950                             LAWS OF MARYLAND                      [CH. 394

matter with certain exceptions; and providing for the trial and
penalties of persons charged with violations of this Act.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Sections 417, 418, and 418B through 425, inclusive, of Article
27 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1957 Edition and 1966
Supplement), title "Crimes and Punishments," subtitle "Obscene and
Other Objectionable Publications," be and they are hereby repealed,
and that new Sections 417, 418, and 419 through 425, inclusive, be
and they are hereby enacted in lieu thereof, to stand in the place of
the sections repealed, to be under the new subtitle "Obscene Matter,"
and to read as follows:

Obscene Matter
417.

As used in this subtitle,

(1) "Obscene" means that to the average person, applying con-
temporary standards, the predominant appeal of the matter, taken
as a whole, is to prurient interest.

(2) (1) "Matter" means any book, magazine, newspaper, or other
printed or written material or any picture, drawing, photograph,
motion picture, or other pictorial representation or any statue or
other figure, or any recording, transcription or mechanical, chemical
or electrical reproduction or any other articles, equipment, machines
or materials.

(3) (2) "Person" means any individual, partnership, firm, associa-
tion, corporation, or other legal entity.

(4) (3) "Distribute" means to transfer possession of, whether with
or without consideration.

(5) (4) "Knowingly" means having knowledge of the character
and content of the subject matter, or failure to exercise reasonable
inspection which would disclose the content and character of the

same.

418.

Every person who knowingly sends or causes to be sent, or brings
or causes to be brought, into this State for sale or distribution, or
in this State prepares, publishes, prints, exhibits, distributes, or
offers to distribute, or has in his possession with intent to distribute
or to exhibit or offer to distribute, any obscene matter is guilty of a
misdemeanor.

419.

Every person, who with knowledge that a person is a minor under
18 years of age, or who, while in possession of such facts that he
should reasonably know that the person is a minor under 18 years
of age, knowingly send or causes to be sent, exhibits, distributes, or
offers to distribute any obscene matter to the minor under 18 years
of age, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

420.

Every person, who with knowledge that a person is a minor under
18 years of age, and who, while in possession of such facts that he