1948

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 708

(4)    to assist, advise and cooperate with the
Better Business Bureaus of the Tri—County Area and local,
state and federal agencies and officials to protect and
promote the interest of the consumer public;

(5)    to assist, develop and conduct programs
of consumer education and information through public
hearings, meetings, publications or other materials
prepared for distribution to the consumer public of the
Tri—County Area;

(6)    to undertake activities to encourage
local business and industry to maintain high standards of
honesty, fair business practices and public
responsibility in the production, promotion and sale of
consumer goods and services and in the extension of
credit;

(7)    to exercise and perform such other
functions and duties consistent with the purposes or
provisions of this subtitle which may be deemed necessary
or appropriate to protect and promote the welfare of
county consumers;

(8)    to render annual reports as to the
number of complaints filed, the nature thereof and the
disposition thereof and the other relevant activities of
the board undertaken during the previous year to the
Tri-County Council.

(q) Same; complaints filed. Any consumer
subjected to an unlawful, unfair or deceptive trade
practice may file a complaint with the board in writing
stating the name and address of the person alleged to
have committed the particular trade practice and any
other information required by the board.

(r) Same; investigations, conciliation, penalties.
(1) Upon the filing of a complaint the board shall make
any investigation it deems appropriate to ascertain facts
and issues. Whenever appropriate the Board shall refer a
complaint to the State Consumer Protection Division of
the State Attorney General's office or to the Federal
Trade Commission. If the board determines there are
reasonable grounds to believe an unlawful, unfair or
deceptive trade practice has occurred, it shall attempt
to conciliate the matter by methods of initial conference
and persuasion with all interested parties and any
representatives as the parties may choose to assist them.
Conciliation conferences shall be informal and not
public.

(2) the terms of conciliation agreed to by
the parties may be reduced to writing and incorporated
into a written assurance of discontinuance or settlement
agreement to be signed by the parties, which written
assurance or agreement is for conciliation purposes only
and does not constitute an admission by any party that