406                                  Laws of Maryland                         [Ch. 314

3.

(5) Optional membership of certain officials.—Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this article, membership in the retire-
ment system shall be optional with any class of elected officials, or
with any class of officials appointed for fixed terms; or with any
desk officer or employee of either House of the General Assembly
who receives an annual salary as his compensation for such employ-
ment, who shall be deemed to be an appointed official within the ap-
plication of this sub-section. Such elected or appointed officials now
in office may become members of the employees' retirement system
by making application for such membership within six months after
July 1, [1956] 1957. All officials elected or appointed on or after
July 1, [1956] 1957, may become members of the system upon mak-
ing application therefor within six months after their election or
appointment. All such officials shall be entitled to credit for prior
service rendered by them to the State, including service rendered
prior to the establishment of the employees' retirement system. If
any such official is entitled to a pension under the provisions of any
other law, such official shall be deemed to have waived the benefits
thereof by accepting the payment of benefits under this article.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
June 1, 1957.

Approved March 21, 1957.

CHAPTER 314
(Senate Bill 491)

AN ACT to add new Section 16A to Article 52 of the Annotated Code
of Maryland (1951 Edition), title "Justices of the Peace", sub-title
"Criminal Jurisdiction", said new section to follow immediately
after Section 16 thereof, providing that Trial Magistrates in Tal-
bot County shall have authority to suspend sentences generally
or upon condition and relating generally to procedure for such
suspension.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That new Section 16A be and it is hereby added to Article 52 of the
Annotated Code of Maryland (1951 Edition), title "Justices of the
Peace", sub-title "Criminal Jurisdiction", said new section to follow
immediately after Section 16 thereof, and to read as follows:

16A. In Talbot County all Trial Magistrates shall have and
possess the power and authority to suspend sentence or costs or
both sentence and costs either generally or upon condition for a
definite time, in any case within their jurisdiction, provided that
such suspension is made at the trial of the case and not after judg-

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.