404 LAWS OF MARYLAND [CH. 123

partment of Correction may prescribe, provide PROVIDED that any
such order shall direct the return of such prisoner to the institution
in which he was confined as soon as the state of his health will per-
mit. Such order of removal shall be the authority of the officer in
charge of the penal institution to remove the prisoner in accordance
with its terms, and the prisoner shall be regarded during the time of
such removal as remaining in custody of the penal institution to
which he has been sentenced for the purpose of determining the time
when he shall be released from such sentence. If any prisoner tem-
porarily removed in accordance with the provisions of this section
escapes, he shall be deemed guilty of the crime of escape and subject
to the penalties prescribed by Section 139 of this article.

The expenses of the accommodation, maintenance, and medical
care of the prisoner whose temporary removal has been authorized,
in accordance with this section, shall be paid by the prisoner or his
relatives or friends, or from any funds that are available for the
hospital expenses of prisoners in the institution in which he is con-
fined, or, if not otherwise available, shall be a charge upon the
county, city, or town from which such inmate was committed, and
collectible by the officer in charge of such institution, in accordance
with the procedure prescribed by Section 44 of Article 59.

699.

If a, representation is made to the officer in charge of any penal
institution that a woman confined in such penal institution is preg-
nant and about to give birth to a child, a reasonable time before the
anticipated birth of such child, the officer shall make careful inquiry
and, if the facts so require, recommend to the Governor through the
Department of Correction the exercise of executive clemency. The
Governor, without notice, may parole the convict, commute the sen-
tence, or suspend its execution for a definite period or from time to
time as he deems proper.

If the sentence is suspended, the officer in charge of such institu-
tion, a reasonable time before the anticipated birth of such child,
shall cause such woman to be removed from such institution and
provided with comfortable accommodations, maintenance, and medi-
cal care elsewhere under such supervision and safeguard to prevent
her escape from custody, as he may determine, and subject to her
return to such institution as soon after the birth of such child as
the state of her health will permit. The expenses of such accommo-
dation, maintenance, and medical care shall be paid by said woman
or her relatives or friends, or from any fund that is available for
the hospital expenses of such inmate within the institution, or, if
not otherwise available, shall be a charge upon the county, city, or
town from which such inmate was committed to such institution,
and collectible by such officer in charge of such institution.

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