880                               LAWS OF MARYLAND                       [CH. 403

19A.

(a)    There shall be a Land Acquisition Division under the Depart-
ment of Public Improvements. Land for State projects funded under
the "Outdoor Recreation Land Loan of 1969" or 'Program Open
Space" shall be acquired exclusively by this Division. The Land
Acquisition Division is charged with the sole responsibility to ac-
quire land for State projects funded under the "Outdoor Recreation
Land, Loan of 1969" or "Program Open Space," and has no respon-
sibility for local projects or for developing the acquired land. Devel-
opment is the responsibility of the managing State agencies. The
Division shall be established for a period necessary to carry out a
five-year acquisition program and shall cease to exist when it has
fulfilled its responsibilities under the program.

(b)    The Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate,
shall appoint a Chief of the Land Acquisition Division. The Chief
shall be experienced and skilled in the field of land acquisition and
shall receive a salary as provided in the budget. He shall continue
in office at the pleasure of the Governor. The Chief shall be respon-
sible to the Department of Public Improvements for discharging the
functions assigned to the Division and for the administration of the
Division. The Chief shall organize the Division as necessary to carry
out the responsibilities and functions of the Division and shall have
such employees and professional consultants as may be provided in
the budget.

Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That new Section 277A be

and it is hereby added to Article 81 of the Annotated Code of Mary-
land (1968 Supplement), title, "Revenue and Taxes," subtitle "Recor-
dation Tax," to follow immediately after Section 277 thereof, and to
read as follows:

SEC. 10. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, THAT NEW
SECTION 278A BE AND IT IS HEREBY ADDED TO ARTI-
CLE 81 OF THE ANNOTATED CODE OF MARYLAND (1965
REPLACEMENT VOLUME AND 1968 SUPPLEMENT), TITLE
"REVENUE AND TAXES," SUBTITLE "RECORDATION TAX,"
TO FOLLOW IMMEDIATELY AFTER SECTION 278 THEREOF,
AND TO BE UNDER THE NEW SUBTITLE "STATE PROP-
ERTY TRANSFER TAX," TO READ AS FOLLOWS:

277A 278A.

In order to pay the principal and interest on the Certificates of
Indebtedness is used ISSUED pursuant to the "Outdoor Recreation
Land Loan of 1969," or "Program Open Space":

(a) A tax is hereby imposed upon every written instrument con-
veying title to real property offered for record and recorded in the
State, but conveyances to the State or to any agency or instrumen-
tality thereof, or to any political subdivision of the State, shall not
be subject to the tax imposed by this section. The term "written
instrument" inc