1584                            Laws of Maryland                      [Ch. 736

private owner shall be given such rights as may be necessary to assure
adequate access to such privately owned land by such private owner
and their successors in interest, or the privately owned land may
be exchanged for State owned land in the same county of approxi-
mately equal value under authorities available to the Secretary of
Natural Resources. Provided, however, that the State of Maryland
shall not transfer to a private owner any mineral interests unless
the private owner relinquishes or causes to be relinquished to the
State of Maryland the mineral interest in the surrounding land.
In any case where valid mining claims or other valid occupancies
are wholly within a designated wildlands area, the Secretary of
Natural Resources shall, by reasonable regulations consistent with
the preservation of the area as STATE wildlands, permit ingress and
egress to such surrounded areas by means which have been or are be-
ing customarily enjoyed with respect to other areas similarly situated.

(o) Subject to the appropriation of funds by the Legislature, the
Secretary of Natural Resources is authorized to acquire privately
owned land within the perimeter of any area designated by this Act
as wildlands if (1) the owner concurs in such acquisition or (2) the
acquisition is specifically authorized by the Legislature.

(p) The Department may accept gifts of land or wetlands to
the State OR MAKE OTHER AGREEMENTS AS TO THESE
LANDS, or may purchase land or wetlands or purchase scenic
easements in the name of the State to be held, restored and ad-
ministered as natural areas STATE WILDLAND AREAS, and may
also designate and set aside areas in the State forests and State parks
as natural areas WILDLAND AREAS.

(Q) NOTHING IN THIS SECTION AUTHORIZES ACQUISI-
TION OF PRIVATE PROPERTY WITHOUT CONSENT OF THE
PROPERTY OWNER AND NO PROPERTY MAY BE ACQUIRED
PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION WITHOUT CONSENT OF THE
PROPERTY OWNER.

(q) (R) At the opening of each session of the Legislature, the Sec-
retary of Natural Resources shall report to the Governor for trans-
mission to the Legislature on the status of the STATE wildland
system, including a list and descriptions of the areas in the system,
regulations in effect, and other pertinent information, together with
any recommendations he may care to make.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take
effect July 1, 1971.

Approved May 24, 1971.

CHAPTER 736
(House Bill 1091)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 14 (b)
(3) AND SECTION 15 of Article 43 of the Annotated Code of
Maryland (1965 Replacement Volume, 1970 SUPPLEMENT), title
"Health," subtitle "Vital Records," to provide that the Department
of Health and Mental Hygiene of Maryland assume vital records