184                              LAWS OF MARYLAND                      [CH. 126

(1964 Replacement Volume), title "State Department of Public
Welfare", subtitle "In General", be and they are hereby repealed
and re-enacted, with amendments, to read as follows:

Article 88A.
3.

The State Department of Public Welfare shall be the central, coor-
dinating and directing agency of all welfare activities in this State,
including aid to dependent children, old age assistance, public assist-
ance to the needy blind, general public assistance, aid to the perma-
nently and totally disabled, child welfare services, and any other
welfare activities financed in whole or in part by the State or Federal
government. It shall have the responsibility for medical care to
public assistance clients to the extent that funds are provided in
appropriations to the State Department of Public Welfare in the
State budget, and make such plans, including contractual relations,
with other agencies and institutions as may be necessary to carry
this responsibility into effect. It shall exercise supervision, as here-
inafter set forth, over all public and private institutions having the
care, custody or control of the dependent, [delinquent,] abandoned
or neglected children, except those institutions under the authority
of the State Department of Juvenile Services and those agencies,
persons, or institutions, designated by that Department as provided
for in Article 52A, Section 7. All of the activities of the county
boards, hereinafter provided for, and of the department of public
welfare of Baltimore City, which the State finances, in whole or in
part, shall be subject to the supervision, direction and control of the
State Department of Public Welfare. The State Department shall
also investigate, from time to time, the whole system of public and
private institutions, organizations and agencies of a charitable
nature in this State, including those which receive part of their
income from this State, except those placed by law under the super-
vision of another State agency. Prior to the convening of each
regular session of the General Assembly, the Department shall fur-
nish to the Governor a report of its activities and of the condition
of all charitable institutions, organizations and agencies, excepting
hospitals, receiving financial aid from the State; and it shall make
recommendations as to appropriations for such institutions, giving
its reasons therefor as fully as may be practicable.

13.

(a) The State Department of Public Welfare shall be empowered
to create or continue in each county a county welfare board to be
known as such with the name of the county prefixed thereto, which
board shall be an administrative department of the local government.
Such boards shall have authority to administer aid to dependent
children, old-age assistance, public assistance to the needy blind,
general public assistance, aid to the permanently and totally disabled,
child welfare services and the investigation and certification of
persons eligible for employment on local, State or Federal projects,
or to administer any other program in the field of public welfare,
and such boards shall have authority to administer, handle and dis-
tribute commodities in accordance with the rules of the State Depart-
ment of Public Welfare, as well as work, relief and services to
families and individuals, and the care of neglected [,] and dependent