The Secretary, in the name of the State, may acquire for its use property rights of any kind by gift, purchase, or condemnation from the owner, as it deems desirable or necessary for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this subtitle.

The Secretary may accept, use, or expend, on terms satisfactory to him, any aid, gift, or loan made available, by the government of the United States or any agency of it, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this subtitle.

The Secretary may execute work undertaken pursuant to this subtitle by contract or open account, as he deems to be in the State’s best interest.

The Secretary may receive from any county, municipality, or special taxing district in the State funds for the purpose authorized by this section. The Secretary may contract with any county, municipality, or special taxing district with respect to the construction or maintenance of the facilities and other work authorized by this subtitle to control or eliminate mosquitoes in or adjacent to the county, municipality or special taxing district. The county, municipality, or special taxing district shall carry out the provisions of any contract entered into with the Secretary with respect to the work authorized by this subtitle. To meet its financial commitments under the contract, each county, municipality, or special taxing district shall appropriate and, if necessary, levy taxes for these funds and pay them over, as the contract requires. All expenses for mosquito control on State-owned land shall be paid from the general funds of the State.

The Secretary may make inspections, investigations, studies, and determinations as he deems advisable in order to ascertain the effect of mosquitoes and methods for their control or elimination in any part of the State. If funds are available, the Secretary may construct and maintain ditches, dikes, dams, and other facilities and may place or spread insecticides or other substances he determines desirable or necessary to control or eliminate mosquitoes in any part of the State.

Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, at least 24 hours before the State, a county, or a bicounty agency sprays a pesticide to control mosquitos within a municipality, the State, county, or bicounty agency shall provide to the municipality notification of: The location of the spraying; and The planned date and time of the spraying. If the State, a county, or a bicounty agency determines that spraying a pesticide is necessary to control the outbreak of a virus, contagion, or similar public health threat, the State, county, or bicounty agency shall provide the notification required under subsection (a) of this section to the municipality as soon as practicable.

If the Secretary, in cooperation with the local health authority, finds that a person is causing or allowing mosquitoes to breed or develop on any property in a manner that may pose a threat to public health, the Secretary may order that the person abate the mosquito habitat in a manner and at a time specified in the order. After all reasonable attempts of abatement have failed, an order issued in accordance with subsection (a) of this section shall be served: On the person who is causing or allowing mosquitoes to breed or develop; or If the person who is causing or allowing the mosquitoes to breed or develop cannot be found, on the owner or occupant of the property where the mosquitoes exist.

The Secretary may bring an action for an injunction against any person violating any order issued by the Secretary under § 5–406 of this subtitle. In any action for an injunction brought under this section, any finding of the Secretary after a hearing shall be prima facie evidence of each fact found. On a showing by the Secretary that any person is violating or is about to violate any order issued by the Secretary, an injunction shall be granted without the necessity of showing a lack of adequate remedy at law. An injunction instituted under this section shall be issued without bond.

A person who fails to comply with the requirements of an order served under § 5–406 of this subtitle is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to: For a first offense, a fine not exceeding $1,000; and For a second or subsequent offense, a fine not exceeding $5,000.