions Severable). The several sec-
tions and provisions of this Act except sections 1 and 2
are hereby declared independent and severable, and the
invalidity, if any, of any part or feature thereof shall
not affect or render the remainder of the Act invalid or
inoperative.

SEC. 15. (Uniformity of Interpretation). This Act
shall be so interpreted and construed as to effectuate its
general purpose to make uniform the law of those States
which enact it, and to harmonize, as far as possible, with
federal laws and regulations on the subject of declaratory
judgments and decrees.

SEC. 16. (Short Title). This Act may be cited as the
Uniform Declaratory Judgments Act.

SEC. 17. (Inconsistent Laws Repealed). All Acts or
parts of Acts inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed.