1240                               Laws of Maryland                         Ch. 527

member shall serve after expiration of his term until his successor
qualifies.

    The Board shall annually elect a chairman from among its mem-

bers. Meetings of the Board shall be held at such times and places

as the chairman or Secretary of Economic and Community Develop-
ment may designate by notice to the members. Six members shall

constitute a quorum, but action by the Board shall require assent of

a majority of all its members. The Board shall keep a complete record
of its proceedings and shall, on or before December first in each year,
make an annual report of its activities and expenditures to the
Governor and General Assembly. The Board, subject to the approval
of the Secretary of Economic and Community Development, shall
have the power and authority to employ such clerks, stenographers,
field representatives, assistants and other employees as it may deem
necessary in order to perform the duties of and exercise the powers
conferred upon the Board by the provisions of this subheading and
as may be provided in the State budget. The Board shall establish a
permanent office and shall be supplied with all appliances and inci-
dentals necessary for the proper discharge of its duties. The salaries
or compensation of all clerks, stenographers, field representatives,
assistants, and other employees of the Board, and the cost of main-
taining and supplying the permanent office of the Board shall be paid

from such funds as shall be provided in the State budget.

It shall be the function of the Board to encourage and foster
agriculture in this State through promotion and assistance of agri-
culture fairs, exhibits, or other activities. For this purpose, the
Board, subject to approval of the Secretary of Economic and Com-
munity Development, shall have sole and complete control of the
distribution of and expenditure of all funds allocated to it by the pro-

visions of Sections 15 and 22 of Article 78B of this Code, for the

payment of premium awards, promotional and educational activities
or otherwise, either in connection with a bona fide agricultural fair,
exhibit or activity, as determined by the Board, or in connection

with one State fair each year, as designated by the Board. The

Board shall, subject to approval of the Secretary of Economic and
Community Development, from time to time, promulgate rules and
regulations to govern the conduct, qualifications and requirements
of agricultural fairs, exhibits or activities to which allocations or
distributions may be made as provided in this section, and no such
agricultural fair, exhibit, or activity shall be entitled to receive any
financial assistance from the Board, unless it has made all of the
qualifications and requirements as set forth in such rules and regu-
lations. The decision of the Board, after approval by the Secretary
of Economic and Community Development, shall be final with re-
spect to all questions relating to whether any agricultural fair,
exhibit or activity shall be entitled to financial assistance under the
provisions of this section.

Sec. 14 10. And be it further enacted by the General Assembly of
Maryland, That Section 13B of Article 78A of the Annotated Code of
Maryland (1957 Edition, 1969 Replacement Volume), title "Public

62.

63.