MARVIN MANDEL, Governor                             1939

MARYLAND, That new Section 251B be and it is hereby added
to Article 27 — Crimes and Punishments, of the Annotated
Code of Maryland (1971 Replacement Volume and 1975
Supplement) to read as follows:

Article 27 — Crimes and Punishments

251B.

THIS SUBTITLE MAY NOT BE CONSTRUED TO MAKE IT
UNLAWFUL FOR A BONAFIDE FRATERNAL, CIVIC, WAR VETERANS,
RELIGIOUS, EDUCATIONAL OR CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION OR
CORPORATION OR VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY IN WORCESTER COUNTY
TO CONDUCT A RAFFLE FOR THE BENEFIT OF A CHARITY IN THAT
COUNTY OR IN FURTHERANCE OF THE PURPOSES OF THAT
ORGANIZATION, CORPORATION OR VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY[[,]]
. HOWEVER, AN INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS MAY NOT
BENEFIT PERSONALLY FROM THE HOLDING OF ANY RAFFLE. AT A
RAFFLE IT SHALL BE LAWFUL TO AWARD PRIZES BY DEVICES
COMMONLY KNOWN AS PADDLE WHEELS, WHEELS OF FORTUNE OR
CHANCE BOOKS. A GROUP, ORGANIZATION, CORPORATION OR
VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY MUST FIRST OBTAIN FROM THE COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF WORCESTER COUNTY A PERMIT, WHICH
PROVIDES THAT THE RAFFLE BE MANAGED AND OPERATED ONLY BY
MEMBERS OF THAT GROUP, ORGANIZATION, CORPORATION OR
VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY PERSONALLY.

THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF WORCESTER COUNTY ARE
AUTHORIZED TO ADOPT AND AMEND REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE
ISSUANCE OF RAFFLE PERMITS, TO CHARGE A FEE OF TEN
DOLLARS FOR EACH RAFFLE PERMIT, TO REQUIRE A STATEMENT
UNDER OATH AT THE CONCLUSION OF EACH RAFFLE TO BE FILED
BY THE ORGANIZATION FOR WHOM A PERMIT HAS BEEN ISSUED, TO
REGULATE THE NUMBER OF PERMITS WHICH MAY BE ISSUED TO A
PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION FOR EACH FISCAL YEAR, TO PROVIDE
THE GROUNDS FOR REFUSAL OF A PERMIT TO ANY ORGANIZATION
WHICH HAS VIOLATED THE TERMS OF THIS SECTION OR OF THE
REGULATIONS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO IT FOR A PERIOD OF THREE
YEARS AND TO PROVIDE THE MEANS FOR DETERMINING WHETHER A
GROUP, ORGANIZATION OR CORPORATION IS QUALIFIED TO OBTAIN
A PERMIT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION, AND TO
PROVIDE WHEN A PARTICULAR RAFFLE MAY BE CONDUCTED.

A PERSON, GROUP, ORGANIZATION OR CORPORATION
KNOWINGLY CONDUCTING OR ATTEMPTING TO CONDUCT A RAFFLE IN
VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE SUBJECT, UPON
CONVICTION, TO A FINE NOT EXCEEDING $1,000, OR
IMPRISONMENT FOR NOT MORE THAN ONE YEAR, OR BOTH.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act
is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and
necessary for the immediate preservation of the public
health and safety and having been passed by a yea and nay
vote supported by three—fifths of all the members elected
to each of the two Houses of the General Assembly, the
same shall take effect from the date of its passage.