Theodore R. McKeldin, Governor                       11

CHAPTER 8
(Senate Bill 49)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact with amendments, Section 1 of
Article 59 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1956 Supplement),
title "Lunatics and Insane", sub-title "Lunatic or Insane Paupers",
correcting an omission when this section was last amended by
Chapter 528 of the Acts of 1953.

Whereas, when Section 1 of Article 59 of the Code was amended
by Chapter 528 of the Acts of 1953, a line was inadvertently omitted
therefrom concerning the courts in this State in which should be
heard cases concerning lunatic or insane paupers; and

Whereas, it is desirable to correct this omission in order that
there may be no question as to the proper wording of this section
of the Code; now, therefore

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 1 of Article 59 of the Annotated Code of Maryland
(1956 Supplement), title "Lunatics and Insane", sub-title "Lunatic
or Insane Paupers", be and it is hereby repealed and re-enacted,
with amendments, to read as follows:

1. Commitment of incompetent with no means of support. When
any person is alleged to be a lunatic or insane and without sufficient
means to pay for his or her maintenance at an asylum, and who has
no relative or relatives or others legally chargeable with his or her
support, the county commissioners of the county in which such
person may reside, or the department of welfare of the City of
Baltimore (if such person resides in the city of Baltimore) shall,
upon the written certificates of two qualified physicians made in ac-
cordance with the provisions of Section 30, cause such person to be
sent to a hospital or some other place better suited to his or her
condition, there to be confined at the expense or partial expense of
the county or city, as provided in Sections 4 and 43, until he or she
shall have recovered and be discharged in due course of law, but if
demanded by the alleged lunatic or insane person or any of his or her
relatives or friends, or if requested by the board of county com-
missioners of the county in which the alleged lunatic or insane
person resides, or by the department of welfare of the City of Bal-
timore, if said person resides therein, the circuit court for the
county in which such person may reside, or the Criminal Court of
Baltimore (if such person resides in the city of Baltimore), shall
cause a jury to be empaneled forthwith, using the procedure de-
scribed in Section 134 of article 16 of this Code, and shall charge the
said jury to inquire whether such person is insane or lunatic, and if
found so it shall be the duty of the county commissioners or the
department of welfare of Baltimore City to cause such person to be
sent to a hospital, or some other place better suited to his or her
condition, there to be confined at the expense or partial expense
of the county or city, as provided in Sections 4 and 43, until he or

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.