170                              Laws of Maryland                        [Ch, 60

of the construction or reconstruction of a controlled or denied access
highway.

9K. Condemnation cases pending in the Courts on or after the
effective date of this Act in which the State Roads Commission is
the plaintiff, may, with the written approval of the Commission and
the property owner, and with the consent of the Court having juris-
diction of same, be certified to the Board of Property Review for
their determination, as above prescribed, and either party shall have
the right to an appeal as above set forth AND IN CASES WHERE
THE COMMISSION IS IN THE PROCESS OF ACQUIRING
RIGHTS OF WAY AND HAS COMMENCED NEGOTIATIONS
WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS UNDER METHODS OTHER
THAN PRESCRIBED BY THIS ACT, THE COMMISSION
SHALL, UNLESS REQUESTED TO DO SO SOONER BY THE
PROPERTY OWNER, WITHIN SIXTY DAYS FROM THE EF-
FECTIVE DATE OF THIS ACT, IN ALL CASES WHERE THE
COMMISSION AND THE PROPERTY OWNER ARE UNABLE
TO AGREE, CERTIFY THE CASE TO THE SAID BOARD AND
IT SHALL BE THE DUTY OF SAID BOARD TO HEAR AND
DETERMINE THE CASE WITHIN FIVE MONTHS FROM THE
DATE THE CASE' IS SO CERTIFIED, AND EITHER PARTY
SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT OF APPEAL AS ABOVE SET
FORTH. THE VALUE OF THE LAND AND RIGHTS TO BE
ACQUIRED IN THIS MATTER SHALL BE DETERMINED AS
OF THE TIME THE CASE IS CERTIFIED TO THE SAID
BOARD AND SO REMAIN UNTIL THE BOARD HAS HEARD
AND DETERMINED THE CASE AND FOR THE APPEAL
PERIOD THEREAFTER; HOWEVER, IF THERE HAS BEEN
NO FINAL DETERMINATION AND A CONDEMNATION CASE
NOT FILED WITHIN SAID SIX MONTH PERIOD THE VALUE
OF THE PROPERTY SHALL NO LONGER REMAIN DETER-
MINED AS OF THE TIME OF CERTIFICATION BUT SHALL
BE DETERMINED AS OF THE TIME OF ACQUISITION.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That if any sub-section, sub-
division, paragraph, sentence or clause of this Act is held invalid
or unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the remaining
portions of this Act; it being the legislative intent that this Act
shall be considered severable.

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
on June 1, 1956.

Approved March 2, 1956.

CHAPTER 60
(Senate Bill 114)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 31 of
Article 31 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1955 Supplement),

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.