S                                 LAWS OF MARYLAND                         [CH. 5

land (1967 Supplement), title "State Department of Public Wel-
fare," subtitle "Old Age Assistance," amending the Public Wel-
fare laws in order to correct erroneous references therein.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Sections 71, 73, 77, 78, 80 and 82 of Article 88A of the An-
notated Code of Maryland (1967 Supplement), title "State Depart-
ment of Public Welfare," subtitle "Old Age Assistance," be and it
is hereby repealed and re-enacted with amendments to read as
follows:

71. Granting of assistance.

Upon the completion of such investigation the local unit shall
decide whether the applicant is eligible for assistance under the
provisions of this [article] subtitle, and determine in accordance
with the rules and regulations of the State Department the amount
of such assistance and the date on which such assistance shall begin.
The local unit shall notify the applicant of its decision. Such assist-
ance shall be paid monthly to the applicant upon order of the local
unit from funds allocated to it for this purpose. Should the fund
or funds available be insufficient to make payments in accordance
with the amount of assistance established to be needed, the State
Department shall, by rule and regulation, provide for a uniform
method of adjusting individual payments.

73. Assistance not assignable.

Assistance granted under this ([article] subtitle shall not be trans-
ferable or assignable, at law or in equity, and none of the money
paid or payable under this [article] subtitle shall be subject to
execution, levy, attachment, garnishment or other legal process, or
to the operation of any bankruptcy or insolvency law.

77.    Recovery from estate.

On the death of any recipient, the total amount of assistance
paid under this [article] subtitle shall be allowed as a claim against
the estate. The net amount realized from all such claims shall be
divided among the State, the county, and the federal government
in proportion to the amount of the assistance paid by each respec-
tively; provided, that no such claim shall be enforced against any
real estate of a recipient while it is occupied by the recipient's
surviving spouse or dependents.

78.    Removal to another county.

Any applicant who has moved into the county in which he applies
within one year prior to application, shall be deemed, for all pur-
poses of this [article] subtitle, a resident of the county in which
he last had one year's continuous residence. Change of county resi-
dence within the State shall have no effect upon the eligibility of
an aged person.

80. No fees to be paid.

No person shall make any charge or receive any fee for repre-
senting an applicant or recipient of assistance in any proceeding
hereunder, or with respect to any application, whether such fee or