SPIRO T. AGNEW, Governor                       717

CHAPTER 355
(House Bill 1015)

AN ACT to repeal Section 20 of Article 5 of the Annotated Code of
Maryland (1957 Edition), title "Appeals," subtitle "Appeals to
Court of Appeals," subheading "Appeals from Commissioner of
the Land Office"; to repeal Section 16 of Article 36 of said Code
(1965 Replacement Volume), title "Fees of Officers," subtitle
"Commissioner of Land Office" and to enact a new Section 16 to
stand in the place of the Section so repealed and to be under the
same Article, title, subtitle, and subheading; to repeal Sections 1
through 8, 11 through 14, 18 through 44, all inclusive, and Section
46A of said Article 54 of said Code (1964 Replacement Volume
and 1966 Supplement), title "Land Office," and to enact in lieu
thereof new Sections 12 through 26, to stand in the place of the
sections so repealed and to be under the new subtitle "Land
Patents"; to declare the nature and purpose of such new subtitle
and the effect of certain of its provisions Upon other provisions of
law and existing rights; to designate and to define the powers and
duties of a Commissioner for the issuance of patents for land, as
therein defined; to establish certain rights, priorities, duties and
interests of persons seeking to obtain land patents and other
persons in such proceedings and to prescribe and regulate the
procedure for obtaining such patents; to provide for the effect of
and punishment for perjury in connection with such proceedings;
to provide for the valuation of certain vacant land; to establish the
circumstances under which a patent will be issued and the method
for making determination of the existence of such circumstances;
to provide for the manner of termination of proceedings to obtain
patents and the lien and manner of collection of certain costs, fees,
charges or purchase prices assessed or due therein; to prescribe
the form, contents and effect of patents issued in accordance with
such procedures; to provide and regulate appeals in such cases; to
provide for the custody and maintenance of certain records
relating to land patents and the certification thereof; to declare
the severability of the provisions of said new subtitle; to prescribe
fees to be charged by the Commissioner for services performed
under said subtitle; and relating generally to land patents and the
issuance thereof.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Sections 1 through 8, 11 through 14, 18 through 44, all
inclusive, and Section 46A of said Article 54 of the Annotated Code
of Maryland (1964 Replacement Volume and 1966 Supplement),
title "Land Office" be, and they are hereby repealed; and that 15 new
sections, be and they are hereby added to said Article 54, to stand in
in the place of the sections so repealed and to be designated Sections
12 through 26, inclusive, and to be under the new subtitle "Land
Patents" and to read as follows:

Land Patents
12. Nature and purpose of subtitle.

The abolition of the office of Commissioner of the Land Office by
vote of the people at the general election of November 8, 1966, and the
abolition or modification of various forms for obtaining patents