326                                   LAWS OF MARYLAND                         [CH. 295

responding state; or (2) as a responding state, obtain the body of
the obligor by appropriate process.

17.

The State Department of Public Welfare is hereby designated as
the State Information Agency under this article, and it shall

(1)  Compile a list of the courts and their addresses in this state
having jurisdiction under this article and transmit the same to
the State Information Agency of every other state which has adopted
this or a substantially similar act, and

(2)  Maintain a register of such lists received from other states
and transmit copies thereof as soon as possible after receipt to every
court in this state having jurisdiction under this article.

18.

[The State Department of Public Welfare is hereby designated
as the State Information Agency under this Act, and it shall be
its duty:

(1)  To compile a list of the courts and their addresses in this
State having jurisdiction under this Act and transmit the same to
the State Information Agency of every other state which has adopted
this or a substantially similar Act.

(2)  To maintain a register of such lists received from other states
and to transmit copies thereof as soon as possible after receipt to
every court in this state having jurisdiction under this Act.]

(a)  After the court of this state acting as a responding state
has received from the court of the initiating state the aforesaid
copies the clerk of the court shall docket the case and notify the

State's Attorney or counsel to the county council or county com-

missioners of his action.

(b)  It shall be the duty of the State's Attorney or counsel to

the county council or county commissioners diligently to prosecute

the case. He shall take all action necessary in accordance with the
laws of this state to give the court jurisdiction of the obligor or
his property and shall request the court to set a time and place for
a hearing.

19.

[Laws attaching a privilege against the disclosure of communica-
tions between husband and wife are in applicable to proceedings
under this Article. Husband and wife are competent witnesses (and
may be compelled) to testify to any relevant matter, including
marriage and parentage.]

(a)  The State's Attorney or counsel to the county council or

county commissioners shall, on his own initiative, use all means
at his disposal to trace the obligor or his property and if, due to
inaccuracies of the petition or otherwise, the court cannot obtain

or county commissioners shall inform the court of what he has done
and request the court to continue the case pending receipt of more
accurate information or an amended petition from the court in the
initiating state.