1574                                     LAWS OF MARYLAND                                 Ch. 746

TOTAL ESTIMATED REVENUES, [[,]] INCLUDING ANY REVISIONS,
AND IN THE BUDGET BILL AS ENACTED THE FIGURE FOR TOTAL
ESTIMATED REVENUES ALWAYS SHALL BE EQUAL TO OR EXCEED
THE FIGURE FOR TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the aforegoing
section hereby proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of Maryland, at the
next general election to be held in this State in November 1974, shall be submitted
to the legal and qualified voters thereof for their adoption or rejection in pursuance
of directions contained in Article 14 of the Constitution of this State, and at the
said general election, the vote on the said proposed amendment to the Constitution
shall be by ballot, and upon each ballot there shall be printed the words "For the
Constitutional Amendment" and "Against the Constitutional Amendment" as now
prescribed by law, and, immediately after said election, all returns shall be made to
the Governor of the vote for and against said proposed amendment, as directed by
said Article 14 of the Constitution, and further proceedings had in accordance with
said Article 14.

Approved May 24, 1973.

CHAPTER 746
(House Bill 28)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 61A of Article [[48]]
48A of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1971 Replacement Volume), title
"Insurance Code," subtitle "3. Insurers: Authorization and General
Requirements," to provide that an insurance company may not except under
certain circumstances decline to issue or renew policies of motor vehicle,
property or casualty insurance because of geographic factors.

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That Section 61A of Article [[48]] 48A of the Annotated Code of
Maryland (1971 Replacement Volume), title "Insurance Code," subtitle "3.
Insurers: Authorization and General Requirements," be and it is hereby repealed
and re-enacted, with amendments, to read as follows:

61A.

No insurer shall decline to issue or renew contracts of motor vehicle,
PROPERTY OR CASUALTY insurance solely on account of the geographic area
within this State wherein is located the subject of the risk or the applicant's or
insured's address [ [ [, unless such insurer not less than sixty (60) days previously
shall have filed with the Commissioner a written statement designating such
geographic area, which statement shall be an open filing with the Commissioner as
a matter of public record].]] , unless such insurer not less than sixty (60) days
previously shall have filed with the Commissioner a written statement designating
such geographic area, which statement shall be an open filing with the
Commissioner as a matter of public record; PROVIDED, THAT THE
DESIGNATED GEOGRAPHIC AREA SHALL HAVE AN OBJECTIVE
BASIS AND SHALL NOT BE ARBITRARY OR UNREASONABLE...

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