Ch. 706                          MARVIN MANDEL, Governor                              1487

CONFINEMENT, EXCEPT HIS OWN ATTORNEY, SHALL ENTER OR
ATTEMPT TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT RELATING TO
COMPENSATION WHOLLY OR PARTLY ON A CONTINGENT BASIS
WITH SAID PERSON IN CONNECTION WITH HIS INJURIES.]]

[[(D) THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION RELATING TO
SETTLEMENTS. RELEASES [[,]] AND STATEMENTS HAND
CONTINGENT FEE AGREEMENTS]] OBTAINED FROM A PATIENT
CONFINED IN A HOSPITAL OR SANITARIUM SHALL NOT APPLY, IF
PRIOR TO OBTAINING THE SETTLEMENT, RELEASE, [[,]] OR
STATEMENT [[OR CONTINGENT FEE AGREEMENT]], THE INJURED
PARTY HAS SIGNIFIED IN WRITING, BY A STATEMENT
ACKNOWLEDGED BEFORE A NOTARY PUBLIC, WHO HAS NO
INTEREST ADVERSE TO THE INJURED PARTY, HIS WILLINGNESS
THAT A SETTLEMENT, RELEASE [[,]] OR STATEMENT [[OR
CONTINGENT FEE AGREEMENT]] BE GIVEN. ]]

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

Approved May 24, 1973.

CHAPTER 707
(Senate Bill 779)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 15 of Article 47 of the
Annotated Code of Maryland (1971 Replacement Volume), title "Insolvents,"
to provide that health, welfare and pension contributions [[negotiated]]
contracted in lieu of wages, be included in preferred status for money due from
adjudged insolvents, those in receivership and those making an assignment for
benefit of creditors.

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF

MARYLAND, That Section 15 of Article 47 of the Annotated Code of Maryland
(1971 Replacement Volume), title "Insolvents," be and it is hereby repealed and
re-enacted, with amendments, to read as follows:

15.

Whenever any person or body corporate shall make an assignment for the
benefit of his, her or its creditors, or shall be adjudicated insolvent upon his, her or
its petition, or upon the petition of any creditor or creditors, or shall have his, her
or its property or estate taken possession of by a receiver under a decree of a court
of equity, in the distribution of the property or estate of such person or body
corporate, all the money due and owing from such person or body corporate for
(1) wages, (2) salaries, (3) HEALTH, WELFARE AND PENSION
CONTRIBUTIONS [[NEGOTIATED]] CONTRACTED. IN LIEU OF
WAGES, or (4) commissions to clerks, servants, salesmen or employees contracted
not more than three months anterior to the execution of such assignment,
adjudication of insolvency, or appointment of receiver, shall first be paid in full out
of such property or estate, after payment of the proper and legitimate costs,
expenses and commissions, and shall be preferred to all claims against the property
and estate of such insolvent person or body corporate, except the lien claims of
such persons as shall hold liens upon such property or estate, recorded at least