SPIRO T. AGNEW, Governor                         281

QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED psychiatrist on the staff of the
Department of Mental Hygiene, including the staff of any hospital
under its jurisdiction, to conduct the examinations provided for in
this section, and in Sections 7 and 9 of this article.

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

Approved April 14, 1967.

CHAPTER 164

(Senate Bill 46)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 707 (b)
of Article 66C of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1957 Edition
and 1966 Cumulative Supplement), title "Natural Resources", sub-
title "Oysters and Clams", to correct an error in this section relat-
ing generally to the authority of the Department of Chesapeake
Bay Affairs to close natural oyster bars, notice of intent to close,
and public hearing.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 707 (b) of Article 66C of the Annotated Code of Mary-
land (1957 Edition and 1966 Cumulative Supplement), title "Natural
Resources", subtitle "Oysters and Clams", be and it is hereby re-
pealed and re-enacted, with amendments, and to read as follows:

707.

(b) The Department is authorized to close in any year not to
exceed three percent of the natural oyster bars in the waters of this
State or of any county thereof and to prohibit or restrict the taking
or catching of oysters thereon whenever in the judgment of the
Department such measures will increase the productivity or utility
of such areas; provided, however, that the total area of natural
oyster bars of this State, or of any county, closed or remaining
closed under the provisions of this subsection shall never exceed at
any time six percent of the area classified as natural oyster bars of
this State, or of any county thereof. Upon an area so closed the
Department may plant oysters, shells or other cultch, or it may take
any other restorative measures in connection therewith, which it
may deem advisable. The Department shall cause to be published a
notice of intent to close any such area or areas in one newspaper of
general circulation in the State and in one or more newspapers of
general circulation in the county or counties in whose waters the
area or areas are located, not less than thirty days prior to the pro-
posed date of closing, and shall schedule a public hearing on the
proposal not less than fifteen days before the proposed date of
closing; such hearing shall be held at the county seat of the county
in which the affected waters are located; if such waters are located
in more than one county then the hearing shall be held in that
county seat of the affected counties which is closest to the affected
waters; if the area affected is totally within State waters, then such
hearing shall be held in Annapolis.