Ch. 393                            MARVIN MANDEL, Governor                                  837

CHAPTER 392
(Senate Bill 387)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 7 of Article 35 of the
Annotated Code of Maryland (1971 Replacement Volume), title "Evidence,"
subtitle "Competency of Witness," to [[provide that certain evidentiary rules
shall apply equally to each spouse.]] remove a wife's defense of coercion for
certain crimes committed in her husband's presence,

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That Section 7 of Article 35 of the Annotated Code of Maryland
(1971 Replacement Volume), title "Evidence," subtitle "Competency of Witness,"
be and it is hereby repealed and re-enacted, with amendments, to read as follows:

7.

Any presumption of the law that an offense committed by a [[[]]wife[[[]]
[[SPOUSE]] in the presence of [[[]]her husband[[[]] [[THE OTHER
SPOUSE]] is committed under the coercion of [[[]]the husband[[]]] [[THAT
OTHER SPOUSE]] is hereby abolished [[, but on a charge against a [wife]
SPOUSE, for any offense other than treason or murder it shall be a good defense
[for her] to prove that the offense was committed in the presence of, and under
the coercion of, the [husband] OTHER SPOUSE]].

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

Approved May 21, 1973.

CHAPTER 393
(Senate Bill 408)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 149(b) of Article 89B
of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1969 Replacement Volume), title "State
Roads," subtitle "Bonds, Notes or Other Evidence of Indebtedness,"
subheading "John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway Revenue Bonds," to change
the percentage of total service stations on the John F. Kennedy Memorial
Highway which one person may lease or use, or at which motor fuel identified
by the trademarks, trade names or brands of any one supplier, distributor or
retailer may be sold, and to clarify the language relating thereto.

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That Section 149(b) of Article 89B of the Annotated Code of
Maryland (1969 Replacement Volume), title "State Roads," subtitle "Bonds,
Notes or Other Evidence of Indebtedness," subheading "John F. Kennedy
Memorial Highway Revenue Bonds," be and it is hereby repealed and re-enacted,
with amendments, to read as follows:

149.

(b) Notwithstanding any of the foregoing provisions of this section, the
Commission may, by resolution passed prior to the issuance of revenue bonds
under the provisions of this subheading or in the trust agreement securing such
bonds, covenant to pay all or any part of the cost of maintaining, repairing and