70                                 Laws of Maryland                         [Ch. 59

Punishments", sub-title "Crimes and Punishments", sub-heading
"Telegraphs and Telephones", said new section to be known as Sec-
tion 629A, to follow immediately after Section 629 thereof, and to
read as follows:

629A. (a) Any person who shall wilfully refuse to immediately
relinquish a party line when informed that such line is needed for an
emergency call to a fire department or police department or for
medical aid or ambulance service, or any person who shall secure the
use of a party line by falsely stating that such line is needed for an
emergency call, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

(b)  "Party line" as used in this section means a subscriber's line
telephone circuit, consisting of two or more main telephone stations
connected therewith, each station with a distinctive ring or telephone
number. "Emergency" as used in this section means a situation in
which property or human life are in jeopardy, and the prompt sum-
moning of aid is essential.

(c)  Every telephone directory hereafter distributed to the members
of the general public in this State or in any portion thereof which
lists the calling numbers of telephones of any telephone exchange
located in this State shall contain a notice which explains the offense
provided for in this section, such notice to be printed in type which
is not smaller than any AT LEAST AS LARGE AS other type on
the same page and to be preceded by the word "warning" printed in
type at least as large as the largest type on the same page; provided,
that the provisions of this section shall not apply to those directories
distributed solely for business advertising purposes, commonly
known as the classified directories, nor to any telephone directory
heretofore distributed to the general public. Any person, firm or
corporation providing telephone service which distributes or causes
to be distributed in this State copies of a telephone directory which
is subject to the provisions of this section and which do not contain
the notice herein provided for shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

(D) ANY PERSON CONVICTED OF A VIOLATION OF THE
PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE SUBJECT TO A
FINE NOT EXCEEDING ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($100.00),
OR TO IMPRISONMENT FOR NOT EXCEEDING THIRTY (30)
DAYS OR TO BOTH SUCH FINE AND IMPRISONMENT, IN
THE DISCRETION OF THE COURT.

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

Approved February 13, 1957.

CHAPTER 59
(House Bill 82)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 287 of
Article 81 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1951 Edition), title

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.