674                             LAWS OF MARYLAND                      [CH. 423

CHAPTER 423
(House Bill 7)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 48 of
Article 88A of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1957 Edition),
title "State Department of Public Welfare," subtitle "Aid to De-
pendent Children," and to add new Sections 44A and 48A to said
Article and subtitle of the Code (1957 Edition and 1962 Supple-
ment), to immediately precede Section 45 thereof and to follow
immediately after Section 48 thereof, respectively; relating gen-
erally to the State program of financial assistance to dependent
children, declaring the public policy of that program, and providing
that such assistance shall not be given to children who are ap-
parently neglected within the meaning of the applicable law of
juvenile causes except during investigation and juvenile court
proceedings to determine the existence of such neglect, and while
the court, after determining that neglect exists, permits the child
to remain in the home under supervision, and during any period
that the court fails for any reason to dispose of the petition, or
the local unit inadvertently fails to file a petition alleging neglect;
and directing local welfare boards in all cases of neglect to notify
the child's custodian of the improper conditions, to give such
custodian up to thirty NINETY days to correct any such defects,
and, failing correction, to file a petition, no later than at the ex-
piration of the thirty NINETY day period, in the appropriate
juvenile court asserting the child's neglect.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 48 of Article 88A of the Annotated Code of Maryland
(1957 Edition), title "State Department of Public Welfare," subtitle
"Aid to Dependent Children," be and it is hereby repealed and re-
enacted, with amendments, and new Sections 44A and 48A be and
they are hereby added to said Article and subtitle (1957 Edition and
1962 Supplement), to immediately precede Section 45 thereof, to
follow immediately after Section 48 thereof, respectively, and to
read as follows:

MA.

It is hereby declared that the primary purpose of aid given under
this subtitle is the strengthening of family life through services
and financial aid, whereby families may be assisted to maximum
self-support within a reasonable time in homes meeting the re-
quirements for child care established by law in this State.

48. Assistance shall be given under the subtitle to any dependent
child who:

(a) Has resided in this State for one year immediately preceding
the application for such assistance; or who was born within one year
immediately preceding the application, if the parent or other relative
with whom the child is living has resided in this State for one year
immediately preceding the birth of said child; or whose parent has
resided in this State for one year immediately preceding the date of
application; provided, however, that the State Department is au-
thorized and empowered to make reciprocal arrangements with other
states to waive residence requirements when, in their judgment,