PARRIS N. GLENDENING, Governor

Ch. 171

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That:

(1)     The Board of Public Works may borrow money and incur indebtedness on
behalf of the State of Maryland through a State loan to be known as the National
Aquarium in Baltimore Loan of 1995 in a total principal amount equal to the lesser of (i)
$2,000,000 $1,000,000 or (ii) the amount of the matching fund provided in accordance
with Section 1(5) below. This loan shall be evidenced by the issuance, sale, and delivery of
State general obligation bonds authorized by a resolution of the Board of Public Works
and issued, sold, and delivered in accordance with §§ 8-117 through 8-124 of the State
Finance and Procurement Article and Article 31, § 22 of the Code.

(2)     The bonds to evidence this loan or installments of this loan may be sold as a
single issue or may be consolidated and sold as part of a single issue of bonds under §
8-122 of the State Finance and Procurement Article.

(3)     The cash proceeds of the sale of the bonds shall be paid to the Treasurer and
first shall be applied to the payment of the expenses of issuing, selling, and delivering the
bonds, unless funds for this purpose are otherwise provided, and then shall be credited on
the books of the Comptroller and expended, on approval by the Board of Public Works,
for the following public purposes, including any applicable architects' and engineers' fees:
as a grant to the Board of Directors of the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Inc.
(referred to hereafter in this Act as "the grantee") for the development, improvement,
renovation, reconstruction, repair, expansion, and construction of, and the provision of
capital equipment for, the National Aquarium in Baltimore.

(4)     An annual State tax is imposed on all assessable property in the State in rate
and amount sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds as and when due
and until paid in full. The principal shall be discharged within 15 years after the date of
issuance of the bonds.

(5)     Prior to the payment of any funds under the provisions of this Act for the
purposes set forth in Section 1(3) above, the grantee shall provide and expend a matching
fund. No part of the grantee's matching fund may be provided, either directly or
indirectly, from funds of the State, whether appropriated or unappropriated. No part of
the fund may consist of real property or in kind contributions. The fund may consist of
funds expended prior to the effective date of this Act. In case of any dispute as to the
amount of the matching fund or what money or assets may qualify as matching funds, the
Board of Public Works shall determine the matter and the Board's decision is final. The
grantee has until June 1, 1997, to present evidence satisfactory to the Board of Public
Works that a matching fund will be provided. If satisfactory evidence is presented, the
Board shall certify this fact and the amount of the matching fund to the State Treasurer,
and the proceeds of the loan equal to the amount of the matching fund shall be expended
for the purposes provided in this Act. Any amount of the loan in excess of the amount of
the matching fund certified by the Board of Public Works shall be canceled and be of no
further effect.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
June 1, 1995.

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