Marvin Mandel, Governor                         923

with corporate surety to be approved by him in an amount the State
Fire Marshal prescribes, or an approved liability and property dam-
age insurance policy in an amount prescribed by the State Fire
Marshal, conditioned upon the payment of all damages to persons or
property caused by reason of the discharge of fireworks mentioned
in the permit. The bond or policy shall be payable to the State and
may be enforced by any person suffering damage as aforesaid, by
suit in the name of the State to his own use. If claims under any
bond or policy required under this subtitle are established to an
amount greater than the penal sum of the bond, or amount of the
policy, the claims shall be payable pro rata to the amount of the
penal sum of the bond or amount of the policy and executions shall
issue accordingly. Workman's Compensation or SHALL BE PRO-
VIDED AS REQUIRED BY ARTICLE 101 OF THE ANNO-
TATED CODE. FOR OPERATORS NOT COVERED BY WORK-
MEN'S COMPENSATION approved accident insurance cover-
age shall be provided for operators in amounts prescribed
by the State Fire Marshal. The State Fire Prevention Com-
mission shall establish regulations as necessary for the enforcement
of this subtitle. The State Fire Marshal may deputize the chief or
other members of the fire department serving in any locality, or
some other suitable official, to act as his deputy for the purpose of
making inspections and investigations and receiving applications for
permits.

19.

(a)    The State Fire Marshal has sole authority to issue licenses
for the operation of fireworks plants. A license to operate a fireworks
plant shall not be issued until the applicant's plant or plants have
been inspected by the State Fire Marshal or his designated represent-
ative and found to be wholly in compliance with this subtitle and
all regulations promulgated hereunder. A determination as to satis-
factory compliance by the plant with all other applicable statutes,
ordinances, and regulations shall be made by the state or political
subdivision agency responsible, and those agencies shall report the
results of their inspections to the State Fire Marshal. Prior to
issuing a license, the State Fire Marshal shall have a report from all
appropriate agencies of full compliance by the applicant. Conviction
of a plant operator or applicant of a crime defined as a felony under
federal law or the laws of the state in which the conviction was
adjudged, regardless of point in time, may constitute grounds for
denial of a fireworks manufacturing license. A license to operate a
fireworks plant shall be issued for no longer than one calendar year.
The fee for this license shall be $500.00.

(b)    The State Fire Prevention Commission shall promulgate,
and enforce through the office of the State Fire Marshal, regulations,
consistent with this subtitle, as necessary or advisable to protect the
safety of plant employees and the general public, and to protect
public property. The scope of these regulations may include, but is
not limited to, the implementation of this subtitle and to any and
all aspects of the location, construction, arrangement, operation,
personnel, public liability insurance and workman's compensation,
and safety of fireworks plants.

(c)    The State Fire Marshal, or his designated representative,
shall make periodic inspections of all fireworks plants licensed pur-