2654                                         LAWS OF MARYLAND                                     Ch. 526

(A) (1) ANY PERSON WHO USES A CLEANING AGENT IN VIOLATION
OF THIS SUBTITLE IS GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR AND ON CONVICTION IS
SUBJECT TO A FINE NOT EXCEEDING $100.

(2) ANY PERSON WHO SELLS, DISTRIBUTES, OR
MANUFACTURES A CLEANING AGENT IN VIOLATION OF THIS SUBTITLE IS
GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR AND ON CONVICTION IS SUBJECT TO A FINE
NOT EXCEEDING $1,000.

(B)  THE DEPARTMENT MAY SEIZE ANY CLEANING AGENT HELD FOR
SALE OR DISTRIBUTION IN VIOLATION OF THIS SUBTITLE. THE SEIZED
CLEANING AGENTS ARE CONSIDERED FORFEITED.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Secretary of
Health and Mental Hygiene shall review the experience of other
jurisdictions that have phosphate bans to determine the expected
impact of this Act on the various groups affected by this Act,
examining, as a minimum, the expected impact of this Act on users
of coin-operated laundries and owners of septic systems, and
subject to § 2-1312 of the State Government Article, the
Secretary shall report to the General Assembly on or before
December 1, 1985. If the Secretary determines that a particular
group or groups will experience a hardship as a result of the
provisions of this Act, the Secretary shall promulgate
regulations under § 9-1503(b)(2) of the Health - Environmental
Article, as enacted by this Act, exempting that group or those
groups from the provisions of this Act.

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Secretary
shall, on or before April 1, 1986, assess the impact of this Act
on the various groups affected by this Act to determine if any
particular group has suffered a verifiable hardship. The
Secretary, subject to § 2-1312 of the State Government Article,
shall report to the General Assembly with a determination of
whether any group or groups have suffered a verifiable hardship,
addressing, as a minimum, the effect of this Act on users of
coin-operated laundries and owners of septic systems. If the
report identifies a group or groups that have suffered a
verifiable hardship, the Secretary shall promulgate regulations
under § 9-1503(b)(2) of the Health - Environmental Article, as
enacted by this Act, exempting any group for which a verifiable
hardship has been identified from the provisions of this Act.

SECTION 2 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act
shall take effect July 1, 1985. It shall remain in effect for a
period of 3 years and, at the end of June 30, 1988 December 1,
1989, and with no further action required by the General
Assembly, this Act shall be abrogated and of no further force and
effect.

Approved May 28, 1985.