1712                                     LAWS OF MARYLAND                                 Ch. 835

department of social services the local State's attorney [and other appropriate
law-enforcement or social agencies having jurisdiction] shall assist in the
investigation.

[(f)] (G) Based on their findings, the local department of social services shall
render the appropriate service in the best interests of the child, including, when
indicated, petitioning the juvenile court in behalf of the child for the added
protection to the child which either commitment or custody would provide. The
local State's attorney and other appropriate law-enforcement agencies having
jurisdiction shall take such lawful action as may be appropriate in the
circumstances.

[(g)] (H) Any PERSON, INCLUDING A health practitioner, [education]
EDUCATOR, [health, mental health,] or social worker or law-enforcement
officer, participating in the making of a GOOD FAITH report pursuant to this
section or participating in AN INVESTIGATION OR IN a judicial proceeding
resulting therefrom shall in so doing be immune from any civil liability OR
CRIMINAL PENALTY that might otherwise be incurred or imposed [in
connection with such report] AS A RESULT THEREOF.

[(h)] (I) The State Department of Social Services shall AND EACH LOCAL
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES MAY maintain a central registry of
cases reported under this section, which data shall be furnished by the respective
local departments of social services throughout the State of Maryland and this
data shall be at the disposal of local departments of social services, social agencies,
public health agencies, law-enforcement agencies, as well as licensed health
practitioners and health and education institutions licensed or regulated by the
State of Maryland.

Article 35

4.

In the trial of all indictments, complaints and other proceedings against persons
charged with the commission of crimes and offenses, and in all proceedings in the
nature of criminal proceedings in any court of this State, and before an officer
acting judicially, the person so charged shall at his own request, but not otherwise,
be deemed a competent witness; but the neglect or refusal of any such person to
testify shall not create any presumption against him. In all criminal proceedings
the husband or wife of the accused party shall be competent to testify; but in no
case, civil or criminal, shall any husband or wife be competent to disclose any
confidential communication made by the one to the other during the marriage, nor
shall the husband or wife be compelled to testify as an adverse party or witness in
any criminal proceeding involving his or her spouse, except when such proceedings
involves the abuse of a child under [sixteen] EIGHTEEN years pursuant to [§
11A] 35A of Article 27 of this Code, as amended from time to time; and in suits,
actions, bills or other proceedings instituted in consequence of adultery, or for the
purpose of obtaining a divorce, or for damages for breach of promise of marriage,
no verdict shall be permitted to be recovered, nor shall any judgment or decree be
entered upon the testimony of the plaintiff alone; but in all such cases testimony in
corroboration of that of the plaintiff shall be necessary; but in suits, actions, bills
or other proceedings instituted for the purpose of obtaining a divorce a vinculo
matrimonii upon the grounds of husband and wife having voluntarily lived separate
and apart, without any cohabitation for eighteen consecutive months, with such
separation being beyond any reasonable expectation of reconciliation, where both
husband and wife prior to the filing of the bill of complaint upon such grounds for