HARRY HUGHES, Governor                                         819

and any secured party noted among the records of the Motor
Vehicle Administration.

(i) If the owner of the seized motor vehicle desires to
obtain possession thereof before A PETITION FOR FORFEITURE IS
FILED OR BEFORE the hearing on the petition filed against the
vehicle, the clerk of the court where the CRIMINAL PROCEEDING OR
THE petition FOR FORFEITURE is filed shall have an appraisal made
by the sheriff of the county or city in which the court is
located. The sheriff shall promptly inspect and render an
appraisal of the value of the vehicle and return the appraisal,
in writing, under oath, to the clerk of the court in which the
proceedings are pending. Upon the filing of the appraisal, the
owner may give bond payable to the State of Maryland, in an
amount equal to the appraised value of the vehicle plus court
costs which may accrue, with security to be approved by the
clerk, and conditioned for performance on the final judgment of
the court after the hearing on the petition, the court directs
that the motor vehicle or such interest or equity as the owner
may have therein, be forfeited, judgment may thereupon be entered
against the obligors on the bond for the penalty thereof, without
further or other proceeding, to be discharged by the payment of
the appraised value of the vehicle so seized and forfeited and
costs, upon which judgment execution may issue. A PETITION FOR
THE RETURN OF THE SEIZED MOTOR VEHICLE AND FOR THE BOND
AUTHORIZED IN THIS SUBSECTION SHALL BE FILED IN THE DISTRICT
COURT OR CIRCUIT COURT WHERE THE CRIMINAL ACTION THAT GAVE RISE
TO THE SEIZURE IS PENDING AND SHALL BE PART OF THAT SAME CRIMINAL
PROCEEDING , UNLESS A PETITION FOR FORFEITURE HAS BEEN FILED,
HOWEVER. IF NO CRIMINAL ACTION IS PENDING OR IF NO FORFEITURE
PETITION HAS BEEN FILED, THE BOND SHALL BE FILED IN THE CIRCUIT
COURT OR DISTRICT COURT WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS SEIZED.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall
take effect July 1, 1986.

Approved April 29, 1986.

CHAPTER 182

(House Bill 181)

AN ACT concerning

Weights and Measures - City and County Jurisdiction

FOR the purpose of repealing the authority of cities and counties
that contain more than a certain number of people to
regulate weights and measures; repealing certain powers and
duties of a local inspector and deputy local inspector;
repealing certain definitions; making certain technical