734 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 305

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That sections of Article 89 of the Annotated Code of
Maryland (1939 Edition and 1947 Supplement), title "De-
partment of Labor and Industry", sub-title "Bureau of
Mines", be and they are hereby repealed and re-enacted,
with amendments, and that two new sections be and they
are hereby added to said Article 89 of the Code of Public
General Laws of Maryland, title "Department of Labor
and Industry", sub-title "Bureau of Mines", to be known
as Section 27A, to follow immediately after Section 27,
and Section 174A, to follow immediately after Section 174,
of said Article, all to read as follows:

23. The Bureau shall comply, publish and distribute to
persons interested, the mining laws and rules and regula-
tions pertaining thereto and such publications shall be
made at such reasonable times as to keep said laws and
rules and regulations current. The Bureau shall carefully
keep a record of all inspections and investigations and
copies of all official communications and records of all
work to be done; to preserve all reports, statistics and
information received relating to the development of coal
or other mining or to the enforcement of this sub-title.
Reports relating to inspections and investigations and
other pertinent mining information shall be prepared and
distributed at least quarterly to all persons or organiza-
tions having an interest in mining conditions in the state.

27A. The Bureau of Mines is hereby authorized to
establish a place or places within the mining area of the
State of Maryland where instruction may be given appli-
cants for "first-class mine foreman's certificates", for "fire
boss certificates" and for "permits of competency" and for
such other instruction as may be required under this Act
or rules and regulations made pursuant thereto. The
Bureau of Mines is hereby authorized to cooperate with
the Federal Bureau of Mines in obtaining necessary equip-
ment to conduct the prescribed courses of instruction, and
it shall be the duty of the Bureau of Mines to conduct such
courses as often as is practical in order to properly qualify
all applicants making applications for various types of
certificates. It is further declared to be the legislative
intent that the Bureau of Mines shall in cooperating with
the Federal Bureau of Mines make possible the necessary
instructions relating to gassy mines in order that appli-
cants seeking to qualify for various types of certificates,
as provided for herein, may receive such training at the
place of instruction within the State of Maryland and not
be required to go without the State to receive such training.