SPIRO T. AGNEW, Governor                        1185

cretion, may deem necessary to provide the revenues required to
carry out the purposes of this section. Said benefit charge shall be
paid annually by all properties located as above specified, for a
period of years co-extensive with the period of maturity of the
bonds out of the proceeds of which such construction was done.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
June 1, 1967.

Approved April 21, 1967.

CHAPTER 553
(Senate Bill 626)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 656 of
Article 43 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1965 Replacement
Volume), title "Health," subtitle "Sanitary Districts," to change
the requirements for hearings by sanitary commissions after com-
pletion of plans for water or sewerage systems and prior to con-
struction of such facilities.

Section!. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 656 of Article 43 of the Annotated Code of Maryland
(1965 Replacement Volume), title "Health," subtitle "Sanitary Dis-
tricts," be and it is hereby repealed and re-enacted, with amendments,
to read as follows:

656.

Whenever the plans and specifications for water or sewerage sys-
tems for any sanitary district shall have been completed and the
commission shall have decided, after opportunity for a hearing has
been given pursuant to Section 652 (b) or 653 of this Article, to
proceed with the construction thereof, it shall advertise, by notice
in one newspaper published, or of general circulation, in the county
or counties where the sanitary district is located and such news-
papers and technical press as it may deem proper, for bids for the
construction of said system or systems, in part or as a whole, as in
its judgment may appear advisable. The contract shall be let to the
lowest responsible bidder, or the commission may reject any and
all bids, and, if in its discretion the prices quoted are deemed un-
reasonable or unbalanced, it may readvertise the work on any part
of it or may do any part or all of the work by day labor; provided
that at any time the commission may, in its discretion, expend for
construction work, including day labor, materials and equipment,
an amount not exceeding five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) without
advertising or receiving bids. All such contracts shall be protected
by such bonds, penalties and conditions as the commission may re-
quire, all of which shall be enforced in any court having jurisdiction.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act is hereby de-
clared to be an emergency measure and necessary for the immediate