104                               LAWS OF MARYLAND                          [CH. 48

jury and upon conviction therefor is subject to the penalties pro-
vided by law for perjury.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
June 1, 1964.

Approved April 7, 1964.

CHAPTER 48
(Senate Bill 43)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 149A of
Article 43 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1963 Supplement),
title "Health", sub-title "Practitioners of Medicine", to provide
UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES that members of CER-
TAIN volunteer ambulance and rescue squads shall not be liable
for civil damages for medical aid, care and assistance rendered at
an accident, with exceptions, and providing a defense to units
arising out of services rendered at an accident.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 149A of Article 43 of the Annotated Code of Maryland
(1963 Supplement), title "Health", sub-title "Practitioners of Medi-
cine", be and it is hereby repealed and re-enacted, with amendments,
to read as follows:

149A.

(a)  A physician licensed to practice medicine by the Board of
Medical Examiners of the State of Maryland, who, in good faith,
renders medical aid, care, not in a hospital, and assistance for which
the physician received no fee or compensation, at the scene of an
accident, shall not be liable for any civil damages as the result of any
professional acts or omissions by him, not amounting to gross negli-
gence, in rendering such aid, care, and assistance. The physician
shall have a defense against any action, not amounting to gross
negligence, for negligence or malpractice brought against him be-
cause of any professional acts or omissions in the rendering of
such care, aid and assistance.

(b)   The members of volunteer ambulance and rescue squads shall
not be liable for damages as provided in subsection (a) except for
gross negligence, and shall have the defense provided therein, except
for gross negligence. IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE
EXEMPTION FROM LIABILITY PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION,
A PERSON MUST BE HAVE COMPLETED A BASIC COURSE
OF INSTRUCTION IN FIRST AID, AND MUST BE ON ACTIVE
DUTY AS A MEMBER OF A VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE AND
RESCUE SQUAD WHICH (1) IS A BONA FIDE AND PERMA-
NENT ORGANIZATION, AND (2) IS ORGANIZED AND OPER-
ATED AS A NON-PROFIT GROUP.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
June 1, 1964.

Approved April 7, 1964.