1364                             Laws of Maryland                      [Ch. 449

(3) May sign subpoenas, administer oaths and affirmation, ex-
amine witnesses and receive evidence.

(b) In case of disobedience of any subpoena or the contumacy
of any witness appearing before the Comptroller or his duly author-
ized agent or representative, the Comptroller may apply to the circuit
court of any of the counties or to the Baltimore City Court for an
order. Such court may thereupon issue an order requiring the sub-
poena or give evidence or produce books, accounts, records, papers,
and correspondence touching the matter in question. Any failure
to obey such an order of court, may be punished by such court as a
contempt thereof.

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

Approved May 26, 1972.

CHAPTER 449
(Senate Bill 707)

AN ACT to add new Section 257 256A to Article 41 of the Annotated
Code of Maryland (1971 Replacement Volume), title "Governor—
Executive and Administrative Departments," subtitle "Adminis-
trative Procedure Act," to follow immediately after Section 256
thereof, giving the political subdivisions of the State and their
agencies and instrumentalities, certain status respecting matters
under the Administrative Procedure Act.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That new Section 257 256A be and it is hereby added to Article 41 of
the Annotated Code of Maryland (1971 Replacement Volume), title
"Governor—Executive and Administrative Departments," subtitle
"Administrative Procedure Act," to follow immediately after Section
256 thereof and to read as follows:

257. 256A.

For the purposes of this subtitle, the political subdivisions of this
State and their agencies and instrumentalities have the status of an
interested person, petitioner, OR party, or aggrieved party, as the
case may be, FOR THE PURPOSE OF DETERMINING WHO
IS AN AGGRIEVED PARTY in all matters including appeals.
FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBTITLE, THE POLITICAL
SUBDIVISIONS OF THIS STATE AND THEIR AGENCIES AND
INSTRUMENTALITIES HAVE THE STATUS OF AN INTER-
ESTED PERSON, PETITIONER, OR PARTY, AS THE CASE
MAY BE, IN ALL MATTERS INCLUDING APPEALS.

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

Approved May 26, 1972.