1532                            LAWS OF MARYLAND                      [CH. 691

116(c), (d), (f), 117(a), 118, 138, 139, and 140 of the same
article, title and subtitle, to delete certain provisions requiring
the filing of proof of insurance for vehicles operated for hire and

to delete certain provisions requiring the filing of proof of insur-

ance for certain operators of motor vehicles.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Sections 116(a), (b), (e), (g), 117(b), (c), (d), (e), 119(2),
(4)(a), 112(a), and 137(a) of Article 66½ of the Annotated Code of
Maryland (1967 Replacement Volume), title "Motor Vehicles," sub-
title "Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility," be and they are re-
pealed and re-enacted, with amendments, and that Sections 116(c),
(d), (f), 117(a), 118, 138, 139, and 140 be and they are hereby
repealed, all to read as follows:

116.

(a)    No person, or any officer, agent, servant or employee of such
person shall operate, or cause, permit, or suffer any taxicab not
operating under permit of the Public Service Commission or any com-
mercial [motor] vehicle for hire, to operate in either interstate
commerce or intrastate commerce over any street or highway of
this State in the transportation of passengers or property for hire,
[without first obtaining a permit from the Department] unless such
vehicle is covered by the minimum amounts of financial responsibility
as required by this Article, issued by an insurance company au-
thorized to do business in this State.

(b)    The Department shall not [grant or issue such permit nor]
register such [motor] vehicle until such person has [first filed with]
certified to the Department, proof of financial responsibility as re-
quired by this article and such [proof] certification has been
accepted by the Department, and the Department shall [revoke]
suspend the registration of any such motor vehicle [and any permit
issued to the owner thereof] whenever the Department ascertains
that such owner has failed, or is unable, to maintain such proof of
financial responsibility.

[(e)] (c) Any person violating the provisions of subsection (a)
of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon
conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred
dollars not more than five hundred dollars.

[(g)] (d) This section shall not apply to the owners and opera-
tors of motor vehicles engaged in the transportation of passengers
or property, subject to the jurisdiction of the Public Service Com-
mission of Maryland, who operate 50 or more motor vehicles and have
shown to the satisfaction of said Commission, during a continuous
operation of at least five years duration, that they are financially
qualified to respond in damages to at least the extent required of
other motor vehicle operators by Sections 116 to 149,