702                             LAWS OF MARYLAND                      [CH. 343

more than one year's interest may be expended. Nothing contained
in this section or in this subtitle shall be construed as in any manner
relieving the County Commissioners of St. Mary's County of its un-
conditional pledge of its full face and credit and unlimited taxing
power to the payment of principal and interest on any bonds is-
sued by the Commission pursuant to Section 161 of this subtitle.

Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That this Act is hereby
declared to be an emergency measure and necessary for the im-
mediate preservation of the public health and safety and having
been passed by a yea and nay vote supported by three-fifths of all
the members elected to each of the two houses of the General As-
sembly, the same shall take effect from the date of its passage.

Approved April 14, 1967.

CHAPTER 343
(House Bill 977)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 645M and
645S of Article 27 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1966
Supplement), title "Crimes and Punishments," subtitle "Venue,
Procedure and Sentence," subheading "Employment of Prisoners,"
to authorize prisoners in Caroline County to be employed while
serving a sentence of imprisonment in the county jail, and to
provide for collection and disposition of earnings by the Depart-
ment of Parole and Probation.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Sections 645M and 645S of Article 27 of the Annotated Code
of Maryland (1966 Supplement), title "Crimes and Punishments,"
subtitle "Venue, Procedure and Sentence," subheading "Employment
of Prisoners," be and they are hereby repealed and re-enacted, with
amendments, to read as follows:

645M.

The earnings of the prisoner shall be collected by the county
probation department, except that for Allegany, Calvert, Caroline,
Carroll, Cecil, Charles, Frederick, Garrett, Howard, Kent, Prince
George's, Queen Anne's, St. Mary's, Talbot and Worcester counties
and Baltimore City they shall be collected by the State Department
of Parole and Probation. From such earnings the county probation
department or the State Department of Parole and Probation, as the
case may be, shall pay the prisoner's board and personal expenses,
inside the jail and, to the extent directed by the court, pay the
support of his dependents, if any. Any balance shall be retained
and paid to him upon his discharge.

645S.

The provisions of this subtitle apply in Baltimore City and in all
counties except [Caroline,] Dorchester, Harford, Montgomery,
Somerset and Wicomico counties.