84 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 81

(b) The State Board of Education shall provide for exami-
nations for such persons on at least two occasions in each year
at places throughout the State reasonably convenient for the
applicants. In the case of any such member of the armed
forces who applies to the State Board of Education, examina-
tions shall be furnished by it to the Commanding Officer of the
applicant, and shall be given by the appropriate Service officer,
under such regulations and conditions as may be prescribed
by the State Board of Education. On each occasion, examina-
tions shall be offered in the usual high school subjects. The
term "high school subjects'' may be construed to mean either
separate examinations in the various subjects or some type of
comprehensive examinations, as determined by the State
Board of Education. The State Board of Education may, in
its discretion, charge an examination fee not to exceed Two
Dollars for each subject taken by an applicant, or equivalent
fees for examinations of a comprehensive type, and said fees
shall be used by the State Department of Education for ex-
penses incurred in administering this Act. Failure of any
examination in any subject shall not prevent the taking of sub-
sequent examinations in the same subject.

(e) Upon passing an examination in any subject, the appli-
cant shall receive the same credit or credits granted for the
subject in the regular high school course. When such appli-
cant has obtained either by examinations as provided for in
this section, or by a combination of examinations and attend-
ance at an approved high school (or approved institution of
higher learning) the credits required for graduation from an
approved State high school, the State Board of Education
shall issue to the applicant a certificate which shall be the
legal equivalent of a high school diploma and which in addition
shall be accepted as meeting the State requirements of a high
school education for admission to the study of the various
professions and vocations.

(d) The State Board of Education is empowered to adopt
rules and regulations to carry out the purposes of this section.

SEC. 2. And T)e it further enacted, That this Act is hereby
declared to be an emergency law and necessary for the imme-
diate preservation of the public health and safety, and being
passed by a yea and nay vote supported by three-fifths of all
the members elected to each of the two Houses of the General
Assembly, the same shall take effect from the date of its
passage.

Approved March 2, 1943.