1294                             Laws of Maryland                      [Ch. 408

mission's decision and order in a proceeding brought in the equity
court of the county or Baltimore City wherein the unlawful employ-
ment practice which is the subject of the Commission's order occurred,
or the county or Baltimore City wherein any person, required in the
order to cease and desist from an unlawful employment practice or
to take other affirmative action, resides or conducts his business. The
record on the Commission's petition for enforcement shall consist
solely of duly certified records of the Commission showing that it
has jurisdiction over the respondent, that the procedure prescribed

by this article has been complied with, and a certified copy of the

Commission's order with proof of service. On such a petition, the

inquiry of the court shall be limited to a determination of whether

the action of the Commission is in excess of its statutory authority or
jurisdiction and whether the respondent has substantially complied
with the order of the Commission.

Any person (including one acting for or on behalf of a firm, asso-
ciation, or corporation) is guilty of a misdemeanor if

(1) He has claimed to be aggrieved under the provisions of this
subtitle; and

(2) He has pursued the complaint under Sections 14, 15 and 15A
of this subtitle, or any one of these sections; and

(3) The Commission has found the complaint to be unfounded or
has dismissed it without further action against the respondent; and

(4) The court has found the complaint to have been made mali-

ciously; and

Upon conviction thereof in the appropriate criminal court, he is
subject to a fine of not more than five hundred dollars, or to imprison-

ment for a period not exceeding one year, or to both such fine and

imprisonment in the discretion of the court.

     This section shall not be construed or applied to deny the right

of a respondent to bring any civil action against one who has filed a
complaint under this subtitle.

16.

(a) During the investigation of any complaint alleging a violation
of Sections 11, 11B, 17, 18, 19, or 23 of this article, and until said
matters reach the stage of public hearings, the activities of all mem-
bers of the Commission and employees thereof in connection with
said investigation shall be conducted in confidence and without pub-
licity, and the Commission shall hold confidential any information
in relation thereto, including the identity of the complainant and the
respondent, except that

(i) Any information may be released at any time if the release
has been agreed to in writing by both complainant and respondent;
and

(ii) The identity of the complainant may be disclosed to the
respondent at any time;

     (iii) This section shall not apply to the release of information by

the Commission or any employee thereof to the General Assembly

15B.