940                                 Laws of Maryland                          Ch. 407

(f)  The judgment or order of commitment by a court of com-
petent jurisdiction of another State, or of the District of Columbia,
committing a person to the Veterans' Administration or other
agency of the United States Government for care or treatment shall
have the same force and effect as to the committed person while
in this State as in the jurisdiction in which is situated the court
entering the judgment or making the order; and the courts of the
committing State, or of the District of Columbia, shall be deemed
to have retained jurisdiction of the person so committed for the
purpose of inquiring into the mental condition of such person, and
of determining the necessity for continuance of his restraint. Con-
sent is hereby given to the application of the law of the committing
State or District in respect to the authority of the Chief Officer of
any hospital of the Veterans' Administration, or of any institution
operated in this State by any other agency of the United States to
retain custody, or to transfer, parole or discharge, the committed
person.

(g)   Upon receipt of a certificate of the Veterans' Administration
or such other agency of the United States that facilities are avail-
able for the care or treatment of any person heretofore committed
to any facility for the mentally ill or other institution for the care
of or treatment of persons similarly afflicted and that such person
is eligible for care or treatment, the superintendent of the facility
may cause the transfer of such person to the Veterans' Adminis-
tration or other agency of the United States for care or treatment.
Upon effecting any such transfer, the committing court or proper
officer thereof shall be notified thereof by the transferring agency.
No person shall be transferred to the Veterans' Administration or
other agency of the United States if he be confined pursuant to
conviction of any felony or misdemeanor or if he has been acquitted
of the charge solely on the ground of insanity, unless prior to the
transfer the court or other authority originally committing such
person shall enter an order for such transfer after appropriate
motion and hearing.

(h) Any person transferred as provided in subsections (d), (f)
and (g) shall be deemed to be committed to the Veterans' Ad-
ministration or other agency of the United States pursuant to the
original commitment.

(i) The provisions of subsections (d), (f) and (g) shall apply to
nonresidents of this State as well as residents thereof found within
this State or on any federal reservation within the exterior bound-
aries thereof.

18. Administrative Release.

(a) At the direction of the Commissioner, his authorized repre-
sentative, or the superintendent of any facility, any patient not de-
tained pursuant to the provisions of Sections 23, 24 or 27 of this
Article, may be released from any facility, if, in the judgment of
such official, the patient is not mentally disordered; or if mentally
disordered, is not, for the protection of himself or others in need
of inpatient medical care or treatment. At the direction of the chief
officer of a Veterans' Administration Hospital, any patient meeting
the requirements of this subsection, and subject to the conditions
of this subsection, may be released from such hospital.