Marvin Mandel, Governor                       1313

CHAPTER 418
(Senate Bill 498)

AN ACT to add new Section 556C to Article 43 of the Annotated
Code of Maryland (1971 Replacement Volume), title "Health,"
subtitle "Hospitals and Related Institutions," to follow imme-
diately after Section 556B thereof, to prohibit hospitals and
related health care institutions from granting discounts and
splitting fees with medical referral services and providing penal-
ties for the violation of this prohibition.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That new Section 556C be and it is hereby added to Article 43 of
the Annotated Code of Maryland (1971 Replacement Volume), title
"Health," subtitle "Hospitals and Related Institutions," to follow
immediately after Section 556B thereof, and to read as follows:

556C.

(a)  No hospital or related institution shall grant or receive a
discount to or from any medical referral service or in any manner
split fees with a medical referral service.

(b)  Any person who shall grant or receive a discount to or from
any medical referral service or in any manner split fees with a
medical referral service shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon
conviction thereof shall be liable to a fine of not more than One
Hundred Dollars ($100.00) for the first offense and not more than
Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) for each subsequent offense.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
July 1, 1972.

Approved May 26, 1972.

CHAPTER 419
(Senate Bill 500)

AN ACT to add new Section 129A to Article 43 of the Annotated
Code of Maryland (1971 Replacement Volume), title "Health,"
subtitle "Practitioners of Medicine," to follow immediately after
Section 129 thereof, to prohibit medical ABORTION referral
businesses engaged in for profit, and further prohibiting contracts
or agreements to accept ABORTION referrals from certain medi-
cal referral businesses located out of state, and providing injunctive
relief and penalties in the event of violation.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That new Section 129A be and it is hereby added to Article 43 of
the Annotated Code of Maryland (1971 Replacement Volume), title
"Health," subtitle "Practitioners of Medicine," to follow immediately
after Section 129 thereof, and to read as follows: