562                                 Laws of Maryland                        [Ch. 262

27.

A person who has been found not guilty of any crime by reason
of insanity at the time of the commission of the act, in the dis-
cretion of the court, may be committed to the Department of Mental
Hygiene for confinement in one of the facilities of the State for
examination and evaluation to determine, by the standards applicable
to civil admission proceedings under Sections 11 and 12 of this
article, whether such person by reason of mental disorder would, if
he becomes a free agent, be a danger to himself or to the safety
of the person or property of others. Upon the basis of the report
by the facility, and any other evidence before it, the court may in
its discretion, direct that the person be confined in a facility desig-
nated by the Department for treatment. He shall at any time after
three (3) months from the date of his confinement [of] for examina-
tion and evaluation have the right to apply for his release pursuant
to the provisions of Section 15 of this article. Before a hearing on
such application and petition shall be held the applicant shall present
a copy of the application and petition to the State's attorney of Balti-
more City or the county from which the defendant was committed.
Upon a negative report by the facility, the court having jurisdiction
shall order the person promptly released unless good cause for a con-
trary determination as to dangerousness is shown by the State's
attorney.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
July 1, 1971.

Approved April 29, 1971

CHAPTER 262
(House Bill 4)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 27-8(c)
of Article 33 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1967 Replace-
ment Volume and 1970 Supplement) title "Election Code," sub-
title "Absentee Voting," to eliminate the requirement that ab-
sentee voters sign the oath in the presence of a witness, and
generally relating to the election laws.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 27-8 (c) of Article 33 of the Annotated Code of Mary-
land (1967 Replacement Volume and 1970 Supplement), title "Elec-
tion Code," subtitle "Absentee Voting," be and it is hereby repealed
and re-enacted, with amendments, to read as follows:

27-8.

(c) After sealing the Ballot Envelope, you must [, in the pres-
ence of a witness,] fill in the blanks in the "Oath of Absentee
Resident" on the Ballot Envelope(s) and sign (Do not print) your
name on the line indicated.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
June JULY 1, 1971.

Approved April 29, 1971