870                                        LAWS OF MARYLAND                                Ch. 413

and after regular school hours. Most working mothers must leave home some time
before the children can get into school for the day, and return home well after the
school hours. Day care centers where a mother could leave her child in safety and
comfort on her way to work and pick him up on her way home would do much
toward putting to rest the current fears of many working mothers concerning the
safety and well being of their children. Many mothers, including some "welfare
mothers," who now cannot work for that very reason could then join the work
force and be productive; now, therefore,

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That Section 97 of Article 77 of the Annotated Code of Maryland
([[1969 Replacement Volume and]] 1972 Supplement), title "Public Education,"
subtitle "Chapter 6. The Public Schools," be and it is hereby repealed and
re-enacted, with amendments, to read as follows:

97.

(A) The use of public school facilities for community purposes shall be
encouraged by the county boards of education. When written application has been
made to the superintendent of schools, the county board shall provide for the use
of the public school facilities for the presentation and discussion of public
questions, public speaking, lectures, or for other civic, educational, social, or
recreational purposes or church affiliated civic purposes. [, provided, however, that
(a) such] THESE gatherings or meetings shall be open to the public[; and (b)
the]. THE county board may refuse the use of any school facility for the purposes
stated above if it appears that [such] THIS use may be likely to provoke or add
to a public riot or breach of the peace, or create a clear and present danger to the
peace and welfare of the county [of] OR the State. The county board may permit
a partisan political organization which has polled ten percent or more of the entire
vote cast in the State in the last preceding general election to use public school
facilities for programs and meetings in relation to a political campaign for
nomination or election to public office of any candidate or candidates. The county
board of education is hereby authorized to allow, at its discretion, the use of public
school facilities for religious purposes or other lawful purposes. [Said] THE
school facilities are to be used for any of the purposes authorized by this section
only at [such] THOSE times [as] WHICH will not interfere with regular school
sessions or other bona fide school activities.

(B) [[BEFORE THE OPENING AND AFTER THE CLOSE OF SCHOOL,
THE LOCAL BOARDS OF EDUCATION AND THE BOARD OF SCHOOL
COMMISSIONERS OF BALTIMORE CITY SHALL GIVE PRIORITY FOR
THE USE OF SPACE BY ACCREDITED DAY CARE PROGRAMS. RULES
AND REGULATIONS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS
PROGRAM SHALL BE PROMULGATED BY EACH LOCAL BOARD OF
EDUCATION AND THE BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS OF
BALTIMORE CITY.]] THE LOCAL BOARD OF EDUCATION AND THE
BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS OF BALTIMORE CITY SHALL
GIVE PRIORITY TO DAY CARE PROGRAMS FOR THE USE OF PUBLIC
SCHOOL FACILITIES BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL HOURS,
PROVIDED THE PROGRAM AND SCHOOL FACILITY COMPLY WITH
THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL
HYGIENE REGULATIONS GOVERNING GROUP PAY CARE CENTERS
AND ANY SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS THERETO. RULES AND
REGULATIONS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PROGRAM
SHALL BE PROMULGATED BY EACH LOCAL BOARD OF EDUCATION
AND THE BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS OF BALTIMORE
CITY, BUT SUCH RULES AND REGULATIONS SHALL BE
CONSISTENT WITH THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF