Ch. 3

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Therefore, a Joint Subcommittee of the Senate Economic and
Environmental Affairs Committee and the House Economic Matters
Committee was appointed to consider the substantive problems in
the real estate brokers law. Accordingly, Ch. 563, Acts of 1988,
was prepared to address those problems, by repealing the extant
laws on real estate brokers and enacting, as part of a new Art.
56A, a title on real estate brokers. For a detailed explanation
of the changes made by Ch. 563, Acts of 1988, see the
Subcommittee Comments, which the Publisher of the Code reproduced
after the appropriate sections -- and, in some instances,
subsections -- of former Art. 56A, §§ 4-101 through 4-702.

To the extent possible, new language added by Ch. 563 and
existing law retained by Ch. 563 were conformed to the other
titles proposed for inclusion on enactment of this article.
Therefore, only minor changes have been necessary in the revision
of this title.

During the 1988 session, the General Assembly also enacted
Ch. 28, which altered the application, license, and renewal fees
payable to various licensing boards within the Department,
including the fees payable under the provisions of Art. 56 that
then governed plumbers and real estate brokers. Section 2 of Ch.
28 directed the publishers of the Code to incorporate into Art.
56A those changes that related to real estate brokers. All of
the changes for real estate brokers made by Ch. 28 already had
been made by Ch. 563 and, thus, no additional changes were
necessary.

The General Assembly also enacted Ch. 505, Acts of 1988,
which renumbered former Art. 56A, §§ 4-523 through 4-526 and
added a new § 4-523. Section 5 of Ch. 505 directed the
publishers of the Code to correct cross-references rendered
incorrect by the Act. Those corrections are reflected in this
title.

The General Assembly also amended former Art. 56, § 224 to
add a new subsection (w), which restricted mass solicitations in
Baltimore City and Baltimore County and made a violation grounds
for disciplinary action. A substantially similar provision was
enacted by Ch. 563, as a prohibition subject to criminal
penalties, former Art. 56A, §§ 4-527 and 4-613(a)(4), and by
cross-reference, as disciplinary grounds, § 4-322(31).
Therefore, former Art. 56, § 224(w) is deleted as unnecessary.

Ch. 635, Acts of 1988, amended former Art. 56, § 227A(a) to
delete the word "Maryland" from the name of the Credit Union
Insurance Company but did not make a corresponding change in
former Art. 56A, § 4-503, which, on October 1, 1988,
substantially replaced the amended provision. The correction has
been made in § 16-503 of this title.

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