318 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 344

and to follow immediately after Section 78 of said Article,
relating to sealing the records and papers in adoption pro-
ceedings.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Mary-
land, That a new section be and it is hereby added to Article 16
of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1939 Edition), title
"Chancery", sub-title "Infants", said new section to be known
as Section 78A, and to follow immediately after Section 78 of
said Article, and to read as follows:

78A. Records and papers in adoption proceedings, after the
petition is filed and prior to the entry of a final decree, shall
be open to inspection only upon an order of the court. In any
adoption case where there has heretofore been an entry of a
final decree or hereafter there is an entry of a final decree, the
court shall, on motion of any of the parties, seal all papers in
the proceedings. Said seals shall not be broken, and said
papers shall not be inspected by any person, including the
parties to the proceeding, except upon order of the court.

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

Approved March 24, 1945.

CHAPTER 344.
(House Bill 356)

AN ACT to repeal Sections 284-288, inclusive, of Article 10 of
the Code of Public Local Laws of Maryland (1930 Edition),

title "Dorchester County", sub-title "Elections", said sec-
tions relating to the number of ballots to be printed.

WHEREAS, the provisions of these sections have been super-
seded by the general election laws; therefore

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Mary-
land, That Sections 284-288, inclusive, of Article 10 of the Code
of Public Local Laws of Maryland (1930 Edition), title "Dor-
chester County", sub-title "Elections", be and they are hereby
repealed.

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

Approved March 24, 1945.