HERBERT R. O'CONOR, GOVERNOR. 795

whole or in part, the proceeds shall be accounted for and
remitted to the State Treasurer.

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

Approved April 23? 1945.

CHAPTER 719.
(Senate Bill 539)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section
89 of Article 27 of the Annotated Code of Maryland
(1943 Supplement), title "Crimes and Punishments, "
sub-title "Desertion of Wife or Child, " to provide that
persons charged with desertion and non-support may
be prosecuted in the jurisdiction where the defendant
or the wife or the child resides.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 89 of Article 27 of the Annotated Code of
Maryland (1943 Supplement), title "Crimes and Punish-
ments, " sub-title "Desertion of Wife or Child, " be and it
is hereby repealed and re-enacted, with amendments, to
read as follows:

89. Any person who shall without just cause desert or
wilfully neglect to provide for the support and maintenance
of his wife or minor child shall be deemed guilty of a mis-
demeanor, and upon conviction in any court of the State
having criminal jurisdiction shall be punished by a fine not
exceeding one hundred dollars, or imprisonment in the
Maryland House of Correction, or in Jail, for not more
than three years, or both, in the discretion of the
Court. Any person charged with a violation of this
section may be prosecuted in the jurisdiction where
he or the wife or the child resides. The fine may
be directed by the Court to be paid in whole or
in part to the wife; provided, that before the trial with
the consent of the defendant, or after conviction, instead
of imposing the punishment hereinbefore provided, or in
addition thereto, the Court in its discretion, having regard
to the circumstances and financial ability of the defendant,
shall have the power to pass an order which shall be sub-
ject to change by it from time to time, as the circumstances
may require, directing the defendant to pay a certain sum