MARVIN MANDEL, Governor                        317

record shall promptly be made of the circumstances [to ascertain]
establishing the dependency of the child [or] and the facts support-
ing the application made under this subtitle, and such other informa-
tion as may be required by the State Department. [The investiga-
tion shall, if possible, include a visit to the home of the child, and of
the person who will have the custody of the child during the time
assistance is granted.] Each local unit and the State Department and
the officers and authorized employees thereof [,] shall have the
power to administer oaths and affirmations, conduct examinations,
subpoena witnesses, require the attendance of witnesses and the
production of books, records and papers, and may make application
to the circuit court of the county or the Superior Court of Baltimore
City [,] to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of
such books, records and papers.

52.

[Upon the completion of such investigation, the] The local unit
shall decide whether the child is eligible for assistance under the
provisions of this 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. It shall
make an award which shall be binding upon the county or Baltimore
City as the case may be, and be complied with until such an award
is modified or vacated. The local unit shall notify the applicant of its
decision. Such assistance shall be paid monthly to the applicant upon
order of the local unit out of any funds available for said 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.

70.

Whenever a local unit receives an application for assistance under
this subtitle, [an investigation and] a record shall promptly be made
of the circumstances of the applicant [in order to ascertain] and the
facts supporting the application and [in order to obtain] such other
information as may be required by the rules of the State Department.

71.

[Upon the completion of such investigation the] The local unit
shall decide whether the applicant is eligible for assistance under the
provisions of this 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 assistance
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.

Sec. 2. And be it further en