184                              Laws of Maryland                       [Ch. 192

ALTER, FORGE, COUNTERFEIT OR FALSIFY certain writ-
ings, documents and plates relating to the ownership and operation
of motor vehicles and possession or use of the same.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 77 of Article 66½ of the Annotated Code of Maryland
(1957 Edition), title "Motor Vehicles", sub-title "Administration-
Registration—Titling", is hereby repealed and re-enacted, with
amendments, and to read as follows:

77.

IT SHALL BE A FELONY FOR ANY PERSON TO COMMIT
ANY OF THE FOLLOWING ACTS:

(1) To alter with fraudulent intent any certificate of title, regis-
tration card, registration plate, or permit issued by the Department.

(2) To forge or counterfeit with fraudulent intent any such docu-
ment or plate purporting to have been issued by the Department.

(2)  TO FORGE, COUNTERFEIT OR DUPLICATE OR TO AT-
TEMPT TO FORGE, COUNTERFEIT OR DUPLICATE OR TO
MANUFACTURE, CONSTRUCT OR POSSESS ANY PARA-
PHERNALIA FOR USE IN SUCH FORGING, COUNTERFEIT-
ING OR DUPLICATING, WITH FRAUDULENT INTENT, ANY
CERTIFICATE OF TITLE, REGISTRATION CARD, REGISTRA-
TION PLATE, PERMIT OR ANY OTHER OFFICIAL DOCU-
MENT ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES,
OR, WITH THE INTENT TO DEFRAUD, TO POSSESS, GIVE
AWAY, SELL OR ATTEMPT TO SELL ANY FORGERY, COUN-
TERFEIT OR DUPLICATION THEREOF.

(3)   To alter, forge, or falsify with fraudulent intent any assign-
ment upon a certificate of title.

(4) To print, duplicate, manufacture, possess, or sell any fictitious
license, permit, registration, or certificate of title, or any facsimile
thereof, or any writing or document purporting to be any license,
permit, registration, or certificate of title; or to possess, fabricate,
set up, or process any plate, engraving, or printer's galley concerning

the same.

[ (4) ] (5) To hold or use any such document or registration plate
knowing the same to have been so altered, forged, or falsified.

Violation of this section, upon conviction shall be punishable by a
fine of one hundred ($100.00) dollars to one thousand ($1,000.00)
dollars or by imprisonment for not more than five (5) years, or by
both such fine and imprisonment.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act is hereby declared
to be an emergency measure and necessary for the immediate pres-
ervation of the public health and safety, and having been passed by
a yea and nay vote supported by three-fifths of the members elected
to each of the two houses of the General Assembly, the same shall
take effect from the date of its passage.

Approved March 23, 1961.