THEODORE R. MCKELDIN, GOVERNOR                      233

mitted or admitted to State institutions under the jurisdiction of the
Department of Mental Hygiene, not to exceed the actual cost per
capita for maintenance of such persons the actual cost per capita to
be determined annually between September 1 and December 1, by
the Commissioner of Mental Hygiene, the State Comptroller, and the
State Budget Director, EXCEPT WITH RESPECT TO THOSE
PATIENTS WHO HAVE BEEN OR SHALL REMAIN IN SUCH
INSTITUTION FOR A PERIOD IN EXCESS OF THIRTY (30)
MONTHS, THE RATE CHARGEABLE TO THE FAMILY OF THE
PATIENT SHALL THEREAFTER NOT EXCEED 25% OF THE
PER CAPITA COST. [The County Commissioners or the Depart-
ment of Welfare of Baltimore City, as the case may be] The Depart-
ment of Mental Hygiene shall investigate the financial condition of
all such persons [hereafter to be committed under the provisions of
the preceding sections of this Article to any of the institutions men-
tioned therein or received by the Rosewood State Training School,]
and also the financial conditions of their relatives or other persons
legally chargeable with their maintenance and support, in order to
determine, in each case, the ability of any such person, or of his or
her relatives or other persons legally chargeable with his or her
maintenance or support, to make payment, in whole or in part, for
the maintenance and support of such person while an inmate of any
such institution. In making such investigation, the Department of
Mental Hygiene [the County Commissioners and the Department of
Welfare of Baltimore City] shall require reports of statements to be
made to them by such relatives or other persons upon such forms as
may be prepared by the Department of Mental Hygiene. [If the
County Commissioners or the Department of Welfare of Baltimore
City, as the case may be, shall determine that such person shall be
required to pay for his or her maintenance and support while in such
institution, or that his or her relatives or other persons legally
chargeable with his or her maintenance and support shall be required
to pay for the same, then, before any such person shall be admitted
into such institution, they] The Department of Mental Hygiene shall
make and issue an order [to that effect, and shall specify] specifying
therein the amount of such payments so to be made, and the times
when the same are to be made, and shall have the power to require
the relatives of any such person or others legally chargeable with his
or her maintenance and support, to enter into appropriate and bind-
ing agreements with respect to the making of such payments, and
from time to time may modify or change the terms thereof, as
circumstances may justify. In arriving at the amount to be paid, the
Department shall have due regard for the financial means or abilities
of the patient or the person or persons legally responsible for such
patient's maintenance and support and whenever deemed necessary,
may agree to accept a periodic sum for such patient's maintenance
less than the per capita cost. Upon failure of a patient or other legally
responsible person to make payment or enter into an agreement to
make payment, the Department of Mental Hygiene shall notify the
Attorney General and he shall institute proceedings on behalf of the
Department for collection, THEREOF, WITH AUTHORITY TO
MAKE ADJUSTMENTS OR SETTLEMENTS OF SAID CLAIMS
AS HE FEELS TO BE IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE
STATE.

(b) All such payments shall be made to and collected by the
[County Treasurer or the Comptroller of the City of Baltimore, as