Theodore R. McKeldin, Governor                    299

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall not be con-
strued to extend or apply to any offenses occurring prior to the
effective date of this Act.

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
on June 1, 1957.

Approved March 18, 1957.

CHAPTER 237

(House Bill 36)

AN ACT to add new Article 15B to the Annotated Code of Maryland
(1951 Edition), said new Article to follow immediately after
Article 15A thereof and to be entitled "Uniform Preservation of
Private Business Records Act", enacting the Uniform Preservation
of Private Business Records Act and relating generally thereto and
to private business records and to their retention and destruction.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That new Article 15B be and it is hereby added to the Annotated
Code of Maryland (1951 Edition), said new Article to follow im-
mediately after Article 15A thereof and to be entitled "Uniform
Preservation of Private Business Records Act" and to read as
follows:

Uniform Preservation of Private Business Records Act

1.   As used in this Article:

(a)  "Business" includes every kind of private business, profession,
occupation, calling or operation of private institutions, whether
carried on for profit or not.

(b)  "Person" means an individual, partnership, corporation, or
any other association.

(c)  "Records" or "Business Records" include books of account,
vouchers, documents, cancelled checks, payrolls, correspondence,
records of sales, personnel, equipment and production, reports re-
lating to any or all of such records, and other business papers.

(d)  "Reproduction" means a reproduction or durable medium for
making a reproduction obtained by any photographic, photostatic,
microfilm, micro-card, miniature photographic or other process
which accurately reproduces or forms a durable medium for so re-
producing the original.

2.   Unless a specific period is designated by law for their preserva-
tion, business records which persons by the laws of this State are
required to keep or preserve may be destroyed after the expiration of

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.