976 LAWS OF MARYLAND [CH. 301

when acting as a responding state shall have the following
duties which may be carried out through the clerk of the
court, PROBATION OFFICER, PROBATION DEPART-
MENT OR OTHER AGENCY OF SAID COURT.

(b) Upon the receipt of a payment made by the re-
spondent OBLIGOR pursuant to any order of the court or
otherwise, to transmit the same forthwith to the court of
the initiating state, and

(c) Upon request to furnish to the court of the initiat-
ing state a certified statement of all payments made by the
respondent OBLIGOR.

17. Additional Duty of the Court of This State When
Acting as an Initiating State. The court of this State
when acting as an initiating state shall have the duty
which may be carried out through the clerk of the court
PROBATION OFFICER, PROBATION DEPARTMENT
OR OTHER AGENCY OF SAID COURT to receive and
disburse forthwith all payments made by the respondent
OBLIGOR or transmitted by the court of the responding
state.

18. Evidence of Husband and Wife. Laws attaching a
privilege against the disclosure of communications between
husband and wife are inapplicable to proceedings under
this Article. Husband and wife are competent witnesses
(and may be compelled) to testify to any relevant matter,
including marriage and parentage.

19. Rules of Evidence. In any hearing under this law,
the court shall be bound by the same rules of evidence that
bind the said Circuit Court if and when sitting in juvenile

19. RULES OF EVIDENCE. IN ANY HEARING
UNDER THIS LAW THE COURT SHALL BE BOUND
BY THE SAME RULES OF EVIDENCE THAT BIND
THE COURTS OF COMMON LAW JURISDICTION IN
THE STATE OF MARYLAND.

20. Severability. If any provision hereof or the appli-
cation thereof to any person or circumstances is held in-
valid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or
applications of the Article which can be given effect with-
out the invalid provision or application, and to this end
the provisions of this Article are declared to be severable.

21. This Article shall be cited as the Uniform Recipro-
cal Enforcement of Support Act.