1768                            LAWS OF MARYLAND                      [CH. 825

fraction of a year they shall be due and payable on and after the
first day of the third month following such fraction of a year and
discounts (if any) shall be allowed therefrom and interest charged
thereon at the same rate per month thereafter (as provided in or
permitted by Section 48), as if the first day of such fraction of a
year were the first day of April, the first day of the second month
thereafter, the first day of June, the first day of the sixth month
thereafter, the first day of October, and so on, and generally all dates
prescribed in this Article shall be moved forward or backward
accordingly.]

(a)  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article or
elsewhere in the laws and regulations of this State and of any county,
city or town, or taxing district thereof, any property taxes levied as
of a semi-annual date of finality are not due and payable or in arrears
until at least thirty days following the date the tax bill therefor
was or reasonably should have been received or available. No in-
terest or penalties may be charged or collected on any taxes covered
by this sub-section until at least thirty days after the bill for the
taxes has been mailed or made available.

(b)  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article or
elsewhere in the laws and regulations of this State and of any county,
city or town, or taxing district thereof, any real property completed
during the period after July 1 in any year and through January 1
in the next succeeding year, or otherwise first added to the tax rolls
during this period, is subject to the payment of property taxes for
the six months beginning on that January 1 and ending on the next
succeeding June 30. The taxes for these six months shall be com-
puted by using the assessed valuation of the property at one half
the current annual tax rate for the State, county, city or town, or
taxing district, as the case may be. Taxes imposed for these six
months are due and payable as of the specified day of January 1,
or as of the day a tax bill therefor was or reasonably should have
been received or available, whichever is the later day. No interest
or penalties may be charged or collected on any taxes covered by
this sub-section until at least thirty days after the bill for the taxes
has been mailed or made available. From and after April 1 all such
ordinary State, county, city or town, or taxing district taxes, as the
case may be, are overdue and in arrears, and they shall bear interest
at the rate of one-half of one per cent (½%) for each month or
fraction thereof until paid. A county, city or -town, or taxing district
may charge and collect a penalty for failure to make payment on or
before April 1 or on or before thirty days after the bill for the taxes
has been mailed or made available, whichever is the later date; but
this penalty must have been fixed prior to this day of January 1 by
resolution of the county commissioners or county council, ordinance
or resolution of the city or town, or resolution of the governing body
of the tax district, as the case may be. IN THE EVENT MONT-
GOMERY COUNTY OR ANY CITY OR TOWN PROVIDES FOR
THREE-QUARTER YEAR TAXES UNDER THE PROVISIONS
OF SUBSECTION (C) HEREOF, THE PROVISIONS OF THIS
SUBSECTION (B) SHALL NOT APPLY TO PROPERTY TAXES
COLLECTED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF SAID SUBSEC-
TION (C).

(C) NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING TO THE CONTRARY
IN THIS ARTICLE OR ELSEWHERE IN THE LAWS AND