940                               LAWS OF MARYLAND                        [CH. 577

Titling", relating to refunds by the Department of Motor Vehicles
on certain license tags in this State.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 83 of Article 66 1/2 of the Annotated Code of Maryland
(1951 Edition), title "Motor Vehicles", sub-title "Administration-
Registration—Titling", be and it is hereby repealed and re-enacted,
with amendments, and to read as follows:

83. (Refunds on Semi-Annual Basis.) Upon the surrender of the
certificates and unused registration plates provided for in Classes A,
B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and J, and upon application made therefor,
the original owner shall be entitled to [refund of the amount paid
for such certificates and registration plates for the unused portion
of the registration year calculated on a semi-annual basis with no
allowance for fractional portions of a half-year period; provided,
however, that in the case of Class A, the refund shall be $5.00 where
the fee is $15.00 and $7.50 where the fee is $23.00, and in the case
of Class D the refund shall be $1.50; provided further, that] refund
of the entire fee [shall be allowed] on unused license plates [for the
year beginning April 1, 1949, and each year thereafter,] when re-
turned to the Department within thirty days after date of issuance;
or returned prior to April 1st, where secured between February 15th
and 29th preceding.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
July 1, 1955.

Approved April 25, 1955.

CHAPTER 577
(Senate Bill 301)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 651 (a)
of Article 66C of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1951 Edition
and 1954 Supplement), title "Natural Resources", sub-title "Oys-
ters and Clams"; to enact a new sub-section to Section 663 of
said Article, the same to be known as Section 663 (f) and to
follow immediately after Section 663 (e) and to enact a new
section to said Article, to be known as Section 663A and to follow
immediately after Section 663, making it legal to use a hydraulic
or mechanical dredge for the taking of soft shell clams (Mya
arenaria), providing for the application of the provisions of
Section 663 to hard shell clams (Venus mercenaria), setting forth
the method of licensing hydraulic or mechanical dredges and of
persons using other legal gear and dealers in soft shell clams,
regulating the areas in which soft shell clams may be taken, pro-
viding for the closing and reopening of soft shell clam beds, set-
ting penalties for violations and, in general, regulating the tak-

EXPLANATION: Italics indicate new matter added to existing law.
[Brackets] indicate matter stricken from existing law.
CAPITALS indicate amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken out of bill.