HARRY HUGHES, Governor

1289

recipients of public assistance, medical assistance,
food stamps, or social services to restrict the use of
the information to administration of these programs or,
under certain conditions, to research; removing
reference to obsolete programs; and otherwise
clarifying the provisions.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,

Article 88A - Social Services Administration

Section 6

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1979 Replacement Volume and 1979 Supplement)

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be repealed, amended, or enacted to read as follows:

Article 88A - Social Services Administration

6.

[(1)] (A) Except in accordance with [proper judicial
or legislative order] A COURT ORDER [and] OR except [to an
officer of the State, or the United States, having a right
thereto in his official capacity,] FOR PURPOSES DIRECTLY
CONNECTED WITHE THE ADMINISTRATION OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE,
[except] to an AUTHORIZED officer OR EMPLOYEE of the State,
or the United States, having a right thereto in his official
capacity, AND AS NECESSARY TO DISCHARGE RESPONSIBILITIES TO
ADMINISTER PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, MEDICAL ASSISTANCE, OR SOCIAL
SERVICES PROGRAMS, it shall be unlawful for any person or
persons to divulge or make known in any manner [the names
of, the amounts paid to, or] any [other] information
concerning[, persons applying] ANY APPLICANT for or
[receiving] RECIPIENT OF social services, child welfare
services, CASH ASSISTANCE, [general assistance, old age
assistance, aid to the blind, aid to families with dependent
children, or aid to the permanently and totally disabled]
FOOD STAMPS, OR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE, directly or indirectly
derived from the records, papers, files, investigations or
communications of the State, county or city, or subdivisions
or agencies thereof, or acquired in the course of the
performance of official duties.

[(2)] (B) Nothing herein shall be construed to
prohibit the publication, FOR ADMINISTRATIVE OR RESEARCH
PURPOSES, of statistics OR OTHER DATA so classified as to
prevent the identification of particular persons or cases[,
or to prohibit the disclosure of information concerning
particular persons or cases, for purposes of administration
and in accordance with the regulations of the State
Department, to the officials of this State, the counties
thereof, the United States, or any other state].