Marvin Mandel, Governor                          1749

CHAPTER 616

(House Bill 918)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Sections 197
and 198 of Article 56 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1968
Replacement Volume and 1969 Supplement), title "Licenses," sub-
title "Dog Licenses in the Counties," to provide that persons
making claims to the county dog licensing agencies in the various
counties IN KENT COUNTY for reimbursement for damages
caused by dogs must do so within 30 days of the damage.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Sections 197 and 198 of Article 56 of the Annotated Code
of Maryland (1968 Replacement Volume and 1969 Supplement),
title "Licenses," subtitle "Dog Licenses in the Counties," be and they
are hereby repealed and re-enacted, with amendments, to read as
follows:

197.

All monies arising from the dog licenses or taxes shall be kept
in a separate fund by the treasurer of the respective counties, or
tax collecting office thereof, and shall be used for the payment
of damages for the injury and killing of sheep, poultry or other
livestock in said respective counties , according to the procedures set
out in Section 198 of this Article. In the event the same are not
sufficient for the payment of all such damages the said damages
shall be paid in the order the claims are presented, and any person
or persons whose claims are not paid in any one year by reason
of the lack of money to the credit of the said fund, which is to
be designed "the dog license fund," shall be paid out of the first
money coming into the fund after his claim is reached, and shall
be paid in the order in which said claims are proved and filed;
and any claims now filed and passed upon, but remaining unpaid,
shall have preference over any new claims in the order of pay-
ment. The county commissioners of the several counties are hereby
authorized to expend any funds in excess of one thousand dollars
($1,000) remaining in the hands of the treasurer or the tax collect-
ing officer after the payment of the claims as aforesaid, for any
public purpose which, in their judgment, may seem right and proper,
and are further empowered, whenever in their judgment it may
become necessary to do so, to enter into a contract or agreement
with such persons, association of persons or corporations as they may
deem suitable, for the removal, care and disposition of unlicensed
dogs, or licensed dogs which may create a menace to the safety,
security and property of the residents of said counties, on such
terms and conditions and for such compensation as may be agreed
to by the said county commissioners and such persons, associa-
tions of persons or corporations. In Washington County, the County
Commissioners are authorized to pay out of the fund claims for
damages to shrubbery and trees, and for damages to personal
property of any kind. The provisions of this section dealing with
the maintenance of a separate fund designated "the dog license
fund" are not applicable to Harford and Allegany counties. In
Harford County and in Allegany County all such monies collected
and all such claims paid shall be from general funds of the county.