1226                           LAWS OF MARYLAND                     [CH. 507

improvements thus exempted may be included in the assessments
to be made against the abutting property included in the project,
said County Commissioners may contribute from the general funds
or proceeds of bond issues such sums as in their judgment shall be
just and equitable to the original assessment, and may also receive
from a municipality, agency, private individual or company and
apply to such project such sum or sums of money as might be agreed
upon, and such adjustments as may be made by the Board of County
Commissioners shall be final and conclusive.

It is further provided that the Board of County Commissioners,
where assessments are made against unimproved lots or property
which the Board deems has a substantial frontage, may contract
with the owner to defer the payment of the assessment and cumulated
interest for a period of time not to exceed ten (10) years.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act is hereby
declared to be an emergency measure and necessary for the im-
mediate preservation of the public health and safety and having been
passed by a yea and nay vote supported by three-fifths of all the
members elected to each of the two houses of the General Assembly,
the same shall take effect from the date of its passage.

Approved May 2, 1969.

CHAPTER 507
(House Bill 899)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 645M of
Article 27 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1968 Supplement),
title "Crimes and Punishments," subtitle "II—Venue, Procedure
and Sentence," subheading "Employment of Prisoners," providing
that in Dorchester County earnings of a prisoner shall be col-
lected by the State Department of Parole and Probation.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 645M of Article 27 of the Annotated Code of Maryland
(1968 Supplement), title "Crimes and Punishments," subtitle "II—
Venue, Procedure and Sentence," subheading "Employment of Pris-
oners," be and it is hereby repealed and re-enacted, with amend-
ments, to read as follows:

645M.

The earnings of the prisoner shall be collected by the county pro-
bation department, except that for Allegany, Calvert, Caroline, Car-
roll, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Frederick, Garrett, Howard, Kent,
Prince George's, Queen Anne's, St. Mary's, Talbot, Worcester and
Anne Arundel counties and Baltimore City they shall be collected by
the State Department of Parole and Probation. From such earnings
the county probation department or the State Department of Parole
and Probation, as the case may be, shall pay the prisoner's board and
personal expenses, inside the jail and, to the extent directed by the