HARRY HUGHES, Governor

3131

the clerks of the circuit courts of the respective counties,
or the clerk of the Superior Court of Baltimore City; and on
instruments of writing described in subsections (s) and (t)
hereof filed with the State Department of Assessments and
Taxation, except for liens or encumbrances upon vehicles
which are filed and offered for record with the Motor
Vehicle Administration, except for liens or encumbrances
upon vessels which are filed and offered for record with the
Department of Natural Resources, provided that conveyances
to the State or any agency thereof or any political
subdivision of the State shall not be subject to the tax or
charge imposed by this section.

277.

[(1) The exemption in subsections (h), (i), (j), and
(k) hereof granted because of, or in respect to, an
instrument previously recorded shall not apply or be
effective in case of an instrument recorded prior to May 31,
1937.]

(L) THE TAX IMPOSED BY THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO
THE RECORDATION OF ANY INSTRUMENT THAT TRANSFERS AN INTEREST
IN PROPERTY THAT, IMMEDIATELY BEFORE OR AFTER THE TRANSFER,

QUALIFIES FOR THE EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN AGRICULTURAL

PRESERVATION LAND UNDER § 9(l-5) OF THIS ARTICLE.

278A.

In order to pay the principal and interest on the
certificates of indebtedness issued pursuant to the "Outdoor
Recreation Land Loan of 1969," or "Program Open Space":

(a) [A] EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION,
A tax is hereby imposed upon every written instrument
conveying title to real property, or a leasehold interest
therein, offered for record and recorded among the land
records in the State, and on the transfer of title to real
property or a leasehold interest therein on the filing with
the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of articles
of sale, lease, exchange or other transfer of all or
substantially all the property and assets of a corporation
unless specifically exempted by § 277(t) above, but
conveyances by or to the United States, the State, or any
political subdivision of the State, or any agency or
instrumentality thereof, shall not be subject, to the tax
imposed by this section. The term "written instrument"
includes leases for a term of years above seven years, not
perpetually renewable but does not include any mortgage,
deed of trust, conditional sales contract, or any other
device the purpose of which is to afford a security in real
property rather than convey title thereto.

(G) (1) THE TAX IMPOSED BY THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY
TO THE RECORDATION OF ANY INSTRUMENT THAT TRANSFERS AN