Ch. 675                                    1997 LAWS OF MARYLAND                         

(b) Except as otherwise provided in this section, any person convicted of a
misdemeanor for the violation of any of the provisions of the Maryland Vehicle Law is
subject to a fine of not more than $500.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
October 1, 1997.                                                                                         

Approved May 22, 1997.                                                                             

AN ACT concerning

CHAPTER 675
(House Bill 559)

Office of Cemetery Oversight
Death Care Industry Regulation

FOR the purpose of creating the Office of Cemetery Oversight in the Department of
Labor, Licensing, and Regulation; requiring the Secretary of State the Department of
Labor, Licensing, and Regulation to establish an a certain advisory board council;
specifying the membership of the advisory board council; providing for the terms of
the members of the advisory council; providing for a Director of the Office of
Cemetery Oversight; providing for the powers and duties of the director Director;
authorizing the director to establish certain rules and fees: authorizing the Director
to adopt certain regulations and establish certain fees; requiring the Director to
adopt certain regulations and establish certain fees; establishing a Cemetery
Oversight Fund; specifying the use of the Fund; requiring registration in order to
engage in the operation of a cemetery or in order to provide burial goods in this
State; providing certain exceptions; presiding establishing certain registration
criteria; providing for the renewal of registration; providing for the denial of a
registration or reprimand of a registrant or and for the denial of a permit for a permit
holder or reprimand of a permit holder under certain circumstances; providing for
the suspension or revocation of a registrant or a permit holder registration or a
permit under certain circumstances; providing certain hearing procedures under
certain circumstances; requiring a permit in order to engage in the operation of a
cemetery or burial goods business as a corporation, limited liability company, or
partnership; providing establishing certain permit criteria; requiring registrants and
permit holders to make certain disclosures when entering into certain contracts;
providing requiring certain persons that are exempt from registration or permitting to file
certain statements with the Office of Cemetery Oversight; providing that certain
registrants and permit holders in Baltimore County may buy, hold, or use, for burial a
certain number of acres on a certain tract; establishing certain penalties for practicing
without a registration, providing services without a permit, and misrepresentation;
altering certain definitions; specifying a reporting requirement for certain sellers of
preneed contracts; altering certain trust and escrow requirements for certain sellers of
certain preneed goods and services; providing for the evaluation and termination of
the Office of Cemetery Oversight; providing certain conforming changes in

- 3874 -