Ch. 306                             MARVIN MANDEL, Governor                                 705

to someone other than the owner, and to [[reduce]] change the time from six
months to [[four months]] one hundred and eighty days to preserve a lien, and
to reduce the expiration period of a filed lien from two to one year.

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That Sections 9-103(a), 9-105(d) and 9-106 of Article 21 of the
Annotated Code of Maryland (1966 Replacement Volume and 1972 Interim
Supplement), title "Real Property," subtitle "Mechanics' Liens," be and they are
hereby repealed and re-enacted, with amendments, to read as follows:

9-103.

(a) If the contract for furnishing such work or materials, or both, shall have
been made with an architect or builder or any other person except the owner of the
land on which the building may be erected, or his agent the person so doing work
or furnishing materials, or both, shall not be entitled to a lien unless, within ninety
days after furnishing the same, he or his agent shall give notice in writing [[BY
REGISTERED MAIL]], WHICH MAY INCLUDE REGISTERED MAIL, to
such owner or agent, if resident within the city or county, of his intention to claim
such lien.

9-105.

(d) Every such debt shall be a lien until after the expiration of [six] [[FOUR
months]] ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY DAYS, after the work has been
finished or the materials furnished, although no claim has been filed therefor, but
no longer, unless a claim shall be filed at or before the expiration of that period.

9-106.

The lien of every such debt for which a claim may have been filed according to
the provisions of this article shall expire at the end of [two years] ONE YEAR
from the day on which it was filed, during which time the claimant may bring
proceedings in equity to enforce a lien, and the owner of the property subject to
the lien, or any other person interested therein, may bring proceedings in equity to
compel the claimant to prove the validity of the lien or have it declared void and
the expiration of such lien shall be stayed by the filing, within said [two]
ONE-year period, of any such proceeding in equity until the conclusion of such
proceeding.

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

Approved May 7, 1973.

CHAPTER 306
(House Bill 539)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Sections 568H 568U and
568W of Article 43 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1971 Replacement
Volume and 1972 Supplement), title "Health," subtitle "Health Services Cost
Review Commission," amending the time period within which the Health
Services Cost Review Commission shall assure the public that the costs, services
and rates of hospitals under its jurisdiction are reasonably related and amending