1280                            LAWS OF MARYLAND                       CH. 637

CHAPTER 636
(House Bill 85)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 26A of
Article 16 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1966 Replace-
ment Volume), title "Chancery," subtitle "Divorce and Annul-
ment," amending the laws concerning offers of reconciliation or
attempts to reconcile as they relate to actions for divorce.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 26A of Article 16 of the Annotated Code of Maryland
(1966 Replacement Volume), title "Chancery," subtitle "Divorce
and Annulment," be and it is hereby repealed and re-enacted, with
amendments, to read as follows:

26A.

CHAPTER 637
(House Bill 108)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Subsections (b),
(d) and (h) of Section 59-50 of the Code of Public Local Laws
of Prince George's County (1963 Edition, as amended, being also
Article 17 of the Code of Public Local Laws of Maryland), title
"Prince George's County," subtitle "Park and Planning Commis-
sion," subheading "Serial Bonds Generally," and to repeal and
reenact with amendments Subsections (b), (d) and (h) of Sec-

[In no action for divorce instituted in this State after June 1,
1965, shall an offer of reconciliation or an attempt to reconcile by
one spouse without the concurrence of the other spouse be avail-
able as a defense to a divorce nor in and of itself be a bar to a

divorce.] The refusal of a spouse to accept an offer of reconcilia-

tion made by the other spouse or the rejection by a spouse of any

attempt at reconciliation made by the other spouse shall neither

be available as a defense to an action for divorce nor constitute a

bar to or a ground for a divorce. IN ALL ACTIONS FOR DIVORCE
AN OFFER OF RECONCILIATION OR AN ATTEMPT TO
RECONCILE BY ONE SPOUSE WITHOUT THE CONCUR-
RENCE OF THE OTHER SPOUSE SHALL NOT BE AVAILABLE
AS A DEFENSE TO A DIVORCE NOR IN AND OF ITSELF
BE A BAR TO A DIVORCE; NOR SHALL THE REFUSAL OF
A SPOUSE; TO ACCEPT AN OFFER OF RECONCILIATION
MADE BY THE OTHER SPOUSE OR THE REJECTION BY
A SPOUSE OF ANY ATTEMPT AT RECONCILIATION MADE
BY THE OTHER SPOUSE BE AVAILABLE AS A DEFENSE
TO A DIVORCE NOR IN AND OF ITSELF BE A BAR TO OR
A GROUND FOR A DIVORCE.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
July 1, 1968.

Approved May 7, 1968.