HERBERT R. O'CONOR, GOVERNOR. 205

WHEREAS, it is desirable to have a central place in which
all these old papers, records and documents can be preserved
and safeguarded from fire and other hazards; therefore

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Mary-
land, That a new section be and it is hereby added to Article
41 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1939 Edition), title
"Governor—Executive and Administrative Departments", sub-
title "Hall of Records Commission", said new section to be
known as Section 126A, to follow immediately after Section
126 of said Article, and to read as follows:

126A. Papers, records and documents, now in the Court
Houses of this State, which were made prior to April 28th,
1788, the date of the adoption of the Constitution of the United
States by the State of Maryland, shall be transferred as soon
as practicable after June 1, 1945 to the Hall of Records Com-
mission, which is hereby made the official custodian of such
papers, records and documents, with full power to certify the
same as provided in Section 127. Every Clerk of Court, Reg-
ister of Wills, or other public official, now having custody of
said papers, records and documents, is hereby directed to
transfer the same to said Hall of Records Commission and
upon making such transfer, every such Clerk, Register of
Wills or other official is hereby relieved from any duties or
responsibilities in connection therewith.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take
effect June 1, 1945.

Approved March 16, 1945.

CHARTER 249.
(Senate Bill 53)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section
5A of Article 6'2 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1943
Supplement), title "Marriages", authorizing clerks to issue
marriage licenses to members of the Merchant Marine, under
certain conditions and limiting the operation of certain pro-
visions to the period of the war and six months thereafter.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Mary-
land, That Section 5A of Article 62 of the Annotated Code
of Maryland (1943 Supplement), title "Marriages'" be and
it is hereby repealed and re-enacted, with amendments, to read
as follows: