THEODORE R. McKELDIN, GOVERNOR                    489

Edition), being Article 4 of the Code of Public Local Laws of
Maryland, title "Baltimore City", sub-title "General Powers",
sub-heading "Pensions", authorizing the Mayor and City Council
of Baltimore to establish and maintain a new system of pensions
and retirement benefits and relating generally to the pensions and
retirement benefits for employees of Baltimore City.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 6 (22) of the Charter and Public Local Laws of Balti-
more City (1949 Edition), being Article 4 of the Code of Public
Local Laws of Maryland, title "Baltimore City", sub-title "General
Powers", sub-heading "Pensions", be and it is hereby repealed and
re-enacted, with amendments, and all to read as follows:

6.

(22) (a) To establish and maintain a general system of pensions
and retirement benefits for the officers and employees of the City,
the Police Department of Baltimore City, the Enoch Pratt Free
Library, the Walters Art Gallery, the Baltimore Museum of Art, the
Municipal Museum of Baltimore City, and the officers and employees,
by whatever authority appointed, whose compensation is paid by the
City; to fix the terms of and restrictions on admission to such system
and the classifications therein; to provide for the separate main-
tenance, or inclusion in such general pension system, of any existing
pension system (with the consent of a majority of its participants)
for officers and employees, by whatever authority appointed, whose
compensation is paid by the City; to provide that persons eligible
for admission in such general pension system shall not be eligible,
except as hereinafter provided, for admission to any other pension
system, the revenues of which are derived wholly or in part from
appropriations made by the City, from license fees or from fines and
forfeitures imposed under laws or ordinances in force in Baltimore
City; to provide, in connection with such general pension system, a
system of benefits payable to the beneficiaries and dependents of any
participant in such general pension system after the death of such
participant (whether accidental or otherwise and/or whether occur-
ring in the actual performance of duty or otherwise), subject to such
exceptions, conditions, restrictions and classifications as may be pro-
vided by ordinance; provided, however, (1) that upon the adoption
of an ordinance providing for their participation in the general pen-
sion system, officers and employees of said Police Department who
do not elect to participate in such general pension system shall be
entitled to pensions, benefits or allowances for themselves, their
widows or dependents, under laws or ordinances in force immediately
prior to the adoption of such ordinance; and (2) that nothing in this
sub-section shall operate or be construed to diminish in any way the
rights of any members of the Fire Department who are not par-
ticipants in the presently existing general pension system of the
City, their widows or dependents, to pensions, benefits or allowances
provided for by laws or ordinances in force as of January 1, 1926.

(6) To establish and maintain a new system of pensions and
retirement benefits applicable to all future entrants into the service
of the City of Baltimore, whose entrance therein occurs after the
establishment of such new system; to provide the conditions under
which employees in service at the time of the establishment of such
new system who desire to be covered by the provisions of the Federal