1892                                                 LAWS OF MARYLAND                             [Ch. 554

State's attorney and other appropriate law—enforcement
agencies having jurisdiction shall take such lawful
action as may be appropriate in the circumstances.

(h) (1) Any person, including a health
practitioner, educator, 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 as a result
thereof.

(2)    ANY PHYSICIAN LICENSED TO PRACTICE
MEDICINE IN MARYLAND WHO SHALL BE PRESENTED WITH A CHILD
PURSUANT TO AN ORDER OF A COURT OF COMPETENT
JURISDICTION, OR BY A LAW-ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OR BY A
REPRESENTATIVE OF A LOCAL DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
WHO STATES HE HAS THE CHILD IN HIS CUSTODY AS A CHILD
WHOM HE HAS REASON TO BELIEVE IS AN ABUSED CHILD, SHALL
EXAMINE SAID CHILD WITH OR WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF A
PARENT, GUARDIAN OR CUSTODIAN OF SAID CHILD TO DETERMINE
THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF INJURY OR INJURIES OR SEXUAL
ABUSE, IF ANY, TO SAID CHILD. ANY SUCH PHYSICIAN AMD ANY
PUBLIC OR PRIVATE HEALTH CARE INSTITUTION WITH WHICH HE
MIGHT BE AFFILIATED OR TO WHICH THE CHILD MIGHT BE
BROUGHT, AND THOSE PERSONS WORKING UNDER THE CONTROL OR
SUPERVISION OF SAID PHYSICIAN OR SUCH HEALTH CARE
INSTITUTION WHO SHALL SO EXAMINE OR PARTICIPATE IN THE
EXAMINATION OF SAID CHILD SHALL BE IMMUNE FROM CIVIL
LIABILITY AND/OR CRIMINAL PENALTY THAT MIGHT RESULT FROM
FAILURE TO OBTAIN CONSENT FROM THE PARENT, GUARDIAN OR
CUSTODIAN TO EXAMINE THE CHILD.

(3)    ANY PHYSICIAN LICENSED TO PRACTICE
MEDICINE IN MARYLAND WHO SHALL BE PRESENTED WITH A CHILD
PURSUANT TO AN ORDER OF A COURT OF COMPETENT
JURISDICTION, OR BY A LAW-ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OR BY A
REPRESENTATIVE OF A LOCAL DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
WHO STATES HE HAS THE CHILD IN HIS CUSTODY AS A CHILD
WHOM HE HAS REASON TO BELIEVE IS AN ABUSED CHILD, WHO
SHALL HAVE EXAMINED ANY CHILD PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS
OF SECTION (I)(1) WHO SHALL DETERMINE THAT IMMEDIATE
MEDICAL TREATMENT IS INDICATED MAY PROVIDE SUCH TREATMENT
TO SAID CHILD WITH OR WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF A PARENT,
GUARDIAN OR CUSTODIAN OF SAID CHILD. ANY SUCH PHYSICIAN
OR HEALTH CARE INSTITUTION AND THOSE PERSONS WORKING
UNDER THE CONTROL OR SUPERVISION OF SAID PHYSICIAN OR
HEALTH CARE INSTITUTION SO TREATING SAID CHILD SHALL BE
IMMUNE FROM CIVIL LIABILITY AND/OR CRIMINAL PENALTY THAT
MIGHT RESULT FROM THE FAILURE TO OBTAIN THE CONSENT FROM
THE PARENT, GUARDIAN OR CUSTODIAN FOR THE TREATMENT OF
THE CHILD.