BLAIR LEE III, Acting Governor

1245

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That section(s) of the Annotated Code of Maryland
be repealed, attended, or enacted to read as follows:

Article 56 — Licenses

163.

(a) All licenses to open, operate or maintain an
employment agency in this State shall be annual licenses,
and irrespective of the date of issue shall expire on the
first day of May next thereafter. [No] AN employment agency
[shall] MAY NOT engage in business in this State until [ (1) ]
an annual license fee of [$200.00] $200 for a first agency
and an annual license fee of [$100.00] $100 for each
additional agency to be operated in this State is paid to
the Commissioner of Labor and Industry by the person, firm
or corporation engaging in such business[, and (2)]. THE
AGENCY shall also deposit with the [said] Commissioner a
bond in the penal sum of [$5,00 0] $10,000 $7,000 for each
agency to be operated in this State. THE BOND SHALL BE
signed by the applicant for the license as principal and by
a surety company authorized to do business in this State as
surety[,]. THE BOND SHALL BE payable to the State of
Maryland as obligee and conditioned on the compliance of
[such] THE applicant with the provisions of this subtitle,
and the payment by [such] THE applicant of all damages
occasioned to any person by reason of any misstatement,
misrepresentation, fraud or deceit forbidden by [said
subtitle of] THIS SUBTITLE, ON THE PART OF [such] THE
applicant, [or] his agents or employees. Every applicant
for a license shall file with the Commissioner of Labor and
Industry a completed application on a form prescribed and
furnished by the Commissioner. Such application shall be
signed by the applicant and sworn to before anyone qualified
by law to administer oaths. If the applicant is a
corporation the application shall state the names and home
addresses of all the officers and directors of such
corporation and shall be signed and sworn to by the
president, treasurer and secretary thereof. If the
applicant is a partnership the application shall state the
names and home addresses of all partners [therein] and shall
be signed and sworn to by all of them. The applicant shall
file at least three letters of character reference from
persons of reputed business or professional integrity
residing in the State of Maryland except that no character
references are required if the applicant is a licensee in
good standing under an existing employment agency license
issued for the license year immediately preceding the annual
license for which application is made. Upon filing [of] an
application for a license [as provided herein] the
Commissioner [of Labor and Industry] shall cause an
investigation to be made as to the character and financial
standing of the applicant and of the person who is to have
the general management of the office and as to the location
of the office. The application shall be rejected if the