1928

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 296

injury wrongfully or negligently inflicted on the
child, is deleted. The common law basis of the
mother's exclusive right to sue -- her exclusive right
to custody and guardianship of the child, and her
primary responsibility for the child's care and
support -- has been altered expressly by the
provisions of former Article 72A, § 1 that now appear
in § 5-203(c) of this subtitle and implicitly by the
provisions of the Estates and Trusts Article and Title
5, Subtitle 10 of this article, concerning the
determination of paternity and the imposition of
support obligations on the father of an illegitimate
child. In addition, the resulting abridgement of the
rights of the father of an illegitimate child violates
the Maryland Equal Rights Amendment. The Commission
to Revise the Annotated Code calls the attention of
the General Assembly to this deletion.

SUBTITLE 3. ADOPTION AND GUARDIANSHIP WITH THE RIGHT TO CONSENT
TO ADOPTION.

PART I. DEFINITIONS; LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.

5-301. DEFINITIONS.

(A)   IN GENERAL.

IN THIS SUBTITLE, THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS
INDICATED.

REVISOR'S NOTE: This subsection formerly appeared as
Article 16, § 68(a).

The only changes are in style.

(B)  CHILD PLACEMENT AGENCY.
"CHILD PLACEMENT AGENCY" MEANS:

(1)  A LOCAL DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES; OR

(2)  A PRIVATE AGENCY THAT:

(I)  ENGAGES IN THE PLACEMENT OF CHILDREN IN
HOMES OR WITH INDIVIDUALS; AND

(II)   IS LICENSED BY THE SOCIAL SERVICES
ADMINISTRATION UNDER § 5-507 OF THIS TITLE.

REVISOR'S NOTE: This subsection formerly appeared as
Article 16, § 68(b).

In item (2)(ii) of this subsection, the phrase "by the
Social Services Administration" is new language added
for clarity.