MARVIN MANDEL, Governor                        355

(c) The Director shall appoint the staff of the Department,
subject to the authority of the Secretary of Natural Resources under
Section 234(c) of Article 41 of this Code and subject to the provi-
sions of the merit system. The staff of the Department shall consist
of such employees as may be necessary to carry out the duties of the
Department, in such numbers and at the salaries provided in the an-
nual State Budget. Insofar as the provisions of the merit system
provide for disciplinary or dismissal proceedings against employees
to be brought by the appointing authority, the Director shall be the
appointing authority unless the Secretary of Natural Resources by
written directive provides that the Secretary shall be the appointing
authority. All employees shall be under the supervision and control
of the Director and shall perform such duties as he may prescribe.
[The Director and employees of the Department of Tidewater Fish-
eries who, as of June 1, 1964, have held such employment under the
provisions of the Merit System Law, Article 64A of this Code, for a
period of not less than six months prior thereto shall be retained
in their respective positions with the Department of Chesapeake
Bay Affairs.] The Director may require any employee who receives
monies to furnish bond in such amount as the Director may deter-
mine.

[(d) The Director shall serve as a departmental member of the
Board of Natural Resources.]

[(e)] (d) The Director shall exercise all other powers and
duties necessary and proper in carrying out the responsibilities
vested in him under this article.

13H.

Any person aggrieved by a final decision of the Department,
whether such decision is affirmative or negative in form, or by any
rule or regulation of the Department, may [file a sworn petition
with the Commission, asking for a hearing on the decision, or rule
or regulation. The petition shall set forth the grounds and reasons
for the petitioner's complaint. The chairman shall set a time and
place for the hearing and shall notify the petitioner. At the hearing,
the petitioner and any other interested parties may appear in person
or by counsel, present witnesses and submit evidence. The chairman
or any member of the Commission shall have the power to admin-
ister oaths to any witnesses who appear to testify at the hearing.
The Commission shall as promptly as possible after the hearing
render a final decision on the petitioner's complaint] appeal to the
Board of Review of the Department of Natural Resources as pro-
vided for in Article 4.1 of this Code.

13-I.

Any party aggrieved by a final decision of the Commission BOARD
OF REVIEW, is entitled to judicial review thereof as provided by
the Administrative Procedure Act, Section 255 of Article 41 of this
Code.

Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That Sections 15, 16 and 17
of Article 66C of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1957 Edition
and 1967 Replacement Volume), title "Natural Resources," subtitle
&q