262                              LAWS OF MARYLAND                      [CH. 151

pensation shall be an amount equal to the average weekly wages,
and to continue for no more than five hundred weeks after the date
of death and not to amount to more than a maximum of [fifteen
thousand ($15,000) dollars] twenty-seven thousand five hundred
dollars ($27,500) nor less than a minimum of [two thousand ($2,-
000.00) dollars] three thousand six hundred and fifty dollars
($3,650).

(b)    If there are no wholly dependent persons at the time of
the death, but there are partly dependent persons, those partly de-
pendent shall receive compensation as follows: The weekly pay-
ments to such dependents shall be in the amount not exceeding
sixty-six and two-thirds per centum of the average weekly wages
or [forty-eight dollars] fifty-five dollars ($55.00) per week, but
may, in the discretion of the Commission, be for less amount per
week and to continue for all or such portion of the period of 416
weeks, after the date of death, as the Commission in each case may
determine, and not to amount to more than a maximum of [five
thousand dollars] nine thousand dollars ($9,000).

(c)    If there are wholly dependent persons and partly dependent
persons, the Commission may, in its discretion, award compensa-
tion to the wholly dependent persons only, or it may apportion such
compensation among such wholly dependent and partly dependent
persons in such proportions as, in the discretion of the Commis-
sion, it may consider fair and equitable under all of the facts and
circumstances of the case, in no event, however, shall the total of
such compensation exceed the sum of [fifteen thousand ($15,000)
dollars] twenty-seven thousand five hundred dollars ($27,500).

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

Approved April 14, 1967.

CHAPTER 151
(House Bill 469)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 23 (c)
and (d) and 24 (b) of Article 101 of the Annotated Code of Mary-
land (1964 Replacement Volume), title "Workmen's Compensa-
tion," subtitle "Application of Article; Extra-Hazardous Em-
ployments," to change the conditions of liability of employers for
certain occupational diseases of employees and to change the man-
ner of determining benefits payable for silicosis, asbestosis and
other pulmonary dust diseases under the workmen's compensation
laws.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Sections 23(c) and (d) and 24(b) of Article 101 of the
Annotated Code of Maryland (1964 Replacement Volume), title
"Workmen's Compensation," subtitle "Application of Article; Extra-
Hazardous Employments," be and they are hereby repealed and
re-enacted, with amendments, to read as follows: