MARVIN MANDEL, Governor                        1431

disposed of , but in no instance shall such disposition of said sod be
ordered by the court without first having given the claimant an op-
portunity to apply to the court for the release of said sod or permis-

sion to process or relabel it to bring it into compliance with this

subtitle.

(b) Every violation of the provisions of this subtitle shall be
deemed a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not exceeding one hun-
dred dollars ($100.00) for the first offense and not exceeding two
hundred and fifty dollars ($250.00) for each subsequent similar
offense. When the authorised agent of the State Board of Agricul-
ture has reason to believe that any person has violated any of the
provisions of this subtitle, he THE BOARD may institute proceed-
ings in the court of competent jurisdiction in the area in which the
violation occurred, to have such person convicted thereof; or the
authorized agent of the said Board may file with the Attorney Gen-
eral of the State with the view of prosecution such evidence as may
be deemed necessary, provided, however, that no prosecution under
this subtitle shall be instituted without first having given the de-
fendant an opportunity to appear before the authorized agent
HEARING OFFICER of the said Board to introduce evidence either
in person or by agent or attorney.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That if any provisions or
section of this Act or the application thereof to any person or cir-
cumstance is held to be invalid for any reason such invalidity shall
not affect the other provisions or sections thereof.

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That this subtitle shall take
effect on January 1, 1970 and shall hereafter be cited as the Mary-
land Turf Grass Law.

Approved May 14, 1969.

CHAPTER 615
(Senate Bill 653)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 249 (b)
of Article 77 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1965 Replace-
ment Volume and 1968 Supplement), title "Public Education,"
subtitle "University of Maryland," to reduce the terms of the
members of the Board of Regents* OF THE UNIVERSITY OF
MARYLAND.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 249 (b) of Article 77 of the Annotated Code of Mary-
land (1965 Replacement Volume and 1968 Supplement), title "Public
Education," subtitle "University of Maryland," be and it is hereby
repealed and re-enacted, with amendments, to read as follows:

249.

(b) The government of the University of Maryland shall be vested
in the board of regents of the University of Maryland. The board