804 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 725

parties to the proceeding. In any proceeding which involves
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 franchise is
alleged to be unconstitutional, the Attorney-General of he
State shall also be served with a copy of the proceeding
and be entitled to be heard.

12. (Construction. ) This Article 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.

13. (Words Construed. ) The word "person" wher-
ever used in this Article, shall be construed to mean any
person, partnership, joint stock company, unincorporated
association, or society, or municipal or other corporation
of any character whatsoever.

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

15. (Uniformity of Interpretation. ) This Article 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 judg-
ments and decrees.

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

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

Ap-proved April 23, 1945.

CHAPTER 725.

(Senate Bill 559)

AN ACT to authorize and direct the County Commissioners
of Garrett County to appropriate and levy a certain sum