PARRIS N. GLENDENING, Governor

S.B. 179

House Bill 182, which was passed by the General Assembly and signed by me on April 11,
1995, accomplishes the same purpose. Therefore, it is not necessary for me to sign Senate
Bill 179.

Sincerely,

Parris N. Glendening

Governor

Senate Bill No. 179

AN ACT concerning

Oyster Grounds - Lease and Acquisition

FOR the purpose of adding a limited exception to a certain prohibition on the lease or
acquisition of certain oyster grounds from the Department of Natural Resources by
certain nonprofit and nonstock corporations; prohibiting certain nonprofit and
nonstock corporations from transferring certain interests in certain submerged land
to certain persons under certain circumstances; authorizing certain nonprofit and
nonstock corporations to harvest oysters under a certain approved harvesting
program provided that the revenues are used for certain purposes; and generally
relating to the lease and acquisition of oyster grounds.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article - Natural Resources
Section 4-11A-05(a)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1989 Replacement Volume and 1994 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Natural Resources

4-11A-05.

(a) (1) The Department may lease, in the name of the State, tracts or parcels of
land beneath the waters of the State to residents of the State for protecting, sowing,
bedding, or cultivating oysters or other shellfish, subject to the provisions of this section.
These submerged lands when leased shall be known as leased oyster bottoms.

(2) (i) Except as provided in this paragraph, a corporation or joint stock
company may not lease or acquire by assignment or otherwise any submerged land of the
State for the purposes of this section.

(ii) A 4-H club in the State may lease or acquire not more than 10
acres of submerged land for the purposes of this section.

(iii) 1. An incorporated college or university within the State having
an enrollment of at least 700 undergraduate, degree-seeking students may acquire, by
assignment, gift, or bequest, submerged land for education and research purposes only.

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