Marvin Mandel, Governor                        1701

Picketing of Dwelling Places
580A.

1.    It is hereby declared that the protection and preservation of
the home is the keystone of democratic government; that the public
health and welfare and the good order of the community require that
members of the community enjoy in their homes a feeling of well-
being, tranquility, and privacy, and when absent from their homes
carry with them the sense of security inherent in the assurance that
they may return to the enjoyment of their homes; that the practice of
picketing before or about residences and dwelling places causes emo-
tional disturbance and distress to the occupants; that such practice
has as its object the harassing of such occupants; and without resort
to such practice, full opportunity exists, and under the terms and
provisions of this article will continue to exist, for the exercise of
freedom of speech and other constitutional rights; and that the pro-
visions hereinafter enacted are necessary in the public interest, to
avoid the detrimental results herein set forth.

2.    It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in picketing
before or about the residence or dwelling place of any individual.

3.    It shall be unlawful for any person to assembly INTEN-
TIONALLY ASSEMBLE with another persons PERSON or persons
in a manner which disrupts or threatens to disrupt any individual's
right to tranquility in his home.

4. Nothing herein shall be deemed to prohibit (1) the picketing
in any lawful manner, during a labor dispute, of the place of employ-
ment involved in such labor dispute; (2) the picketing in any lawful
manner of a construction site ANY PICKETING OR ASSEMBLY
IN CONNECTION WITH A LABOR DISPUTE AS THAT TERM
IS DEFINED IN ARTICLE 100, SECTION 74 OF THE ANNO-
TATED CODE OF MARYLAND (1964 REPLACEMENT VOL-
UME), TITLE "WORK, LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT," SUB-
TITLE "INJUNCTIONS," AS HERETOFORE AND HEREAFTER
AMENDED; (2) THE PICKETING IN ANY LAWFUL MANNER
A PERSON'S HOME WHEN IT IS ALSO HIS OFFICE AND
SOLE PLACE OF BUSINESS; or (3) the holding of a meeting or
assembly on any premises commonly used for the discussion of sub-
jects of general public interest.

5.    Any person found guilty of violating this section shall be
punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars or by
imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or by both. Each day on
which a violation of this section occurs shall constitute a separate
offense.

6.    Notwithstanding the penalties herein provided, any court of
general equity jurisdiction may enjoin conduct, or threatened con-
duct, proscribed by this article, and may in any such proceeding
award damages, including punitive damages, against the persons
found guilty of actions made unlawful by this section.

SEC. 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, THAT IF ANY
PROVISION OF THIS ACT OR THE APPLICATION THEREOF
TO ANY PERSON OR CIRCUMSTANCE IS HELD INVALID
FOR ANY REASON, THE INVALIDITY SHALL NOT AFFECT
THE OTHER PROVISIONS OR ANY OTHER APPLICATION