1696                             Laws of Maryland                      [Ch. 659

CHAPTER 658
(House Bill 1356)

AN ACT to add new Section 478½ to Article 48A of the Annotated
Code of Maryland (1972 Replacement Volume), title "Insurance
Code," subtitle "27. Property Insurance," to follow immediately
after Section 478 thereof, to provide that no "Homeowner's in-
surance policy or similar contract of liability insurance shall be
issued or delivered by any insurer licensed in Maryland to the
owner or occupant of any residential dwelling unit, unless the
policy or contract contains ANY INSURER WHO ISSUES OR
DELIVERS A "HOMEOWNER'S" INSURANCE POLICY
SHALL OFFER AS AN OPTION a provision that the insurer is
liable for loss caused by or resulting from water which backs up
through sewers or drains and which is not caused by the negligence
of the insured.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That new Section 478½ be and it is hereby added to Article 48A
of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1972 Replacement Volume),
title "Insurance Code," subtitle "27. Property Insurance," to follow
immediately after Section 478 thereof, and to read as follows:

478½.

On and after July 1, 1972, no "Homeowner's" insurance policy
or similar contract of liability insurance shall be issued or delivered

by any insurer licensed in this State to the owner or occupant of

any residential dwelling unit; unless the policy or contract contains
a ANY INSURER WHO ISSUES OR DELIVERS A "HOME-
OWNER'S" INSURANCE POLICY SHALL OFFER AS AN OP-
TIONAL provision that the insurer is liable for loss caused by or
resulting from the following: Water which backs up through sewers
or drains and which is not caused by the negligence of the insured.

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

Approved May 26, 1972.

CHAPTER 659
(Senate Bill 7)

AN ACT to add new Section 581A to Article 27 of the Annotated

Code of Maryland (1971 Replacement Volume and 1971 Supple-
ment), title "Crimes and Punishments," to follow immediately
after Section 581 thereof, and to be under the new subtitle "Vehi-
cles Used for Crime," and to repeal and re-enact, with amendments,
subsection (1) of Section 297 of said Article and title of the Code,
subtitle "Health—Controlled Dangerous Substances," to provide

that, subject to certain exceptions, motor vehicles as defined in

Article 66½ of the Code used in connection with the commission of
a felony may be seized and sold, correcting certain errors therein,
and generally relating thereto.