Ch. 555                                    1996 LAWS OF MARYLAND

(c)     The fee imposed under this section shall be paid on or before December 31,
1994, or the date of registration of the affected property under Part III of this subtitle,
whichever is earlier, and on or before December 31 of each year thereafter.

(d)    An owner who fails to pay the fee imposed under this section is liable for a
civil penalty of up to triple the amount of each registration fee unpaid that, together with
all costs of collection, including reasonable attorney's fees, shall be collected in a civil
action in any court of competent jurisdiction.

6-848.

The Department shall:

(1)     Develop and establish community outreach programs to high lead risk
areas, which may be implemented by the Department, local governments, or community
groups; and

(2)     Assist local governments to provide case management services if
necessary to persons at risk with elevated blood lead.

Chapter 114 of the Acts of 1994

SECTION 5. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That:

(A)     [ of] OF the fees generated and paid into the Lead Poisoning Prevention Fund
under § 6-843 of the Environment Article, as enacted by this Act, FOR FISCAL YEARS
1996 AND 1997 ONLY, 50% OF THOSE FEES, UP TO A MAXIMUM OF $750,000 PER FISCAL
YEAR SHALL BE DEDICATED TO THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION
PROGRAM ESTABLISHED UNDER § 6-848 OF THE ENVIRONMENT ARTICLE, AS
ENACTED BY THIS ACT; AND STARTING IN FISCAL YEAR 1998, at least $750,000 per
fiscal year shall be dedicated to the Community Outreach and Education Program
[established under § 6-848 of the Environment Article, as enacted by this Act].

(B)     DURING FISCAL YEARS 1998, 1999, AND 2000, IN ADDITION TO THE $750,000
DEDICATED ANNUALLY TO THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION
PROGRAM FROM THE LEAD POISONING PREVENTION FUND, THE DEPARTMENT
SHALL DEDICATE AN AGGREGATE ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF FEES TO THE
PROGRAM FROM THE FUND EQUAL TO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN $1,500,000 AND
THE AMOUNT OF FEES DEDICATED TO THE PROGRAM FROM THE FUND IN FISCAL
YEARS 1996 AND 1997. ONE-THIRD OF THE AGGREGATE ADDITIONAL AMOUNT
SHALL BE DEDICATED TO THE PROGRAM FROM THE FUND IN EACH OF FISCAL
YEARS 1998, 1999, AND 2000.

(C)     The Department of the Environment shall establish priorities for allocation of
funding to local governments and to not-for-profit organizations for the Community
Outreach and Education Program. Criteria for priorities of not-for-profit organizations
shall include prior experience of the organizations in lead poisoning issues, outreach and
education, child health issues, and relationships with tenants of low-income housing and
with health care providers for childhood lead poisoning.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, notwithstanding any other
provision of law, an owner of an affected property who paid a fee for that affected

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