Ch. 528                             MARVIN MANDEL, Governor                                 1155

to the approval of the inspector. Renewal may be affected at any time in the
month of July by the payment of a fee often dollars ($10.00).

(k) The inspector shall have the power to revoke the certificate of any general
contractor or subcontractor registered hereunder who is found guilty of any fraud
or deceit in obtaining a registration, or gross negligence, incompetence or
misconduct in the practice of his profession, or willful violation of any provision of
this subtitle.

(I) Any person may prefer charges of such fraud, deceit, negligence or
misconduct against any general contractor or subcontractor registered hereunder.
Such charges shall be in writing and sworn to by the complainant and submitted to
the inspector. Such charges unless dismissed without a hearing by the inspector as
unfounded or trivial, shall be heard and determined within three months after the
date in which they were preferred. A time and place of such hearings shall be fixed
by the inspector and the hearing shall be held in the county in which the cause of
such charges originated. A copy of the charges together with notice of the time and
place of the hearing will be legally served on the accused at least thirty days before
the fixed date for the hearing, and in the event that such service cannot be effected,
thirty days before such hearing, then the date of the hearing and determination
shall be postponed as may be necessary to permit the carrying out of this
condition. At the hearing the accused shall have the right to appear personally and
by counsel and to cross-examine witnesses against him, and to produce evidence of
witnesses in his defense. In connection with any such hearing, the inspector will
have the power to issue subpoenas requiring the attendance of witnesses and the
production of records, papers, and other documents, which shall be served by the
respective sheriffs of the counties and Baltimore City. If after such hearing the
inspector shall find the accused guilty of any fraud or deceit in the obtaining of
any certificate of registration, or of gross negligence, incompetency or misconduct
in practice, he shall revoke the registration of the accused; provided, however, the
right of appeal shall be from the decision of the inspector in all cases to the circuit
court having jurisdiction where the contract is to be performed, or where the cause
of the charges originated, and pending such appeal, such contractor may continue
to operate until final adjudication.

(m) The inspector may at any time reissue a certificate of registration to any
person whose certificate has been revoked, provided, however, the applicant has
not been found guilty of any fraud or deceit in obtaining any certificate of
registration, or of gross negligence or incompetency or misconduct in practice of
his profession by any court of record in Maryland or elsewhere.

(n) The inspector shall immediately notify the Comptroller and the clerk of the
circuit court of each county in the State and the clerk of the Superior Court of
Baltimore City of its findings in the case of revocation of certificate or the
reissuance of a revoked certificate.

(o) A certificate of registration to replace any certificate lost, destroyed, or
mutilated may be issued subject to rules and regulations of the Comptroller.

(p) The issuance of a certificate of registration by the inspector shall be evidence
that the person named therein is entitled to engage in business as a general
contractor or subcontractor while the certificate remains unrevoked or unexpired.

(q)

(1) Any person upon making application to the building inspector or such
other authority of any incorporated city or town, or county in this State, charged
with the duty of issuing building or other permits for the construction of any
building, highway, sewer, grading or any improvement or structure where the cost