1340                             Laws of Maryland                      [Ch. 434

Volume), title "Clerks of Court," COURTS," subtitle "General
Duties of Clerks," to place employees of the Office of the Clerk of
Court in Washington County in the State Merit System as of a
certain date, to provide that such employees shall not suffer
diminution of salary or loss of benefits and shall receive credit for
purposes of the State employees' pension system and making this
Act contingent upon the adoption of an amendment to the Consti-

tution to provide that the Clerk of Court in Washington County

shall be appointed rather than elected. AND MAKING THIS ACT
SUBJECT TO A CONTINGENCY.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 24 of Article 17 of the Annotated Code of Maryland
(1966 Replacement Volume), title "Clerks of Court," COURTS,"
subtitle "General Duties of Clerks," be and it is hereby repealed
and re-enacted, with amendments, to read as follows:

24.

(a)  The State Comptroller, on application of the clerk of the
court in any county or the clerk of any of the courts in Baltimore
City, or on his own initiative, shall have the authority and power
to fix the compensation or salary of all of the employees in the
office of any of said clerks, which compensation or salary is paid
by the State or out of the fees of such office; provided, however,
that in no event shall any compensation or salary be fixed at an
amount less than that being paid such employee or employees on
July 1, 1945, whether such salary be fixed by general or local law
or otherwise. Provided, however, that on or after July 1, 1955, the
State Comptroller shall allow and pay a salary increase of $1,500.00
per year to each chief deputy clerk of the several clerks of court
in Baltimore City. Said increase shall be based upon and to be in
addition to the compensation or salary received by each such chief
deputy clerk immediately prior to July 1, 1955. Provided, however,
that on or after July 1, 1957, the State Comptroller shall allow and
pay a salary increase of $500.00 per year to each of the non-
elected employees of the civil and criminal courts in Baltimore City.
On and after July 1, 1965, the State Comptroller shall allow and
pay a salary increase to each of the nonelected employees of the
civil and criminal courts in Baltimore City and of the circuit courts
in the counties commensurate with those granted to State employees.

(b)  In Washington County, all employees of the Office of the
Clerk of Court who has HAVE been so employed for a period of not
less than six months as of January 1, 1973, shall be included in the
classified service of the State and subject generally to the rights,
duties and procedures applicable under Article 64A of the Code,
title "Merit System," without further examination or qualification,
and without diminution of salary or loss of any benefits to which
entitled prior to January 1, 1973. AM employees who similarly

become subject to the State employees' pension system under Article

73B of this Code shall be credited with all prior service rendered

Washington County to which they were entitled prior to January 1,

1973 for purposes of retirement and death benefits and rates of
contribution under Article 73B.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
contingent upon the adoption of an amendment to Section 25 26 of