J. MILLARD TAWES, GOVERNOR                                 95

CHAPTER 104
(House Bill 96)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 24 of
Article 16 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1957 Edition),
title "Chancery", sub-title "Divorce and Annulment", changing the
amount of time of voluntary separation needed for parties to get
a divorce a vinculo matrimonii in this State.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 24 of Article 16 of the Annotated Code of Maryland
(1957 Edition), title "Chancery", sub-title "Divorce and Annulment",
be and the same is hereby repealed and re-enacted, with amendments,
to read as follows:

24. Upon a hearing of any bill for a divorce, the court may decree
a divorce a vinculo matrimonii for the following causes, to wit: First,
the impotence of either party at the time of the marriage; secondly,
for any cause which by the laws of this State, render a marriage
null and void ab initio; thirdly, for adultery; fourthly, when the court
shall be satisfied by competent testimony that the party complained
against has abandoned the party complaining, and that such abandon-
ment has continued uninterruptedly for at least eighteen months, and
is deliberate and final, and the separation of the parties beyond any
reasonable expectation of reconciliation; fifthly, when the husband
and wife shall have voluntarily lived separate and apart, without any
cohabitation, for [three] eighteen consecutive [years] months prior
to the filing of the bill of complaint, and such separation is beyond
any reasonable expectation of reconciliation; sixthly, when the party
complained against has been convicted of a felony under the laws
of this State or of any other state of the United States and has been
sentenced to serve at least three years in any penitentiary or penal
institution, eighteen months of which sentence has been served.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
June 1, 1961.

Approved February 27, 1961.

CHAPTER 105
(House Bill 103)

AN ACT to repeal Section 23 (e) of Article 17 of the Annotated Code
of Maryland (1957 Edition), title "Clerks of Courts", sub-title
"General Duties of Clerks", repealing the specified salary of the
clerk of the circuit court for Anne Arundel County.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 23 (e) of Article 17 of the Annotated Code of Maryland
(1957 Edition), title "Clerks of Courts", sub-title "General Duties of
Clerks", be and it is hereby repealed.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
June 1, 1961.

Approved February 27, 1961.