126                              Laws of Maryland                         [Ch. 94

217.   Filing and Taking Effect of Rules.

(a)  Each agency shall comply with the provisions of Section 9 of
this Article, and any amendments thereto. Each agency shall file
forthwith with the Clerk of the Court of Appeals, with the Secretary
of State and with the Department of Legislative Reference certified
copies of all rules now in effect. The Secretary of State shall keep
a permanent register of such rules open to public inspection.

(b)  Each rule hereafter adopted shall become effective upon filing,
unless a later date is required by statute or specified in the rule.

218.   Publication of Rules.

(a)  The Secretary of State shall, as soon as practicable after the
effective date of this sub-title, compile, index, and publish all rules
adopted by each agency and remaining in effect. Compilations shall
be supplemented or revised as often as necessary (and at least once
every two years).

(b)   The Secretary of State shall publish a semi-annual bulletin in
which he shall set forth the text of all rules filed during the preceding
six months, excluding rules in effect upon the adoption of this sub-
title.

(c)   The Secretary may in his discretion omit from the bulletin or
the compilation rules the publication of which would be unduly cum-
bersome, expensive or otherwise inexpedient, if such rules are made
available in printed or processed form on application to the adopting
agency, and if the bulletin or compilation contains a notice stating
the general subject matter of the rules so omitted and stating how
copies thereof may be obtained.

(d)  Bulletins and compilations shall be made available upon re-
quest to officials THE HEADS OF ALL DEPARTMENTS,
BUREAUS, AGENCIES, COMMISSIONS AND BOARDS of this
State free of charge, and to other persons at a price fixed by the
Secretary of State to cover publication and mailing costs.

219.   Petition for Adoption of Rules. Any interested person may
petition an agency requesting the promulgation, amendment, or re-
peal of any rule. Each agency shall prescribe by rule the form for
such petitions and the procedure for their submission, consideration,
and disposition.

220.   Declaratory Judgment on Validity of Rules.

(a) The validity of any rule may be determined upon petition for
a declaratory judgment thereon addressed to the Circuit Court of
the particular county or to the Baltimore City Court where the
petitioner resides or has EITHER WHERE THE PETITIONER
RESIDES OR HAS HIS OR its principal place of business, when it
appears that the rule, or its threatened application, interferes with
or impairs, or threatens to interfere with or impair, the legal rights
or privileges of the petitioner. The agency shall be made a party to
the proceeding. The declaratory judgment may be rendered whether
or not the petitioner has first requested the agency to pass upon the
validity of the rule in question.