1100                             Laws of Maryland                        [Ch. 680

(1956 Supplement), title "Comptroller" be and it is hereby repealed
and re-enacted, with amendments, to read as follows:

1. Qualification and salary.

The Comptroller shall file his bond and qualify by making the
declaration and taking the oath required by the Constitution and laws
of this State, before the Governor, on the third Monday of January
next ensuing his election, or as soon thereafter as practicable; and
from and after the third Monday of January, 1955, the said Comp-
troller shall receive a salary of twelve thousand dollars ($12,000.00),
per annum, payable monthly. Provided, however, that from and
after the third Monday of January, 1959, the said Comptroller shall
receive a salary of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000.00) per annum
payable monthly.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
June 1, 1957.

Approved April 10, 1957.

CHAPTER 680
(House Bill 769)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 17 of
Article 81 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1956 Supplement),
title "Revenue and Taxes", sub-title "Method of Assessment", re-
lating to the method of assessment of lands which are actively
devoted to farm or agricultural uses.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 17 of Article 81 of the Annotated Code of Maryland
(1956 Supplement), title "Revenue and Taxes", sub-title "Method
of Assessment", be and it is hereby repealed and re-enacted, with
amendments, to read as follows:

17. Real estate, improvements, mineral rights, sub-divisions in
Charles and Calvert counties; farm land, (a) In valuing and assess-
ing real estate, the land itself and the buildings or other improve-
ments thereon shall be valued and assessed separately; and buildings
or improvements not substantially completed on the date of finality
shall not be assessed at all. In case of the separate ownership of the
surface of land and of minerals or mineral rights therein, the assess-
ing authority may, in its discretion, make separate assessments of the
value of the surface and of such minerals or mineral rights. In
Charles County, and in Calvert County land which is planned or pro-
jected for subdivision use shall not be assessed as subdivided units
until actually conveyed as such.

(b) Lands which are actively devoted to farm or agricultural use
shall be assessed on the basis of such use, and shall not be assessed

Explanation: Italics indicate new matter added to existing law.

[Brackets] indicate matter stricken from existing law.
CAPITALS indicate amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken out of bill.