Ch. 301                             MARVIN MANDEL, Governor                                 699

(e) Every agreement requires the prior approval of the State Law Department as
to legal sufficiency. Financial arrangements in every agreement require the prior
approval of the [State Budget Director] SECRETARY OF BUDGET AND
FISCAL PLANNING.

(f) The Department may have and provide such employees, buildings,
equipment, facilities, and other operating materials for the Local Division as may
be provided in the State budget from time to time.

(g) The employees in the Local Division from time to time shall be provided as
an addition to the regular number of employees.

(h) For the purposes of this section, the word "county" shall include the City of
Baltimore.

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

Approved May 7, 1973.

CHAPTER 301
(House Bill 347)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 36(9) of Article 101 of
the Annotated Code of Maryland (1964 Replacement Volume and 1972
Supplement), title "Workmen's Compensation," subtitle "Claims and
Compensation; Benefits," to make clear that the employer and insurer are liable
for the expenses of vocational rehabilitation required by an employee as a result
of a compensable injury under the Workmen's Compensation Law; to provide
that an employee who resides at home while undergoing vocational
rehabilitation training is not entitled to reimbursement of transportation costs to
and from the place of training except under certain circumstances; and to make
certain changes in the language for the purposes of clarity and conciseness.

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That Section 36(9) of Article 101 of the Annotated Code of
Maryland (1964 Replacement Volume and 1972 Supplement), title "Workmen's
Compensation," subtitle "Claims and Compensation; Benefits," be and it is hereby
repealed and re-enacted, with amendments, to read as follows:

36(9).

(a) When as the result of an injury, an employee is disabled from performing
work for which he was previously qualified, he shall be entitled to [such]
vocational rehabilitation as [may be] reasonably necessary to restore him to
suitable employment. THE EMPLOYER AND INSURER SHALL PAY THE
EXPENSES OF THE VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION. [It shall be the
duty of the] THE commission [to] SHALL refer the employee to an appropriate
rehabilitation evaluation agency for evaluation of the practicability of, need for,
and [kind] TYPE of training necessary and appropriate to render the employee fit
for a remunerative occupation. Vocational rehabilitation training shall not extend
for a period of more than twenty-four (24) months.