924                             LAWS OF MARYLAND                       CH. 493

of the counties and of Baltimore City the rate of State tax on each
One Hundred Dollars ($100) of assessable property necessary to
produce revenue to meet all interest and principal which will be pay-
able to the close of the next ensuing fiscal year on all Certificates
theretofore issued or theretofore authorized by resolution of the
Board of Public Works to be issued, and the governing bodies of
each of the counties and Baltimore City shall forthwith levy and col-
lect such a tax at such a rate.

All matters committed by this Act to the discretion of the Board
of Public Works shall be determined by a majority of said Board.

Sec. 7. In the event the monies available under this Act be

insufficient to allow allocations to projects otherwise qualifying under
the terms of this Act, the State through the Board of Public Works,

shall make provision for funds for such purpose, limited in any

fiscal year to an amount equivalent to that appropriated by this Act.

Sec. 8. 7. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
July 1, 1968.

Approved May 7, 1968.

CHAPTER 493
(Senate Bill 22)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 24(b)

of Article 78 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1965 Replace-

ment Volume), title "Public Service Commission Law," subtitle

"Public Service Companies," subheading "Prohibitions," providing
that a public service company without the prior authorization of
the Public Service Commission shall not acquire any property or
any property interest by means of condemnation or eminent
domain proceedings.

AN ACT TO ADD NEW SECTION 54A TO ARTICLE 78 OF THE
ANNOTATED CODE OF MARYLAND (1965 REPLACEMENT
VOLUME), TITLE "PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION," SUB-
TITLE "GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANIES," TO FOLLOW
IMMEDIATELY AFTER SECTION 54 THEREOF, TO PRO-
VIDE THAT ELECTRIC COMPANIES MUST MAKE APPLI-
CATION TO THE COMMISSION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF
PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY BEFORE EXER-
CISING THE RIGHT OF EMINENT DOMAIN OR COMMENC-
ING CONSTRUCTION OF AN ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION
LINE AND PROVIDING FOR THE STANDARDS TO BE CON-
SIDERED BY THE COMMISSION BEFORE ISSUING THE
CERTIFICATE AND TO MAKE APPLICATION TO THE COM-
MISSION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF PUBLIC CONVENIENCE
AND NECESSITY BEFORE BEGINNING THE CONSTRUC-
TION OF A GENERATING FACILITY.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,

That Section 24(b) of Article 78 of the Annotated Code of Maryland