Marvin Mandel, Governor                         693

Service Commission Law," subtitle "Enforcement and Penalties,"
subheading "Forfeiture and Other Sanctions," to follow immedi-
ately after Section 102 thereof, to provide for civil penalties for
gas companies violating any provision of the Public Service Com-
mission's standards of safe service or other regulations related to
safety.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That new Section 102A be, and it is hereby, added to Article 78 of
the Annotated Code of Maryland (1969 Replacement Volume), title
"Public Service Commission Law," subtitle "Enforcement and Penal-
ties," subheading "Forfeiture and Other Sanctions," to follow im-
mediately after Section 102 thereof, and to read as follows :

102A. Civil Penalty for Gas Companies.

(a)  Any gas company which violates any provision of the Com-
mission's standards of safe service, or other regulations related to
safety as adopted in accordance with Section 73 of this Article,
shall be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000 for each
violation for each day that the violation persists. However, the
maximum civil penalty shall not exceed $200,000 for any related
series of violations.

(b)   The amount of any civil penalty shall be determined by the
Commission. Upon request of the gas company involved, and within
30 days of the date of notification of the determination, the gas
company may request reconsideration for the purpose of obtaining
a compromise. The Commission in making the determination as to
the amount of any civil penalty or any compromise thereof shall
consider the appropriateness of the penalty to the size of the busi-
ness of the gas company charged, the gravity of the violation and
the good faith of the gas company charged in attempting to achieve
compliance, after notification of violation. The amount of the pen-
alty, when finally determined, or the amount agreed upon in com-
promise, may be deducted from any sums owing by the State to the
gas company charged or may be recovered in a civil action in the
State courts.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
July 1, 1970.

Approved April 22, 1970

CHAPTER 296
(Senate Bill 593)

AN ACT to add new Section 248A to Article 27 of the Annotated
Code of Maryland (1967 Replacement Volume), title "Crimes and
Punishments," subtitle "Crimes and Punishments," subheading
"Gaming," to follow immediately after Section 248 thereof pro-
viding it shall not be unlawful for certain organizations or cor-
porations in Carroll County to conduct or operate a game of bingo
and relating generally to these operations, and to the securing
of permits therefor from the Board of County Commissioners of
Carroll County.