1486                                     LAWS OF MARYLAND                                 Ch. 706

than three percentum (3%) of the registered voters who are eligible to vote for the
office for which such nomination by petition is sought. The number of registered
voters shall be determined as of the commencement of the [six-month] FOUR
MONTH period before the primary election for which the nomination is sought.
Candidates nominated by petition must pay the fee prescribed in § 6A-6 of this
article in the same manner as candidates for nomination at a primary election,
with the filing of the certificate of candidacy of the candidate. Such fees shall be
disposed of in the same manner as provided in § 4A-8 of this article.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take
effect July 1, 1973.

Approved May 24, 1973.

CHAPTER 706
(Senate Bill 734)

AN ACT to add new Section 12 to Article 79 of the Annotated Code of Maryland
(1969 Replacement Volume and 1972 Supplement), title "Releases and
Receipts," to follow immediately after Section 11 thereof, prohibiting the
obtaining of settlements, releases, statements and contingent fee agreements or
their solicitation from certain injured persons under certain circumstances.

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That new Section 12 be and it is hereby added to Article 79 of the
Annotated Code of Maryland (1969 Replacement Volume and 1972 Supplement),
title "Releases and Receipts," to follow immediately after Section 11 thereof, and
to read as follows:

12.

(A)  NO PERSON WHOSE INTEREST IS OR MAY BECOME ADVERSE
TO AN INJURED PERSON WHO IS CONFINED TO A HOSPITAL OR
SANITARIUM AS A PATIENT SHALL, WITHIN FIFTEEN DAYS FROM
THE DATE OF THE OCCURRENCE CAUSING THE PERSON'S INJURY:
(I) NEGOTIATE OR ATTEMPT TO NEGOTIATE A SETTLEMENT WITH
THE INJURED PATIENT; OR (II) OBTAIN OR ATTEMPT TO OBTAIN A
GENERAL RELEASE OF LIABILITY FROM THE INJURED PATIENT;
OR (III) OBTAIN OR ATTEMPT TO OBTAIN ANY STATEMENT,
EITHER WRITTEN OR ORAL FROM THE INJURED PATIENT [[. ]] , FOR
USE IN NEGOTIATING A SETTLEMENT OR OBTAINING A RELEASE.

(B)  ANY SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ENTERED INTO [[,]] OR ANY
GENERAL RELEASE OF LIABILITY [[OR ANY WRITTEN OR ORAL
STATEMENT]] MADE BY ANY PERSON WHO IS CONFINED IN A
HOSPITAL OR SANITARIUM AFTER HE INCURS A PERSONAL
INJURY WHICH IS OBTAINED CONTRARY TO THE PROVISIONS OF
(A) HEREOF SHALL NOT BE EVIDENTIAL IN ANY COURT ACTION
RELATING TO THE INJURY AND SHALL NOT BE UTILIZED FOR ANY
PURPOSE IN ANY LEGAL ACTION IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.

[[(C) WHERE A PERSON IS INJURED AND CONFINED TO A
HOSPITAL OR SANITARIUM DUE TO SAID INJURIES, NO
ATTORNEY, DURING THE FIRST FIFTEEN DAYS OF SAID PERSON'S