1694                            Laws of Maryland                      [Ch. 657

and Punishments," subheading "Gaming," to remove the limit
on cash prizes for various games of chance in Wicomico County;
to remove the requirement that a report filed under this section
contain a reference to said cash prizes; to remove certain limita-
tions on the number of permits issued for games of chance.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 256 of Article 27 of the Annotated Code of Maryland
(1971 Replacement Volume), title "Crimes and Punishments," sub-
title "Crimes and Punishments," subheading "Gaming," be and it
is hereby repealed and re-enacted, with amendments, to read as
follows:

256.

(a)  Sheriff authorized to issue licenses to certain organizations.—
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this subtitle, the Sheriff
of Wicomico County shall be authorized to issue licenses to conduct
games of bingo, raffles and fire company carnivals, at which
carnivals it shall be lawful to award prizes by such devices as are
commonly designated as paddle wheels, wheels of fortune, chance
books or bingo.

Organizations eligible for licenses as aforesaid are listed as
follows:

(1)  A tax-supported volunteer fire company or auxiliary unit of
which the members thereof are directly associated with such fire
company. Tax-supported volunteer fire companies shall be eligible
for all types of licenses hereunder, including specifically a carnival
license, at which only one wheel for cash prizes is authorized.

(2)  A nationally chartered veterans' organization or auxiliary
unit of which the members thereof are directly associated with such
organization.

(3)  A bona fide religious group which has conducted religious
services at a fixed location in Wicomico County for a period of at
least three years prior to the application to the Sheriff.

(4)  A nonprofit organization desiring to raise money for an
exclusively charitable, athletic or educational purpose specifically
described in the application to the Sheriff. To qualify under this
subsection a nonprofit organization must have been operating as
such in Wicomico County for a period of at least three years prior
to the application to the Sheriff.

(b)  Application for license,.—The application to the Sheriff for
the issuance of said license shall contain a certification by one of
the principal officers of the organizations stating the following:

(1)  The time and place of the activities for which the license is
sought.

(2)   That the activities for which the license is sought will be
solely and personally conducted, managed and operated by the
regular members of the organization without the assistance of pro-
fessionals and that no commission, salary, compensation, reward or
recompense will be paid to any person for holding, operating or
conducting, or assisting in the holding, operating, or conducting of a
game of chance, bingo, raffle or carnival.