768                              Laws of Maryland                      [Ch. 234

tobacco stored therein may sustain, and for failure so to do, he shall
be liable to the owners of such tobacco for any damage or loss such
owners may sustain by reason of any partial or total destruction
of said tobacco by fire, or water if same shall have been covered
by insurance. A reasonable amount for the expense of such insur-
ance coverage may be charged against the account of any person
having tobacco for sale or storage in such warehouse; provided,
however, that if such insurance coverage be furnished to the owners
of tobacco held for sale or in storage in such warehouse, by any
selling or commission agent, it shall not be necessary for such ware-
house to provide such insurance coverage.]

51.

(a) The owner of every warehouse except the State tobacco ware-
houses holding tobacco for sale shall keep an open policy of insur-
ance upon the contents of his warehouse sufficient to cover every
loss by fire which any person having tobacco stored therein for the
purpose of sale may sustain, and for failure so to do he shall be
liable to the owners of such tobacco for any loss owners may sustain
by reason of any partial or total destruction of tobacco by fire. A
reasonable amount for the expense of insurance coverage may be
charged against the account of any person having tobacco for sale
in such warehouse; provided, however, that if insurance coverage is
furnished to the owners of tobacco held for sale in such warehouses
by any buyer or seller or the agent of such, it will not be necessary
for the owners of the warehouse to provide such insurance coverage.

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

Approved May 5, 1972.

CHAPTER 234
(Senate Bill 739)

AN ACT to add new Section 149A to Article 83 of the Annotated
Code of Maryland (1969 Replacement Volume), title "Sales and
Notices," subtitle "Retail Installment Sales," to provide the Com-
missioner of Small Loans with the authority to issue cease and
desist orders relating to the Retail Installment Sales Act.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That new Section 149A be and it is hereby added to Article 83 of
the Annotated Code of Maryland, (1969 Replacement Volume), title
"Sales and Notices," subtitle "Retail Installment Sales," to follow
immediately after Section 149 thereof, and to read as follows:

149A.

(a) If, after a hearing held in accordance with Section 162 of
this article subsequent to at least ten days' written notice of the
complaint and the time and place of the hearing to the persons by
registered mail to his principal place of business, the Commissioner