1634                             Laws of Maryland                      [Ch. 628

ments or other assessments (if any) levied against non exempt prop-
erty to finance the water or sewerage systems.

(h) (G) If a political subdivision decides to exercise its powers un-
der this section to establish rates, charges or assessments for its serv-
ices or decides that any modification of an existing rate, charge or
assessment previously established by the political subdivision is neces-
sary or desirable, the political subdivision shall promptly after its de-
cision give notice of the proposed rates, charges or assessments in at
least one newspaper of general circulation in the area in which the
political subdivision owns or operates its water or sewerage system.
The political subdivision shall thereafter conduct a public hearing
on the necessity or advisability of the proposed rates, charges or
assessments. If a political subdivision acquires an existing water or
sewerage system (either public or private), the rates, charges or
assessments to be imposed by the political subdivision on the persons
served by the acquired system shall be treated as the establishment
of a rate, charge or assessment within the meaning of this section.

(j) (H) This section is intended, and shall be deemed, only as ad-
ditional and supplemental authority to political subdivisions to exer-
cise the powers granted hereby. Nothing contained in this section shall
be in any way construed as invalidating any procedures heretofore
initiated or completed by any political subdivision or as limiting,
modifying or amending in any way the provisions of existing law,
whether public general or public local.

(j) (I) The provisions of this section are severable, and it is the
intention to confer the whole or any part of the powers herein
provided for, and if any of the provisions of this section are held
unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, the decision
of the court shall not affect or impair any of the remaining provi-
sions of this section. It is declared to be the legislative intent that
this section would have been adopted had the unconstitutional pro-
vision not been included therein.

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

Approved May 26, 1972.

CHAPTER 628
(House Bill 1480)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 35(b) of
Article 77 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1969 Replacement
Volume and 1971 Supplement), and to add new Section 36B to
Article 77 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1969 Replacement
Volume, 1971 Supplement) all titled "Public Education," subtitle
"Chapter 4—County Boards of Education," to follow immediately
after Section 36A thereof, to provide for the composition, election,
salary, powers and duties of the Board of Education for Howard
County and matters generally relating thereto.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 35(b) of Article 77 of the Annotated Code of Mary-