274                              LAWS OF MARYLAND                      CH. 222]

PREHENSIVE HEALTH PLANNING AGENCY, which may be
an inter-departmental agency, as the sole agency for administering
or supervising the administration of the State's health planning
functions;

(2) Appoint a State Health Planning Council, which shall include
representatives of State and local agencies and non-governmental
organizations and groups concerned with health, to advise the single
State agency STATE'S COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH PLAN-
NING AGENCY in carrying out its functions. A majority of the
membership of such Council shall consist of representatives of con-
sumers of health services.

(c)    The single State agency STATE'S COMPREHENSIVE
HEALTH PLANNING AGENCY shall (1) set forth policies and
procedures which are designed to provide for comprehensive State
planning for health services (public and private), including the
facilities and persons required for the provision of such services,
to meet the health needs of the people of the State; and (2) encourage
cooperative efforts among governmental or non-governmental
HEALTH, education, welfare, and rehabilitation agencies, organi-
zations, and groups concerned with OR AFFECTING health serv-
ices, facilities, or manpower.

(d)     The single State agency STATE'S COMPREHENSIVE
HEALTH PLANNING AGENCY may accept such Federal and
other funds as may be available to carry out the purposes of this
section.

(e)     The Governor may direct any State officer or agency to
cooperate with the single State agency STATE'S COMPREHENSIVE
HEALTH PLANNING AGENCY in carrying out such functions
as are necessary to further the purposes of this section.

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

Approved April 10, 1968.

CHAPTER 222
(House Bill 274)

AN ACT to add a new Section 559 (a-1) to Article 43 of the Annotated
Code of Maryland (1965 Replacement Volume), title "Health,"
subtitle "Hospitals and Related Institutions," to follow immedi-
ately after Section 559(a) thereof, providing that a license to
open or continue a NEWLY CREATED hospital or NON-PROFIT
related institution shall not be issued unless it conforms to or is
not inconsistent with the comprehensive health plan for the par-
ticular area, all as more especially described herein, AND AL-
LOWING FOR SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR CERTAIN PRAC-
TICES.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That a new Section 559 (a-1) be and it is hereby added to Article 43